Vintage Theatre Cancels Black Nativity Because of "Multiple Challenges"

Vintage Theatre envisioned its ambitious revival of Langston Hughes's Black Nativity as a production that would become a Colorado holiday tradition akin to The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol — until it came to an abrupt end on December 3. Just days before its rescheduled premiere on December 8, the production, mired in internal conflicts and managerial challenges, was canceled.

In Vintage Theatre's 21 years, this is the only production to be canceled after the rehearsal phase began.

Last month, the production's director, Alicia "Lisa" Young, fondly recalled when she would see Black Nativity in New York as a child with her godmother and other family members. “It was always similar, but revised for the times we were in,” she said. “I wanted to be a part of Black Nativity because it’s a cherished part of my childhood. When I first moved to Colorado with my family, we saw it at churches and the Eulipions Theater in Denver. It’s always been a family tradition, so I am excited to see Black Nativity live on."

Young, who founded DEI outreach organization IDEAs Stages, was selected by Vintage Theatre's artistic director, Bernie Cardell, in mid-August to direct Black Nativity as part of the company's New Directors Program for emerging directors. She envisioned a production that would blend gospel music, African beats and a modern retelling of the Nativity story, reflective of contemporary issues in the African-American community. The cast, which included a mix of professional actors and amateur community members, was seen as a strength.

But despite the initial enthusiasm, rehearsals were fraught with challenges, and Young was let go on December 2.
Young said in November that the show, which was supposed to open on December 1, had been pushed back to December 8 because of COVID-19 concerns. "There was absolutely a lot of sickness," says Vintage board director ShaShauna Staton. "That’s also [about] saving face. I don't want to bash Lisa, but I'm going to be completely honest with you."

Staton met Young when they were both actors in A Song for Coretta at Vintage in 2014; it was the start of a nearly ten-year friendship. "Lisa was my big sister; she was one of my best friends," Staton recalls. "I protected her fiercely and defended her with my whole entire body when all of the rumors — well, what I thought were rumors — about her behavior surfaced. What I didn't know was that our friendship was conditional; mine was unconditional, but hers was conditional."

Staton, who was also a member of the Black Nativity cast, says the production had been marred by mismanagement, a lack of organization and interpersonal conflicts since rehearsals began the week of October 24. She was disappointed with Young's leadership, she says, adding that she had lost faith in the director's ability to deliver her vision after the second week of rehearsal. "I told Bernie that I thought he should let her go, but Bernie was being nice," Staton says. "I insisted that it needed to be now, but Bernie had faith, because he's the sweetest person in the world. I did not have faith."

"Although I was promised mentorship and support from Mr. Cardell, he was largely absent from the process," counters Young. "Our cast of new and veteran artists, including ten youth artists under eighteen, forged through a rehearsal process beset with COVID, injuries and other challenges."

However, Cardell claims that Young never mentioned a lack of mentorship until December 2, the day she was fired from the production. "I think it was a last-ditch effort to avoid being let go," Cardell says. "In terms of support, I must say that this show received more support than most Vintage shows, and I began attending rehearsals early because I had heard from the actors that the show was in rough shape."

Normally, as artistic director, Cardell would attend the design meetings and first read-through of the script before stepping back to give the team space to work until run-throughs began. However, after a dancer was let go from the production, he attended a dance rehearsal to check in on the process.

"It seemed like things were going to work out with the new person, and then Lisa, along with the support of the organization at that time, decided to let the music director go," Cardell says. "After that, I became even more concerned, and I kept hearing from cast members that they were becoming increasingly worried about how the show was developing and how they were being treated."
Although Black Nativity was supposed to have a cast of twelve to thirteen actors, Staton says that Young hired thirty performers. "It's been a mess from the beginning. She would schedule rehearsals, and the people she hired wouldn't show up," Staton says. "Not the actors, but the production people she hired, and there was no real direction, to the point where we all got really frustrated."

Morale was low during rehearsals, and Staton describes the process as increasingly untenable, prompting her own resignation on December 1.

Assistant stage manager Cat Grimm and Young had been friends for a decade and collaborated on other projects, but never with Young in the director's chair. "We experienced an enormous amount of setbacks, obstacles and several necessary staffing changes, all of which took a toll on the production," Grimm says. "There was ultimately a lot of discomfort and difficulty among the cast, conflict between myself and the stage manager, and unresolved frustrations that, now with hindsight, I recognize were fostered, if not created, by our director. I don't believe any of that was conscious or malicious. However, there were many opportunities for Lisa to take responsibility for her role in the discord. But instead, there was a lack of accountability on her part and misplaced blame, which came across as excuses."

After Vintage let Young go, some actors left the cast and called for a boycott; many had been recruited by Young.

"I was concerned that many of the thirty cast members would not want to continue without me as the visionary behind the project," Young says. "Moreover, I reminded Mr. Cardell about the significance of this classic Black title to the Black community and its traditions. In response, Mr. Cardell stated, 'I don't care,' and insisted that he was willing to take these risks. He then demanded that I leave the theater. Adding insult to injury, Mr. Cardell instructed the Vintage production manager, Biz Schaugaard, to ask me to leave through the back exit in front of cast members. I refused to comply with this disrespectful request. Instead, I walked out through the front door of Vintage, asserting my rights and dignity."

"The words 'I don't care' were not said; I would never say that," Cardell states. "She expressed that the cast might walk out, and I told her that was a risk I had to be willing to take. What happened was that, for a good twenty minutes, Lisa was trying everything she could to be kept on the production. ... She was asked to leave through the back because the cast had already gathered in the front lobby and the situation had become emotionally volatile. At that point, I was still trying to keep the whole show together. ... It was not racially motivated; that was not my intention. However, I know it doesn't always matter how it was intended, so I apologize if that was how it was received."

While Vintage had planned to produce an abridged version of Black Nativity, the lack of cast members forced the cancellation of the show; the announcement was made on December 3. The company estimates that it spent roughly $40,000 on the production, and Vintage now faces the daunting task of covering these costs without any performances to recoup the investment.

"There were more problems with this production than with any other show at Vintage or any other theater around Colorado," Cardell admits. "Vintage has nothing to gain by firing a director or canceling a production; it's the opposite. We have everything to lose."
Compounding the turmoil, many cast and crew members learned of the show's cancellation through social media, according to Young. "It is deeply concerning and unprofessional that the artists and team members who chose to remain involved in the project were informed of its ultimate cancellation through a social media post," Young says. "Such a method of communication lacks the respect and transparency that these individuals deserve. To add to the already distressing situation, these individuals were later informed through email that they would not be compensated for their time and efforts, despite Mr. Cardell's initial verbal agreement to pay everyone. It is unfair and unacceptable to withhold payment for the hard work and dedication put forth by these cast members and team members."

According to Staton, Vintage paid the creative team on December 1; however, Cardell told the team on December 2 that if the members chose to leave Black Nativity, they would have to return the pay but could keep their travel stipend. Uncertainties about their compensation after the production was canceled further deepened the discontent among the cast and crew.

"Bernie gave everybody their first paycheck on Friday, which is the day we were originally going to open, and the next day he said, 'If you're walking away from the production, please bring the check back.' But people did not do that, which put us in a further hole," Staton says. "We're trying to figure it out, but by no means do we want anyone to not get paid. They did get that first paycheck, but we're in an unprecedented situation, so we're trying to figure it out as we go."

Still, many involved remain frustrated. "The hasty decision to remove me from the project had far-reaching consequences for the community," Young says. "It not only deprived them of a much-desired Black theatrical experience and tradition, but also had a detrimental impact on the livelihoods of numerous artists and professionals involved.

"I offer my full support and solidarity to the artists, crew and design team who have been unjustly denied the opportunity to perform this piece and their payment due to the decision made by Vintage and its leadership," Young continues. "It is deeply disheartening and unfair that these individuals, who have dedicated their time, talent and hard work to the project, are now facing financial hardship as a result of this situation."

The fallout from Black Nativity's cancellation underscores the challenges of balancing artistic vision with the harsh realities of producing theater. "We tried," Staton stresses. "Bernie gave her every chance in the world, and this sucks. I have no words for this situation, other than that it's the weirdest thing I've ever seen in my life."

"I am heartbroken that the show has been canceled," Grimm says. "It was a beautiful show, displaying amazing Denver talent and presenting a story that should be more visible in social conversation. I joined the show honored to be a part of a production that is a culturally important and socially necessary one. However, I am also relieved that the stress, anxiety and upset many people, including myself, were experiencing are over."