In a small, Southern town in 1964, a white racist and a Black freedom fighter find themselves thrown together in the same jail cell. This is the reality two men face in the play “Jubilee in the Rear View Mirror,” which is part of the upcoming 2017 IndyFringe Festival. IndyFringe is a theater festival that aims to encourage local artists to take risks and introduce new ideas to audiences. From Aug. 17–27, Mass Ave. will host 72 theatrical productions.
Though the town of Jubilee, Mississippi, is fictional, the world that the play takes place in and the characters that audiences will meet are inspired by the stories of real people. Playwright Garret Mathews interviewed more than 40 men and women who were active in the civil rights movement in the South during the mid-1960s in preparation for writing “Jubilee.” One individual, Hank Thomas, recalls an instance when “nice, well-dressed Christian white people” brought their kids out to witness lynchings on Sunday morning. Another man, State Stallworth, was laid off from his job when a white person needed it. The stories of the individuals interviewed are available on Mathews’ website, pluggerpublishing.com.
Some of the play’s inspiration was drawn from Mathews’ personal experiences. He grew up in rural southwest Virginia and was a high school student when his town was being desegregated in 1965.
“I went my junior and senior years with Black kids. Before the desegregation happened, the Black kids had to ride the bus with Black kids. I remember ‘colored’ water fountains, ‘colored’ hotels,” he said.
Mathews recalled an incident that happened while he was visiting his grandparents.
“It was hot, and my brother and I wanted to swim. They took us to the pool. We found out the pool had been closed because Black people wanted to swim in it. To get around that, they closed the pool for everybody,” said Mathews.
Some of the stories he learned from people he interviewed made their way into his play. For example, during his research he learned that African-Americans were not allowed to try on shoes at department stores, because white people would not buy them after a Black person had tried them on. Store employees would use an outline of a Black person’s foot to fit them with shoes. Mathews included that situation in his production.
Mathews feels that people of all ages and races know little of the civil rights movement. He hopes people who come out to see the play will be entertained but also learn more about our country’s history and the people who fought to change America for the better.
“(Blacks and whites) distrusted each other, and there was no race mixing. Today, it’s better, but there is still a lot of white flight and poverty. It’s still a difficult situation for those who remain,” said Mathews. “The civil rights moment was so valuable. People of all backgrounds risked their lives and were killed. These were really brave individuals, and we can learn from them.”
“Jubilee in the Rear View Mirror” will be performed at the Indianapolis Firefighters Museum on Friday, Aug. 18, at 10:30 p.m. and Saturday. Aug. 19, at 9 p.m. More dates and times to view this production can be found online at indyfringe.org. Tickets to all IndyFringe productions are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors and students, and $10 for children under the age of 12.
Noteworthy IndyFringe productions
‘Black Lives Matter (Too)’
“Black Lives Matter (Too)” is one-part play and one-part story poem that explores the struggles and triumphs of Black people from slavery to the present.
Next show: Saturday, Aug. 19, at 10:30 p.m., Indianapolis Firefighters Museum
‘Black
in the Box’
“Black in the Box” follows a man who is able to embody and trace the steps of Blacks from the slave era to current-day America through the use of masks. As the result of his immersion, the man gains insight and understanding as to why frustrations have grown within the Black community.
Next show: Saturday, Aug. 19, at 7:30 p.m., Phoenix Theatre
‘Seeking Consciousness’
Comedian Dwight Simmons explores his inherent fear of being stereotyped. Through comedic and introspective stories, “Seeking Consciousness” aims to explain why humans have a need for labels and the effects they can have from adolescence into adulthood.
Next show: Saturday, Aug. 19, at 1:30 p.m., Phoenix Theatre
