Forum was co-sponsored by the Swearer Center, the Department of Africana Studies and the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America.

In the midst of tough economic times, the Providence Black Repertory Company is facing its own economic challenges.
In this week’s Pulse, Quyen Ngo finds out what exactly going into receivership means to the Company and the community.

The Pulse airs weekly on 95.5 FM, taking a closer look at community news and the issues that affect Southern New England’s urban centers. Tune in to 360 on Sunday mornings at 10:00, or stream live at news.wbru.com.

The forum was held just a few days after the Black Rep officially announced that it has gone into receivership, a type of corporate bankruptcy. Going into receivership puts it under legal custody of a receiver. The company may then financially reorganize until a court proceeding. Alan Shine is court’s assigned receiver. His job is to run the operation while it’s in receivership until there are offers and proposals to restructure it.

“It is my understanding that the Board of Directors of the Black Repertory Theatre company are intending to make a proposal to buy the company and the assets out of receivership on an reorganized basis. If the court approves that, then that will provide and allow for continuation of the Black Rep in the future, down the line, but on a financially restructured basis.”

The only administrative staffer left on the payroll, Donald King is optimistic about the current financial challenge.

“We are fortunate to not have to close our doors. Receivership was a proactive move, a decision, in order to preserve the institution and to protect our assets and to restructure the organization, to identify new board members new leadership to help this organization to continue to serve the residents of this city and state and country…”

Photo courtesy of Kathy Moyer, Rites and Reasons Theatre

King hopes that in this process of re-organization, the Black Rep will come out stronger than ever with new leadership sensitive to the needs of the company, to better serve the needs of the community.

“Well I want your children and other people’s children someday to feel like they have an institution that shows you another kind of America. It’s a real positive time. And that says that much about the community also—that this community has been so supportive of Black Rep in very many ways and the challenges, how can we find some ways for Black rep to put the right business infrastructure in place. And then for the community to be supportive of it in terms of financial support in all it serves.”

Those who attended the forum expressed appreciation and their views of the Black Rep and reflected on the state of the company.

“I love the black rep. I have been going there for at least 5 years…”

“I think it resonates with everyone: who are we, what are we about, and are we gonna do the same things we’ve been doing. Perhaps, in a way, Black Rep is being forced to ask those same questions. But I think black rep, being what it is, would’ve asked that question anyway.”

One supporter talked about learning how to expose live music and theatre to his son.

“…the difference between a live performance and a TV program… We have to figure out different ways to use the tools our kids are used to, to get them to theatre.”

King is grateful for supporters of the rep and links the company’s struggles to a struggle much greater than the rep—it is one felt throughout the country.

“I just want to say thank you…I wanna say to people: don’t give up on us, we haven’t given up on you. I wanna say thanks to all my staff past and present who have labored for black rep and labored for this community more than anything. I would hope that people in their criticism and analysis of why black rep is in this situation, that they would take into account that some of the challenges that this organization has seen are much bigger than this one institution…and hey, we’re still standing.”

Special thanks to Mitra Anoushiravani.