Carl Hancock Rux, Patricia Cruz

by KC Trommer

The multitalented Carl Hancock Rux—poet, essayist, novelist, and playwright—characterizes his work as an exploration of “the realms of history and modern applications of history,” whereby he seeks to answer fundamental questions about the transmission and reception of art, what it means to be an artist, and the significance of artists’ lives to their work. African-American writers and artists are of particular interest to Rux, and the evening offered a sampling of his work, with readings from his 2002 Obie award-winning play Talk and his more recent plays Smoke, Lilies & Jade and The Blackamoor Angel. For these pieces, he drew inspiration from the renowned novelist Zora Neale Hurston (1891?–1960) and her lesser-known contemporary Richard Bruce Nugent (1906–87), among others.

Interspersed with the readings were discussions between Rux and Patricia Cruz, executive director of Harlem Stage which, in fall 2009, will present Makandal, an opera with libretto by Rux and music by Haitian-American composer Daniel Bernard Roumain. The opera’s plot was inspired by accounts of the first Haitian slave revolt in the novel The Kingdom of this World by the Cuban writer Alejo Carpentier.

The Rux event was only one of various summer programs presented by the Segal Theatre Center that emphasized the national and international nature of the Center’s mission to bridge the gap between academia and the professional performing arts communities.

Others included an event devoted to emerging New York theatre company 13 Playwrights; an exploration of the New York Times’ online theatre section with Times’ senior producer for theatre Erik Piepenburg; British director Allison Troup-Jensen’s workshop presentation of Ecouter—Space 7, featuring seven pieces inspired by American artist and photographer Francesca Woodman; screenings and an afternoon discussion with one of Russia’s most renowned theatre directors, Lev Dodin; a performance of Rwandan playwright Odile Gakire Gatire’s play Ngwino Ubeho (Come and Be Alive), directed by Rebecca Taichman, an American; and two days of readings celebrating plays from the South Asian diaspora.

From September 30 through October 3, the Segal Theatre Center will host its sixth annual Prelude festival, showcasing performances, readings, studio presentations, open rehearsals, talk-backs, and panel discussions of New York’s 2009–10 theatre season. All Prelude events are free of charge. For more information, visit http://www.preludenyc.org.

Dr. Frank Hentschker is executive director and director of programs at the Segal Theatre Center; GC Distinguished Professor of Theatre and Comparative Literature Daniel Gerould serves as director of publications and academic affairs; and Jan Stenzel is director of administration. For further information about the Segal Center and its programs, see http://web.gc.cuny.edu/mestc/.

PHOTO: A. POYO