THE YELLOW CHAIR
Kris Black Jasper makes her
Directorial Debut
From Actor to Stage Manager to Director, the sky is the limit for this Jubilee Theatre alum.
BY CHARLES JACKSON JR.
OCTOBER 17, 2024
FORT WORTH— Photo by Tia Kirby for Home at Jubilee Theatre
During our first Yellow Chair Interview, I had the pleasure of speaking with Kris Black Jasper about her directorial debut with the production of “Home” by Samm-Art Williams at Jubilee Theatre. My conversation with Kris Black Jasper has been condensed and edited for clarity.
Jackson: Hello, Kris Black Jasper, THE Kris Black Jasper!
Black Jasper: It is I, it is I!
Jackson: Thank you for sitting with me and Yellow Mezzanine to discuss your directorial debut at Jubilee Theatre with Home by Samm-Art Williams. I would love it if you could give an overview of “Home” for anybody unfamiliar with Williams’ work.
Black Jasper: I am so excited to have been given the opportunity to direct this particular show as my debut. It’s about a young man, Cephus Miles, trying to find his way. Along the way, he encounters many trials and tribulations. He was enjoying the simple life and thought the city life would be better. Trying to find a girl and chase a girl, should I say? Only to go through all the things up north and realize that home is really where the heart is. And his heart was back in North Carolina, which, of course, is also the home of Samm-Art Williams; God rest his soul. It’s a great story. Many who have seen it have called it like The Prodigal Son story adaptation. It is very much like that. So, it’s been fun. It’s been really fun!
Jackson: So, how were you approached to direct the show, how did you feel when you were approached, and what ultimately led you to accept the role of director?
“To anyone aspiring to be a director, do everything. Just do all the things! If you're given an opportunity, do it. And if you're not given an opportunity, advocate for yourself. I will absolutely say advocate for yourself!”
-Kris Black Jasper
Black Jasper: So when I was approached, it was actually going to be someone else directing it. And D. Wambui Richardson (Artistic Director of Jubilee Theatre) just asked, "Hey, if this person isn't available, you know, I really think that this would be something you can do." And I was like, "OK." I cried; I did. I'm not going to lie; I did. It was that fact that I was even asked to do it. And for me, that was affirmation within itself. It definitely said that there was something in me that someone said, "Hey, she can actually do this." And so when I got the confirmation that I was going to be the Director, I cried again. I sure did. But I was very excited. I was not surprised or shocked; I was just excited until I realized what all directing really is.
Jackson: So, that’s a good question! What does directing mean to you?
Black Jasper: I’ll tell you what I thought it was first. I thought it was as simple as I read this script. The cast reads the script, and I tell them where to stand. I tell them that I like where they’re standing, and that’s supposed to be it. And we keep it moving. When A wonderful friend of mine, another talented actress I know, Crystal Williams, was talking, I was sharing with her about the opportunity. And she was very congratulatory and said, “Wow, friend, you get to tell them how you want the lights and tell them what sounds you want.” And she’s just naming off all the things, and the more things she named, I was like, “I gotta do that?” She said, “Yeah! You make those decisions.” At that moment, it really hit me that my vision for this show had to be implemented in the lights and sounds, the cast, and the scenery. And it was just, yeah, it made it very real in that moment. For sure!
Jackson: Well, anybody who is familiar with Jubilee’s work has seen your name many times in the playbill. From actress to stage manager and assistant stage manager, you have pretty much done it all almost at Jubilee Theatre. What led you to decide to venture out into directing?
Black Jasper: It was literally the next step for me. It was about seeing if the things that I was feeling as an actress, if I could verbalize that for someone else. If things that I see in my head could then be put on a larger scale. It’s one thing as an actress to be in that space and have a Director or a Musical Director say, “Sing a song like this” or “Stand over here.” But you get to make those creative choices as an actress, which a lot of directors and MDs do allow you to do. To say, “Hey, make a creative choice. Make a choice for your character.” Making those character choices in the past helped me be in this space as a Director because I could see things to make a character choice, and the actors would say, “Oh, that works; let’s do that.” Those little things boost your confidence. And it definitely boosted mine. So, to be given the opportunity and then really have an understanding of what directing requires, the more I thought about it and looked back at those moments as an actress onstage, the more it helped! It developed what I see and how I see it to make this the next step. So, yeah. It felt natural.
Jackson: It’s safe to say that Jubilee Theatre is an artistic home for you, pun intended entirely. Could you share how you first became involved with Jubilee and your first role at Jubilee Theatre?
Black Jasper: I came to Jubilee; it was back in 2019; it was season 39, I believe. It was right before the pandemic, and I went to that audition simply to mark it off my bucket list. By that point, I had been divorced for quite a few years and was trying to get back to me. Someone had mentioned Jubilee auditions, and I was like, “Uhh, Uhh.” I was very concerned about rejection. Right? And that was a very real thing for me, and I was like, “I think I’m good, but I’m not sure.” So, it was a leap of faith to say that I would audition. And whatever happens, happens. Hopefully, they like what I bring to the table, but if not, I will be alright with how they respond. And so I did that audition and didn’t even make it out of the room. And I believe the directors were Khira Hailey, Vickie Washington, D. Wambui Richardson, and maybe another director in that season. I didn’t even leave the room, and they said,” Hey, can you make it to callbacks?” And I was like, “For real?” It was a confidence booster, but I was also like, “What did I do? I’m sure these people have been here, so what did I do?” But that led to my first role at Jubilee in “How I Got Over.” Khira Hailey was the director of that show, and I got to play Karen, the mother of one of the characters in the show. So I got to sing, I got to dance, I got to act like all in one right at the top. So, after that, I was hooked.
Jackson: Now, you’re a staple of the community!
Black Jasper: Now, apparently, I’m a staple
FORT WORTH— Photos by Tia Kirby for Home at Jubilee Theatre
Jackson: I know there is a scarcity of black women directors in DFW who are afforded the opportunity to direct at the local theatres. As we know, I think it is important to recognize that when a black woman secures a coveted spot like the director position, you’re representing yourself and the numerous black women seeking the same type of opportunity. How does it feel to receive that opportunity and support from Jubilee Theatre to showcase your directing skills? And what advice would you offer to other black women directors encountering challenges in securing opportunities?
Black Jasper: Well, that's loaded, good sir. It's important to have representation in any form. This industry, for sure! It is not many of us. I didn't realize that before. But the more I've been with Jubilee and the more I get to see and go out and support friends who are doing things at other theatres in the DFW area, I'm seeing that there's so much talent that is not utilized in DFW that look like me. And there are just certain places where if you see a particular person's name, it is immediately associated with a particular theatre. And that saddens me because we are a community. This industry is a community to me. We network with each other every day. We can go on Facebook and meet somebody for the first time. Then, we can say, "Oh my God, we have sixty-five mutual friends." Because we are a community, and I think that we definitely need to be that in all forms. To anyone aspiring to be a director, do everything. Just do all the things! If you're given an opportunity, do it. And if you're not given an opportunity, advocate for yourself. I will absolutely say advocate for yourself! If I'm not mistaken, that's how I got into the Assistant Director role when I did. And I went to Jubilee's Artistic Director, D. Wambui Richardson, and their Associate Producer and said, "I want to assistant direct one day. I want to be able to do that." At that particular juncture, I had something to add and could be an asset to the Director. So, each little step is like, "Okay, what else? What else can I do?" Because it's an each one teach one. When you come up, you reach down and bring somebody else with you. Anybody aspiring to be in this role must be pliable. Be teachable, for sure. Be mindful of the people you are interacting with because this network is big but small. Absolutely!
Jackson: I just thought of a final question. Now that you have completed “Home,” as it relates to your job as the director, if you could go back to Kris right before you accepted the offer to direct and give yourself any advice, what would you say to yourself?
Black Jasper: I would tell past Kris to give yourself grace and to be okay with always wanting more from yourself and your actors, but know when to quit. Yeah, know when to quit. I would also tell the past Kris to trust yourself; that’s what I would tell her.
Jackson: I have one more question: why should people see “Home” at Jubilee Theatre?
Black Jasper: Some people will ask, “Why wouldn’t you say YOU?” I would say it's because of these actors. We have two of them who are new to Jubilee Theatre and one who hasn’t been on the stage in quite a long time, and they are putting in the work. They have put in the work, and I think they deserve a great audience. This story is powerful! It reminds us that we don’t always have to look outside of where we are for better. Sometimes, being in a familiar place can be daunting, redundant, and boring to some. But adventure is where you make it. You must find ways to make home wherever you are and be thankful, appreciative, gracious, compassionate, and understanding that everything will not go as expected, but you can always come home.