Friday, March 29, 2024

Theater Director Sheldon Epps Unpacks His New ‘A Black Man’s Journey’ Memoir | EUR Exclusive

Sheldon Epps
Sheldon Epps (CREDIT: Jim Cox)

*Acclaimed television and theater director Sheldon Epps has released a new memoir in which he unpacks his experience as one of the all-time most influential African-American theatre leaders.

Epps has directed major productions on and off Broadway, in London, and at many theatres across America. He has also helmed some of the classic shows of recent years, including “The Upshaws,” “Family Reunion,” “Frasier,” “Friends,” “The George Lopez Show,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Hannah Montana,” “Instant Mom,” “Evening Shade,” “Sister, Sister,” and many others

His next small screen project is the BET+ movie “Christmas Party Crashers,” premiering on November 17.

Epps, who currently serves as senior artistic advisor at historic Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., offers readers a glimpse inside his world with his new tome “MY OWN DIRECTIONS: A Black Man’s Journey in the American Theatre.” In it, per news release, Epps recounts his rollercoaster ride of a life in the theatre, with all the excitement and occasional anguish that come with the highs and lows. The author’s journey in the American theatre has been amplified by his experience as a Black man who has frequently been “one of the few,” “the first” or even “the only.”

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Sheldon Epps
Credit: Jim Cox

“Working on this memoir has been a reflective journey that has brought back vivid images of moments in my long and blessed career,” said Epps previously in a statement.

“It has also been a reminder of the many challenges that have resulted from being ‘chased by race’ personally and professionally. These are still extant issues in the American Theatre that need and require continuing exposure and conversation. I hope that this book contributes to the ongoing evolution of the theatre industry. I look forward to having readers join me on this journey through my life and career,” he added. 

EUR’s Ny MaGee spoke with Epps about his new book and the message he hopes to leave readers with. Check out our conversation below.

Let’s first talk about the creative process behind putting together this memoir. Did you find it therapeutic at all to travel down memory lane for this book?

Sheldon Epps: Well, yeah, I think so. Sometimes when you’re in the midst of situations, it’s hard to see them clearly just because there’s so much emotion swirling around or circumstances are tough or whatever. To look back on things with some clarity and hopefully with some wisdom is therapeutic and difficult. It’s very emotional I think, when you go back and unpack memories and really take a look at them. A combination of therapeutic and emotional I suppose.

How would you describe the journey you’re going to take readers on with MY OWN DIRECTIONS: A Black Man’s Journey in the American Theatre?

It’s really my answering or my answers to a primary question. Which is, how did a kid from Compton, which is what I am, a PK son, a preacher’s kid who had very, very humble beginnings, have the opportunities to rise in the theater world, in the television world to some pretty great heights and blessed heights, and have some great opportunities and all of that? When as we know, economic circumstances often keep people from achieving their dreams or making their hopes come true. I’ve been lucky enough to get to do almost all of the things I ever wanted to do. It’s an answer to that question is why me? And how me? How did I make it happen and how did I make it happen with the support of people around me?

Obviously, you’re in control of the narrative because it’s your story, but when it comes to the background players, the people who had an impact on your life, whether good or bad, did you feel obligated to protect anybody?

I tried to be very, very honest. I certainly think I addressed people who presented challenges or tried to stand in my way, whether that was individuals or that was groups of people or the state of politics, the state of race and discrimination in our country and in the theater field in particular. I tried to be very honest about it.

I certainly don’t think that I’ve protected anybody. I’ve been very honest in the book about situations that I faced and obstacles that stood in my way and that had to be overcome. I will say I didn’t name a whole lot of names because I didn’t think that that was the point. I think that the situations, the experiences are really the heart of the matter. Not necessarily so and so did this to me or so and so did that to me.

What has been the greatest obstacle you’ve had to overcome while navigating the world of theater?

I think it’s a challenge that black artists in America face in the theater, in dance, in music, opera, and in all art forms, that there is a certain assigned limitations that we are given on the basis of our color. Saying, “You can do this, you can do this, but all of this other territory is off limits for you.” Including running places. Being the guy in charge is supposed to be off limits for people of color.

That’s the biggest obstacle I face is being told all of the things that I couldn’t do or shouldn’t do or shouldn’t try to do as a black man in the American theater. And just being arrogant and ambitious enough to say, “No, I’m not going to be defined by your standards of what I can do or should do. I want to have the same opportunity that any artist should have based on their ability and their talent and their willingness to achieve.

Your decades-long efforts to diversify theater and make it more inclusive, are you seeing the payoff? 

Yeah, I think absolutely. I point out in the book that’s the time, at the time that I came along and when I first went to Pasadena Playhouse, that I was often one of the few or one of the only leaders of a large American theater in the country. One of three, or at certain points, one of one.

That’s no longer true. There are many men and women of color who are leading large American theaters now, who are getting studio jobs, who are getting major jobs in the area of television. I certainly think it’s getting better. I certainly think we see much more representation on television screens, movie screens, and behind the camera as well.

But there’s still room for improvement. When you’re coming from so far behind, even if you come forward, that doesn’t mean that you’ve gotten to a place that’s equal. There’s still roads to travel, and I think we still have to travel those. But definitely, through our joint efforts, things have gotten much, much better than they were.

What do you hope readers are thinking about or talking about after they read your memoir?

Well, actually, I’m really hoping that people will be thinking less about me and more about themselves. And particularly younger people, younger artists in the entertainment field will be inspired by my story to believe that they can achieve their own dreams, to turn around my title. That they can follow their own directions. And understand that if you work hard, if you train, if you have some luck and a lot of support from people around you, that you can achieve whatever you want to achieve.

And that anybody reading the book will realize that color should be a moment for celebration, but not for limitation. That we should not be told this and this and this are the only things you can do because you’re a person of color, but that you should believe that being a person of color gives you endless opportunities and endless horizons.

Lastly, you have a new film premiering on BET+ on November 17th, Christmas Party Crashers — what can you tell us about it?

Well, it’s a holiday romcom. It’s a very charming, funny, clever movie. I didn’t know that Christmas movies are one of the most popular genres on television right now, and that there’s a huge number of them that will get released between now and the end of the year. But I’m just thrilled to have something in this genre as part of this really popular area of viewership.

Is there anything else you’re cooking up that you want fans to know about?

I also just directed a wonderful play called Miss Maude in Houston at a theater in Houston, Texas. And it’s a wonderful story about a life magazine photographer, named Eugene Smith, and a southern nurse midwife, named Maude Callen, that takes place in the 1950s. And the work that they did together, which was the subject of a big photo journal essay in Life Magazine, really changed healthcare for black and white women in the South in early ’50s. And that went well so hopefully, that’ll be out there soon for people to see.

Sheldon’s memoir “MY OWN DIRECTIONS: A Black Man’s Journey in the American Theatre” is available to purchase on Amazon.

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