Who is Mary Caldwell Dawson and why is she important? Honestly before watching the play, I had not heard of Mary Caldwell Dawson. Therefore, it was enlightening to watch this performance. Before I talk a little bit about the play let me introduce you to this wonderful lady.
Introduction
Mary Caldwell Dawson was a talented opera singer who invented the National Negro Opera Company, NNOC, to inspire young African American artists. NNOC is the longest-running, all-Black opera company. The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson vividly illustrates how Mary Cardwell Dawson's ambition to introduce music to African American audiences was realized. The story starts in Washington, D.C. in 1943, where the company is set to perform on a floating barge to evade racially-segregated venues. But Mary Cardwell Dawson must find a solution when severe weather approaches and forces the event inside a segregated performance space.
Career/Artistic goals
The play was complex because it incorporated many themes that I talked about in my African American spirituals class: codified lyrics, comfort through the lyrics, and segregation. The intensity with which Mary Caldwell Dawson pursued her work, assisted others, and left an impression was what most struck me. By founding the NNOC, she was making an investment in the kids and the future, as we were able to understand from what we learnt in that session. She was quite critical of her students' performances while also encouraging them to get better.
Connection between Mary Caldwell Dawson’s story to more modern times
I think by learning more about Mary Caldwell Dawson, I can understand that no matter the times that you will face struggle when trying to achieve something. I think now a problem that arises is that instead of segregation, it is more of high competition. For example, jobs and universities are much more accessible than they were in the past, so more people are wanting to work. Additionally, technology is advancing and driving out many jobs. The competition for artists is so high because many people like to attempt to work in the entertainment/art/theater industry. One can have all the accolades, but if one does not have a good amount of connections then there is a low chance of you getting far in this industry. Hard work these days is not enough. Luck is necessary.
Sources:
https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3AUS-QQS-mss440/viewer
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AKCDUU82lIWbIYFSwou26k8GJ_3CEW-s/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jJM9QuNMTYw3HTvO1HfdajUWuRTiOitM/view
https://www.kennedy-center.org/wno/home/2022-2023/passion-of-mary-cardwell-dawson/
Hey Ikenna, I thought the idea about the connections within the industry was really interesting. I didn't even think about that. It is really sad that many careers are decided by luck in today's world even if they are the most talented person in their field. I do think that the effects of segregation affect the current climate of having to know someone to make it in the industry. Because the large majority of people in the past that became big in the industry were white, I feel like it has been passed through generations and the African American community has been negatively affected.
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