HowlRound Theatre Commons: In my work as a theatre writer, director, and teacher, I am often approached by young women of the African Diaspora asking if I can either recommend audition monologues, or, more frequently, write one for them. I’ve written for some of my students and friends, but I haven’t been able to fulfill all of the requests, nor did I think I was necessarily the best person to write these monologues.
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“Write what you know.” What a powerful statement. I think that the real controversy that can occur when one doesn’t write what they know is the fear of inaccuracy and misrepresentation. This article poignantly highlights the lack of minority representation because the majority/popular culture is white, misogynistic, straight, and male. This article was enlightening as it reveals many different emerging artists within the entertainment industry to better represent the unrepresented. These are the people that should write what they know and they should be celebrated for who they are, what they write, and any medium they wish to present themselves. Represent matters a whole lot. Maybe I can attend the Dramatists Guild Conference in New York City in July of 2018. That would be a great personal opportunity to hear the unheard but extremely important voices. Black actresses deserve to have a plethora of options when they have to consider monologues they can perform for auditions.
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