ABSTRACT
Dramaturgy is as an act of prophecy. In Black radical thought, and specifically in Cornel West’s notion of prophetic criticism, prophecy is an ethically engaged criticism, an active bearing of witness. Similarly, the dramaturg articulates what they see and advocates for alternatives, for action and change. Written as first-person field notes from a university production, the author investigates his own position as a White faculty member attempting a dramaturgical act of prophecy and social justice through performance at his PWI (Predominantly White Institution). The making of the performance, staged readings of Facing Our Truth: Ten-Minute Plays About Trayvon, Race, and Privilege, brings up questions about casting and ethnicity, and reflects on engagement, action, and campus culture.
