Stone Solid Theater Group Celebrates Spokane’s Black Community

“There are always and only two trains running. There is life and there is death. Each of us rides them both. To live life with dignity, to celebrate and accept responsibility for your presence in the world is all that can be asked of anyone.”

- August Wilson

There is a force, small but powerful, driving through Spokane’s black community - a force that is building momentum and uniting people through art.

That force is Onyx - Spokane’s first and only black theater troupe. And what it has to offer is more than just a string of humorous plays with hard-hitting messages.

“This is a way for African Americans to share our culture and our heritage with the black community and the Spokane community,” said Denise McKinnon, who founded the group.

Originally, McKinnon envisioned the troupe as a means of promoting black history and art, and tapping the talents of the black community.

But that is only a part of what the group is about.

Onyx members say they also hope the plays will be educational, a way to help debunk myths and stereotypes of black people.

Now two years old, the group is doing just that and more. It also has become a safe haven for troupe members, a place to air frustrations and to find support.

“We’re giving each other entertainment, feedback, strength,” said Laurie Montgomery, who designed posters for the group’s most recent production, “Two Trains Running.”

At a time when many local black people express concern about that community’s “separateness,” Onyx is pulling people together.

Following the closing performance of “Two Trains Running” in early November at the Civic Theatre, group members gathered not only to celebrate a successful season, but also to share their grievances and frustrations of living in a predominantly “white world.”

“Through theater, you can really put your struggles out there,” said Yolanda Everett-Marshall, who has had parts in two Onyx plays. Theater has also given Everett-Marshall a chance to send out a message: “We all worked hard to build America.”

What’s more, Onyx is giving a voice to many in the black community who feel they are not being heard.

“There are people who have stories to tell,” said H.W. Tony Anthony, who played Memphis, one of the lead roles in “Two Trains Running.” He added that these stories are rife with lessons.

Several Onyx members said more and more black audience members are telling each other their tales of discrimination after seeing the plays. Wherever they gather - at the grocery stores, barber shops, and community centers - the topic of discussion inevitably turns to race, Montgomery said.

A black man gets pulled over by local police on his way home from work, doesn’t get cited or even ticketed. A 4-year-old girl comes home and says, “Mommy, I want to be white.” A bus driver requests that a black woman go sit in the back of the bus, apparently because she was making too much noise chewing gum.

This is proof enough of the racial insensitivity blacks and other minorities have found in Spokane, Onyx members said.

And the lessons, though harsh, are being told: That racism is a fact of life. And that some people won’t be changed.

But they are also positive, knowing that there is hope to be heard and to be united.

“Onyx is only a small part of what can make a community work,” said Debra Reed, Onyx president. “Hopefully, it can bring people together” - something it’s been doing since it started.

The first few meetings were with a small, intimate crowd. Today, the group has more than 30 members and has played in front of several sold-out crowds this season.

All of Onyx’s members are volunteers from the community. They include a high school drama teacher, a local radio personality and several youths.

The group is focusing on ways of getting more kids involved in the 1996 season. The troupe plans to produce an adult play and a children’s play next year.

“Even though Spokane is such a family-based city, there are a lot of things that are missing for young children,” Reed said. “There are a lot of talented young African American kids involved.”

Onyx members are looking for more people to join the force, but recruiting is not limited to actors and actresses, and definitely not limited to African Americans, Reed said. There is always a need for people to make fliers, work backstage with lighting and sound, or even videotape performances.

“Two Trains Running” was Onyx’s third collaboration with the Civic Theatre. Although Onyx did not receive any proceeds from their shows at the Civic, the arrangement helped the troupe get a facility, a director and some publicity.

Eventually, though, Reed hopes the group can find a building and theater of its own. Onyx currently is based out of the East Central Community Center. They have a contact phone number, but no office.

In the meantime, Onyx will stay on track with its productions. Although their 1995 season officially ended this month, they are offering two benefit shows Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. at the community center. The money from ticket sales will be used for various things, including future productions and acting classes for the youths in the group.

Through theater, and particularly through August Wilson’s plays, troupe members want to find a common ground for all the races.

“People are people,” Montgomery said. “We’re born the same, we die the same. We are the same, other than the shell and the color of the shell.”

The group continues to look for more volunteers and support. For information, contact Debra Reed at the East Central Community Center, 625-6699.

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