Thrice-Told Tales: "Pouring Tea" as Performance Ethnography

Abstract

Storytelling, Self, Society, 8:48-51, 2012 Copyright©Taylor &Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1550-5340 print /1932-0280 online DOI: 10.1080/15505340.2012.635099 Routledge Taylor &Francis Group PERFORMANCE REVIEW Thrice-Told Tales: Pouring Tea as Performance Ethnography CherylBlack Pouring Tea:BlackGayMenoftheSouthTellTheir Tales.Performed byDr.E. Patrick Johnson. Rhynsburger Theatre, University ofMissouri, Columbia, Missouri. April25,2011. From2004-2006,artist/scholar E. Patrick Johnson traveled throughout 15 Southern states conducting ethnographic, oralhistory interviews with morethan 70 gayblackmen.Thelifestories they shared with himeventually comprised 3,000pagesoftranscription, distilled andpublished in2008 as SweetTea: BlackGayMenoftheSouthTellTheirTales.Johnson's original intention ,however, had beento perform thestoriesin front of live audiences.As he prepared a narrative text forpublication, he also crafted a performance basedonselected narratives which he has toured, in variousforms, tomorethan30 universities since2006. On April25, 2011, Dr.Johnson brought anhour-long version oftheperformance text totheUniversity ofMissouri, sponsored by severalcampusorganizations including theGraduate Theatre Organization; the LGBTQ ResourceCenter;theChancellor'sDiversity Initiative; theDepartments ofTheatre, Sociology, andWomen'sandGender Studies; andtheGraduate Professional Council. Bertolt Brechtonce observedthat"thereare manyconceivablewaysof tellinga story" (201). Johnson's method ofstorytelling exemplifies theartistic, critical practice ofperformance ethnography. Pioneered inthe1980sbyDwight Conquergood, theperformance ofethnographic research hassteadily gainedground, primarily within academicsettings, as a rhetorically compellingwayof "deeplysensing theother" (3). Performance ethnography is storytelling, which incorporates manyoftheaesthetic pleasures oftraditional, theatrical performance butwiththe distinctively political andethical aimofsubverting notions ofexpertise, interpretation, andunilateral authority inprivileged narratives. Aware ofthemoral andpolitical implications ofperformance , Conquergood developed a dialogic practice that resisted a collapsing ofidentities, instead keeping thedialogue openandalivebetween ethnographer and"Other." Following Conquergood, Address correspondence toCheryl Black, Department of Theater, University of Maryland, 129 Fine Arts, Columbia, MO65211. E-mail: BlackC@missouri.edu PERFORMANCE REVIEW 49 Johnson has crafted a dialogicperformance thatportrays a genuineconversation, dispersing authority ofthetext andrespecting thedignity, willandindividuality oftheinterviewees. Johnson signalsa breakfrom thepublished narrative withhistitle change, from thebook's SweetTeatothemoreperformative Pouring Tea, a phrase with thespecialmeaning within the black,gaycommunity ofgossiping, telling secrets, ortelling tales.Tellingly, theprogram cover features theperformance title inlargeboldfont anda photograph ofoneofthe"blackgaymen" ofthetitle. Johnson's credit at thebottom oftheprogram is in a muchsmaller, lighter font. Inside, Johnson's bio sharesroughly equalspacewith theidentification ofthesevenmenwho will"pourteaabout"central themes: earlychildhood, coming out,rebellion, religion, coming ofage pre-Civil Rights (in the1920sand 1930s),masculinity andpeerpressure, andbeinga Southern diva. Inkeeping with a critical andnonillusionist performance practice that doesnotaimtoconvince anaudience that they areseeing"reality," thespace(theapron oftheRhynsburger's proscenium stage, with thedropped proscenium curtain providing a background), wasfurnished sparsely with twostools(oneholding a glassoficedtea),a musicstand holding thescript, anda coatrackon which hung a choir robe.Thestand androbepoint toJohnson's useofmusicas a bridge between stories - a richly evocative mixofgospel,blues,disco,classic,andjazz- that notonlyprovides considerable aesthetic pleasure butalsounderscores thethemes inthestories. In further keeping with dialogicperformance practice, Johnson doesnotattempt todisguise hisidentity. He is simply dressed inblackslacksandoxford shirt, andhisperformance style is simple, intimate, andaccessible.He settles comfortably on oneofthestoolsandoccasionally takesa sipoficedtea.Thescript onthemusicstand reminds theaudienceofthesourcematerial ,andas Johnson beginstore-tell thetalesherefers tothescript regularly, perhaps reading, orperhaps consciously callingattention totheexistence ofthestories inallthree forms: as originallytold ,live,tohim;as transcribed andeditedtext;andnow,as re-told inanother context toanother audience. Johnson precedes there-telling ofeachstory byplaying a brief recording from theoriginal interview, another reminder totheaudience that these stories werenotauthored byJohnson. WhenJohnson continues thestory, hedistinguishes thesevennarrators with subtle adjustments ofvoice,body, gesture, orfacialexpression, interpolating questions as himself (the ethnographer) andresponding as anOther. He doesnotattempt themimetic transformation that typifies, forexample, AnnaDeavereSmith'sperformances ofmultiple anddiverse characters. Whereas Smith's virtuosity as a quick-change artist cansometimes overshadow themessage, in Johnson's dialogicperformance theinterviewer, thestories, and,most importantly, themenwho first toldthem consistently share thestage. Without ever"disappearing" into theroles, Johnson nonetheless manages tovividly evokethe presence ofsevenindividuals. Theenactment oftheir stories ofgrowing upblackandgayinthe South, as "co-performatively interpreted" (Johnson's phrase) byanopenly blackgaymanborn in theSouth, constitutes a profound critique ofracism, sexism, andhomophobia inourculture. Their stories arepainful, poignant, funny, andtriumphant. Storytellers recallphysical andsexualabuse, poverty, thefearofbeingunwanted; fearofdamnation andhell,thoughts ofsuicide.Humor, however, pervades eventhemost painful ofmemories. Bursts oflaughter accompanied Michael's memories ofreactions tohissexuality from hishomophobic family, particularly hisrecollection ofhisfather's attempt tocuthisnewly permed bangswith a pairofhedgeclippers. Theaudience responded similarly when thesoft-spoken Freddie recalls"carrying a single edgerazor blade. . . 50 BLACK tosharpen pencils," andcutting a bullyinorder togaina measure ofrespect as a "meanlittle sissy." Gainingthatmeasureof respect, no matter how hard-won, is a recurring themewithin thestories. Humorandhard-won respect arepresent evenwithin...