Vibrancy Theater gathered a crowd April 10 and hosted its first showing of “Bootcandy,” written by Robert O’Hara, in Kantner Hall. The play, made of vignettes, follows Sutter, a young Black man navigating his identity and relationship with others.
Devin Ty Franklin, the production’s director, said he was selected to direct the show about a year ago after applying through the Master of Fine Arts directing program.
“I did a lot of research on Black performance methods, of how people in the Black church sing … and how I could integrate that into the show,” Franklin said.
For Franklin, the performance follows messy characters who make bad mistakes but are nonetheless motivated by movement and expression.
“I think it’s so true that being Black and being queer, specifically in this country, is an absurd experience,” Franklin said.
He explained how the show’s vignette style evolves with the story, changing established details and creating a sense of controlled chaos for the audience.
“This is what you would like for a Black reverend to do during a church sermon … in a world in which the Black church is this accepting, affirming place for queer people,” Franklin said.
Mei-Lan Holland, a first-year MFA student studying acting, explained the balance between comedic timing and emotionally tense moments. Playing young Sutter’s mom, among other characters, Holland noticed when audiences reacted to the play’s comedy.
“I think the audience also recognizes that there’s plenty of humor to be found in these super tense situations, and they’re even looking for it because that scene is so heavy and intense,” she said.
Oftentimes, rehearsals and performances would start with a question of the day; on sign-in sheets, there would often be a “fun fact” the cast could enjoy. Holland described those moments as being critical to a good performance.
Derek A. Graham was the sound designer for Bootycandy. Graham got his master’s degree in production design and technology with an emphasis on sound design from Ohio University in 2015. Graham found an immense motivation to participate in the show, returning to his alma mater after a decade.
“So much of it was so compelling, how could I not design this?” he said.
Graham has always enjoyed creating a journey for the audience in unexpected ways.
“It’s a beautiful thing to be able to stand on your own two feet, no matter if it is coming out, no matter if it is being able to just stand up for yourself right in the face of adversity,” Graham said.
Graham’s audio design navigates rapid changes between the story’s different settings, flipping between profound moments and spectacle.
“We planned this from the very beginning, and we were just waiting for you to catch up,” he said.
To Graham, the audio-visual storytelling is unapologetic and loud. This connects to the story’s themes of personal acceptance and growth, making the audience feel as if it is confronting that challenge as well.
The story ends with the sound of a tape recorder when Sutter seeks advice from his grandmother in a particularly turbulent period of his life, beginning and ending the show with the same click.
“(Sutter) is contorting himself as an artist, as a lover, as a son, and then we finally have a moment at the end where he physically, literally and metaphorically has the opportunity to shed all of that,” Franklin said.
With countless political challenges facing audiences today, live theater presents new perspectives and creates a platform for artists to express their identities and advocate for themselves.
“I do believe that the power of live performance can be a sacred act,” Franklin said. “That’s church.”
Franklin encourages all audiences to see Bootycandy before it closes April 19.
“If a story doesn’t seem like it speaks to your experience, that’s more reason to go,” Franklin said.
