By Darlene Donloe
Contributing Writer
LOS ANGELES — It’s been 30 years since Ben Guillory and Danny Glover co-founded the Robey Theatre Company with a mission to develop and produce new works and African American classics exploring the global Black experience.
“Proudly,” said Guillory during a recent interview, “we’ve done just that.”
After mounting 37 productions during its history, the Robey Theatre Company is saying thank you to the scores of actors, designers, technicians, supporters, other professionals and audience members by hosting a free, 30th anniversary celebration at 7 p.m. Nov. 16 at the Los Angeles Theater Center in downtown.
The festivities will begin in the lobby of LATC with cocktails, wine and hors d’oeuvres, then move into Theatre Two at 8 p.m. for a screening of a new film by executive producer Guillory and filmmaker Jermaine Alexander charting the evolution of the Robey Theatre Company, “In A Constant Rage,” followed with more food, dessert, music and dancing at 10 p.m. Evening attire is recommended and reservations are required.
Guillory, a veteran actor, director and producer, recently spoke about helming one of Los Angeles’ leading Black theater companies for the last 30 years.
“Some days it feels like it’s 30 years, and some days, no,” said the married, father of two. “Because I’m always looking forward. There is always a reason to look forward. It’s what’s in the future that gives you fever.”
The Robey Theatre Company is a Black box theatre that produces two full productions annually. In addition, the organization offers three 10-week sessions in spring, summer and fall. Guillory facilitates the advanced scene study workshop, and the playwrights lab is facilitated by resident literary advisor Reginald Edmund.
In 2014, the organization established a biannual theatre festival in Robey’s honor. The Paul Robeson Theatre Festival is a three-day, short-play event that serves as an homage to Robey’s work and spirit by showcasing emerging playwrights and local actors.
Reminiscing about the body of work The Robey has produced for more than three decades, Guillory said he’d give the company an A-plus.
“The work we’ve done over the years has been workworthy,” said Guillory, best known for his role as Shug Avery’s companion in “The Color Purple.” “We’ve been here 30 years and producing plays for 28 of those years. We first started as a readers’ circle.
“Given the resources we’ve had and the way the playing field is laid out, we have done extremely well. We thrived. It’s always imagination working overtime, double time to make visions come true. We wanted to make the work be worthy of Paul (Robeson).”
Robeson was a renowned humanitarian, activist and artist.
The “we” Guillory is referring to are himself and his co-founder, actor Danny Glover.
The two, who knew each other in the Bay Area before becoming actors, are longtime friends. Both men wanted to build something meaningful, eventually landing on the idea of a theater.
“We wanted to give young artists a place to work and refine their talent without being hurried about it,” said Guillory, the Robey Theatre’s artistic director. “Our sensibilities are different from Eurocentric theater. The experience of being Black in America is different. The work we wanted to do we’ve done. I’m happy. I’m content with the results. It’s all been a learning experience.”
When the Robey Theatre was launched, both Guillory and Glover had already become established actors who wanted to tell stories that no one else was telling. They settled on the name Robeson because he was someone both actors admired.
“We both came to the theater with a socially conscious agenda,” Guillory said. “That has never wavered.”
An actor who has appeared on television and in motion pictures, Guillory said there is “something about the theater.”
“It’s live,” he said. “It’s really that simple. The entire process — from the playwright to the curtain going up for the first time on a piece of work — is a wonderful discovery period in making a story. I love that process. Get into a room with a story on paper and bring in actors who add another layer. The playwright owns it, the director owns it, the actors own it, and the audience does as well. They are all affected by it.”
A passionate champion of the arts, Guillory, who studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, said the next 30 years will consist of more of the same.
“The goal is to keep working,” said Guillory,whose TV credits include the film, “The Tuskegee Airmen,” “The Jeffersons” and “Dynasty.” “Keep discovering and working with new talent, and new actors, and helping them and participating with them. It’s reciprocal. Everybody wins when that happens.
“I could do this forever. What else am I going to do? Someone asked me if I had any plans to retire. I said, ‘Retire to do what?’”
The Robey Theatre 30th Anniversary Celebration at 7 p.m. Nov. 16, at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles. Admission is free but reservations are required. Information: office@therobeytheatrecompany.org.
Darlene Donloe is a freelance reporter for Wave Newspapers who covers South Los Angeles. She can be reached at ddonloe@gmail.com.
