by Laura Garber
Spencer Collins IV introduced himself as a theater director at Mayor Rob Saemann’s Town Hall on Monday, October 6, and announced he was bringing “Broken Curses,” to the Hermosa Beach Community Theatre on Friday, November 14.
“Whenever I go into any new community one of the first things I do is go to the City Council because my dad taught me you never go into anyone’s house without speaking to the head of the household first,” Collins said. “I let it be known that, hey, I’m here, I love your community, and I would like to do an event and expand inclusion and diversity in this community.”
The following Saturday, Collins was dusted with pancake mix, and surrounded by a new fan base while he volunteered at the annual Hermosa Beach Women’s Club pancake breakfast.
“There weren’t a lot of people there who looked like me. But I was so well received, so well accepted,” the Black director said. “Bam, now here I am with the whole new family of aunties from Hermosa Beach.”
A family theme is common to plays Collins produces for BLACMail Productions, a non-profit theater company that presents socially uplifting stories.
“Broken Curses,” by William Scales, explores the Payne family’s journey “as they struggle to rebuild their lives after a family tragedy. Deep emotional wounds and generational trauma threaten to pull them all apart,” according to BLACMail’s online summary.
Collins’ work with BLACMail Productions began 15 years ago, in Boston, when he was the leader of a gay men’s theater group. A friend complained there weren’t better representations of gay men on stage.
“I told him because you haven’t written them yet,” Collins said.
Collins decided to self-produce his friend’s next play after encountering difficulties securing financial support for a Black, queer drama.
“We came up with the name BLACMail Productions, which is a play on words; we’re Black males and it feels like we have to blackmail our way into the industry,” Collins said.
“Everything I do, it has to be for the outcome. It can’t be for the income.”
In Boston, while working in graphic design for a large corporation, Collins became a volunteer for an afterschool program for troubled teens.
“I allowed people to be their authentic, true selves. So if you came into my class and you were a thug or whatever, you got to come to my class and be that,” he said. “But you had to be respectful of my space and the space of others. If you couldn’t talk to me, then draw it, write a poem, rap it out, sing it out, do whatever you need to do.”
“Broken Curses” has toured throughout Los Angeles. Collins said he wanted to bring it to Hermosa because he frequently visits here.
“What I love so much about being in Hermosa is how everybody knows everybody. Everybody is connected,” he said.
Yet even in small, well-connected towns, Collins said, “There are stories behind every story. There’s the story we see, and there’s the story they’re living.”
“Broken Curses,” stars Keir Thirus, Reina Shaunté, Mariah Tavares, Cedric Bates, Janette Auguar, Jessica Shaday, Clark Lewis and J.R. Pierre. The production will be accompanied by a live band, and video recorded. One performance only, Friday, November 14. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Show starts at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at brokencursesstageproduction.ticketbud.com/brokencurses ER
Why give space to such a bad, boring play with no connection to Hermosa. Is it called pay to play?
Why is this article still posted??? This man is a liar and needs to be banned from ever putting another stupid and boring show on in Hermosa. To call this rubbish a play is dis-service to your readers.