In an Orlando Shakes play, audiences are challenged to think about what it means to be Black. At Orlando Repertory Theatre, a new partnership provides mentoring to a Black start-up theater company. And at Central Florida Community Arts, the new CEO is Black — a first for an Orlando arts group with a budget and reach that large.
As 2022 heads into its last weeks, work done to increase diversity, equity and inclusion on the Central Florida cultural scene is bearing fruit.
But the leader of an organization that advocates for increased inclusion in the arts says the progress of some is hampered by others’ unwillingness to change.
“If I had to give a grade for this year, I would give us a C,” said Meka King, lead organizer of Central Florida Entertainment Advocacy. “There are some institutions that are really trying and then there are some that have been really performative and then there are some that aren’t trying at all.”
The biggest disappointment of the year, King said, was the departure of the artistic leaders and others at the Garden Theatre, which had become known for its progress in the area of diversity.
But while the cultural community saw some setbacks, other organizations such as the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and United Arts of Central Florida have been planting the seeds for more diversity in future arts leaders.
For audiences, the increased presence of nonwhite performers has been obvious on stages across Central Florida.
Shows such as “Trav’lin'” at Winter Park Playhouse, “Lenox Ave.” at the Renaissance Theatre in Orlando and MAC Boys’ “Blues for an Alabama Sky” showcased nonwhite casts.
A Garden Theatre production of “Beauty and the Beast,” featuring nonwhite actors in most principal roles, attracted national attention and earned praise from Disney Theatrical.
King lauded the theaters for their efforts, particularly the partnership that sees Orlando Repertory Theatre leaders mentor the Black men who comprise the MAC Boys and give them space to present their plays.
“I think that’s incredible,” King said. “Those are the kinds of things we [at Central Florida Entertainment Advocacy] had been calling for.”
She also saluted the new Renaissance Theatre, which recently celebrated its first anniversary under the artistic leadership of Donald Rupe.
“The Renaissance Theatre is really putting in some work in bringing people together,” she said.
‘It’s more than that’
But the diversity seen when the curtain rises isn’t always reflected in the wings.
“It’s not just about having Black people on the stage,” she said. “It’s more than that.”
In some areas, such as directing, strides toward equity were made.
At one point in October, three plays by three different theater companies running simultaneously featured Black female directors — something once almost unthinkable in Orlando, even in recent history.
At Orlando Repertory Theatre, Ke’Lee Pernell directed “Locomotion.” Across Loch Haven Park, Roberta Emerson directed “Apologies to Lorraine Hansberry (You Too August Wilson),” while a few blocks away at The Mezz, Faith Boles made her directing debut with “The World Goes ‘Round” for New Generation Theatrical.
‘You have to be proactive’
It’s not just theaters pushing for more diversity.
Opera Orlando’s recent production of “The Magic Flute” saw Asian conductor Chaowen Ting behind the baton, with Daniel Marcos Rodriguez as associate conductors. Key creative roles such as hair/designer and choreographer were filled by people of color.
The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra intentionally scheduled a nonwhite composer or guest artist at its Classic Series concerts, including world premieres from James Lee III, who is Black, and Stella Sung, who is Asian-American, as well as a Florida premiere from Tania León, who is Cuban American.
Timucua Arts Foundation, which presents concerts and other performances by touring acts, has made a conscious effort to diversify its performers, said executive director Christopher Belt.
He characterized the performer roster in the early days of the organization as 75-80% white but said that had dropped to about 50% white in recent years.
“This year, we’re closer to 45% white, so there’s a good deal more representation,” Belt said.
As a point of reference, demographics data show the largest ethnic group in Orange County is non-Hispanic whites, who make up about 39% of the population. An additional 20% identify as white Hispanics.
Belt said you can’t just wish for people of color to work in your venue.
“You have to be proactive,” he said. “You have to put systems in place to make that happen. We want to build a reputation of treating people well so they’re willing to come here.”
‘It’s everything’
When Timucua leaders realize a particular community, such as transgender or Native American artists, is underrepresented in the season lineup, they now take action, Belt said.
“When we realize these things, we look for an artist of high caliber we can attract here,” he said.
Maintaining the quality is crucial, he said, so efforts to diversify don’t become pandering.
In September, Timucua presented a concert by sibling virtuoso strings players Anita Graef and Julian Graef.
“They’re incredibly high level,” Belt said about booking the pair. “The deciding factor isn’t that they’re Black — it’s that they’re fantastic.”
But even as stages become more diverse, the higher one looks up the chain of command, the scarcer nonwhite faces become.
Terrance Hunter, the new CEO of CFCArts, acknowledged that in an Orlando Sentinel interview shortly after taking the job.
“It’s everything,” he said of the commitment to inclusion that his hiring represented — not only for the present but for the future. “It’s knowing I can’t look at cultural organizations across time and see me. I didn’t have an ‘If they can do it, I can do it’ role model to follow.”
‘Create your own table’
CFCArts increased the diversity of its board of directors this year with multiple new additions, including Lynette Jackson, Esu Ma’at, Cherisse Stover and CeCe Teneal — herself a professional gig singer.
While King said nonwhite gig workers face mixed experiences, depending on who hired them, Teneal said she had seen cultural and technological changes that give performers more power over their own destinies.
“No longer do you have to be invited to a table,” she said. “You can create your own table.”
Yet, around the boardroom tables of Central Florida arts groups, faces remain overwhelmingly white.
“We’ve asked for more Black and brown board representation,” King said. “That is not happening. We’re seeing a lot of pushback and excuses made in that area.”
‘We went unheard’
Orlando Museum of Art lost two long-serving and prominent nonwhite trustees when term limits forced Sibille Pritchard and Carolyn Fennell from the board — though Pritchard became vice chair of the board at the Dr. Phillips Center.
The Garden Theatre had pioneered a program that let two representatives from Central Florida Entertainment Advocacy share a board seat. One of them was King, but she and her colleague Felichia Chivaughn resigned, saying that their opinions had been ignored.
“Oftentimes we went unheard and were never consulted to give guidance or perspective,” they wrote.
Their departure followed the June resignation of Garden artistic director Joseph C. Walsh, credited with championing inclusive productions. Within a few months, most of the theater’s staff — including many nonwhite professionals in other leadership roles — had either followed suit or been let go as live theater programming ground to a halt.
“A lot of the work in the community was coming out of that space,” King said. “That work has stopped. I think that set us way back.”
‘Opportunities for future leaders’
Two organizations are undertaking efforts to build momentum for a more diverse future in Central Florida arts leadership.
The Dr. Phillips Center is part of the first-of-its-kind BIPOC Executive Leadership Program. The Orlando arts center is one of 18 nationwide chosen to participate in the program by Live Arts Centers of North America, or LACNA — a consortium of more than 50 of the largest arts centers in the U.S. and Canada.
The goal of the program is to accelerate the development of management and leadership skills among nonwhite midlevel managers so they can more quickly move up to executive positions.
Tania Palkhivala, whose heritage is South Asian, is one of the six inaugural participants and is in Nashville this week as part of the program. She is director of development at the Dr. Phillips Center, where she has worked for a decade, and is responsible for raising $1.5 million annually.
“It’s important to provide ongoing development opportunities for future leaders in our industry, and we are so pleased to advocate for Tania for this inaugural class,” said arts-center president Kathy Ramsberger, in announcing the program.
The Dr. Phillips Center will host program participant Jennifer Tsukayama, the vice president of the arts-education department at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, in December. Participants train in leadership theory and practice, receive coaching and explore ways to make performing-arts centers more inclusive, accessible and reflective of their communities.
‘We are missing out’
Meanwhile, United Arts of Central Florida has established the Diverse Leadership Pipeline, a matchmaking service between community-minded individuals and the organizations who need them on their boards.
“This program is designed to help ensure the leadership of Central Florida’s arts and cultural community reflects our diverse population,” said Jennifer Evins, president, and CEO of United Arts. “Central Florida is one of the most diverse communities in the United States, and we feel like we are missing out on the leadership and perspectives of many skilled and passionate people who want to be engaged in our local arts, science and historical organizations because they don’t know how to get involved.”
The application form, at unitedarts.cc/diverse-leadership-pipeline, asks interested individuals about their skills, interests and experiences in hopes of finding a spot for them on the boards of local cultural organizations.
“Without diverse people included in the decision-making process of our boards, we will not reach our vision that all people of Central Florida have access to the arts,” the form states.
Added Evins: “We hope this will be the beginning of an incredible connection for all of us.”
Find me on Twitter @matt_on_arts, facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Want more theater and arts news and reviews? Go to orlandosentinel.com/arts.
