Join us for our next Commons event – the first public reading of Black Girl From a White Suburb, a solo show by Artistic Affiliate Tania Richard.

Monday, October 21 @ 7:00 PM

Reserve tickets HERE or call (773) 654-3103. Donations are welcome.


ABOUT THE READING

In 1982, Tania is a Black girl from an all-white suburb who lives with Haitian immigrant parents. She plays with white Barbies, dodges microaggressions, and tries to blend in while longing to see herself reflected. She discovers her superpower when cast as the Caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland. On stage, she doesn’t have to blend in; she is confident, free of boundaries, and empowered to push beyond other people’s narrow vision of her. Through performing, Tania sets on a journey to claim her blackness and heal from the cultural isolation she experienced in childhood—a blend of cautionary tales, pop culture references, antiracism provocation, and humor. Black Girl From a White Suburb illustrates how Tania has cast herself as the leading role in a culture that wants Black women to be supporting characters.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tania Richard is a published writer, award-winning actress, teacher, and antiracism educator. Her platform, Tania’s Take, showcases her podcast, essays, DEI educational content, and videos. Her blog, Writing My Mind, was on The Chicago Tribune’s blog site for ten years. She is the EDI Consultant for American Blues Theater and an Artistic Associate. She’s also an award-winning playwright. Her commentary can be heard on OUT Chicago, NPR’s The Story, All Things Considered, and WTTW’s Chicago Tonight. As an actress, she has appeared on Chicago Fire, Chicago Justice, Chicago PD, and Empire, among others. She has performed on Broadway with Steppenwolf Theatre Company, The Goodman Theatre, The Second City, and other theatres. Her soon-to-be-published memoir is Black Girl From a White Suburb: Finding Her Light, Using Her Voice.

Share This
Skip to content