Interview: Stephanie Hickling Beckman (“Ti[r]ed” - Black Women)

After damages from Tropical Storm Helene forced Different Strokes Performing Arts Collective to postpone its season that was slated to begin in early October, managing artistic director Stephanie Hickling Beckman welcomed a break. But just over a month later, she was pulled back into action and began cooking up what became “Ti[r]ed” - Black Women.

“Coming up with this idea was more of a trauma response to the [U.S. presidential] election results,” she says. “The phrase I was hearing most — in my circles, and from Black women on social media, and the news — was ‘I’m tired.’ There were a couple of expletives involved but I’m sure you get the idea.”

Pronounced “tied," as in “we are tied of…” the Ti[r]ed in the title will be expressed in various creative ways on Monday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m., through spoken word poetry and dramatic readings by Donna Marie McMillan, Glenis Redmond, Janet Oliver, Nita Jade, Shasparay Irvin, Torre White-Garrison, and Zakiya Bell-Rogers. 

Hickling Beckman serves as the one-night-only digital performance’s creator/producer/director and spoke with Asheville Stages about what’s been involved in organizing the event and the advantages and disadvantages of staging an online production. 

Edwin Arnaudin: What inspired the format and goals of “Ti[r]ed” - Black Women?

Stephanie Hickling Beckman: I channel my emotions and engage in socio-political activism through my art. I genuinely wanted to create a group of women who could find solace, camaraderie, and support in each other’s presence. Also, I have a hope that this could blossom beyond this project into a Black women’s written/spoken word collective.

“Ti[r]ed"- Black Women Came about in much the same way as “…while Black,” which Different Strokes produced online in 2020 following — and in response to — George Floyd’s murder. 

We opted for the online option for several reasons: timing, proximity of the performers, and availability of the venue. We also thought it was vital that we be able to reach beyond Asheville and the region.

EA: What was involved in choosing your collaborators? Did you hold a traditional audition process or take a different route?

SHB: There were no auditions involved in selecting this cast. I’ve had the privilege of working with or directing all the women involved in this project, and I wanted to include them because they are incredibly talented. They share my feelings of hurt, anger, fear, and exhaustion.

EA: Please tell me about the show’s creative process: Are performers writing their own spoken word poetry and dramatic readings?

SHB: Our initial rehearsals focused on getting to know each other and discussing the themes we wanted to convey in the show. The show features original poems composed by the performers, accompanied by a few pre-existing dramatic readings. Additionally, we have collaborated on creating original group pieces.

EA: How did you choose between a recorded or live performance?

SHB: We’ve decided to present this as a one-night-only live performance. Given our country’s current climate, we’ve made the decision not to make it available online to prevent uncontrolled sharing and potential misuse.

EA: What do you consider some of the primary advantages and challenges of staging an online production?

SHB: The advantages of online productions far outweigh their disadvantages. Firstly, online productions are significantly more cost-effective, as we eliminate expenses for a venue, props, lighting, and sets, resulting in lower ticket prices. Secondly, online productions expand the reach of the show, making it accessible to a broader audience regardless of their location.

However, the challenge lies in creating a strong connection between performers and the live audience, which is more difficult to achieve when they are not physically present in the same room. It’s akin to the difference between sitting in the rafters and having a floor seat. Counteracting such a connection deficit requires more intentional positioning, movement, and direct eye-contact with the camera.

Interestingly, online productions offer a unique opportunity for multiple attendees to share a single ticket. While this may seem counterintuitive, it balances out the potential to sell more tickets than ever before for an entire three-week run. For instance, we sold over 500 tickets for “while Black” and anticipate selling at least that many for this show.

EA: Are you considering other one-off performances or low-overhead projects until your next multi-week production?

SHB: Not at this time.

EA: How intentional is the timing of the Jan. 20 production and in what ways do you hope people’s awareness of other events occurring that day augment the show’s impact?

SHB: As you’re aware, Jan. 20 holds significance not only as Inauguration Day but also as the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Given the looming threats to many of the rights championed by our Civil Rights pioneer, we believe it’s crucial to refocus our attention on this remarkable figure, and his advance.

IF YOU GO

What: “Ti[r]ed” - Black Women
When: Monday, Jan. 20, 7 p.m.
Where: Via Zoom, differentstrokespac.org
Tickets: $16.05

(Photo courtesy of Different Strokes)