The West Coast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota is performing the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, ‘A Soldier’s Play,’ through Feb. 18. Pictured above are some of the actors featured in the play (left to right) Michael Mendez, Donovan Whitney, Patric Robinson, Eric Van Baars and Terry Spann. Photo by Sorcha Augustine
BY SUSAN GILES WANTUCK | WUSF
SARASOTA — West Coast Black Theatre Troupe in Sarasota is performing the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, “A Soldier’s Play,” through Feb. 18.
Director Chuck Smith | West Coast Black Theatre Troupe
It’s a story about the murder of a Black sergeant on a Louisiana military base during World War II, decades before the Civil Rights Movement.
Director Chuck Smith, the resident director of the Goodman Theatre in Chicago and WBTT, said that even though the play is set in the past, there is a lesson for audiences to take away from this segregation-era story.
“Despite the fact that the country didn’t always love them, these men were true patriots who were willing to fight and die for this country,” he said.
Smith said there have been efforts to suppress Black history in the U.S. because it embarrasses some people. But he said the play serves as a reminder of what truly happened.
“In our production, they discuss soldiers going in into town and being lynched. So, sure, these things did actually happen. It’s not like this was a fantasy,” he said.
In the rehearsal process, before the show opened, Smith realized this.
“I’m in love with my cast. And I’ve watched them become soldiers. They are military men,” he said.
And only one of the actors had any military experience through the ROTC.
The play runs through Feb. 18. You can get details on tickets here.