In 2019, Northeast Ohio author Deborah Plummer wrote “Some of My Friends Are … The Daunting Challenges and Untapped Potential of Cross-Racial Friendships.”
The book helped Plummer to later launch Getting To We, a group focused on creating stronger cross-racial communities.
Plummer’s experiences and research showcased in her book then became a play, known as “To My White Friends Who Know Me.”
This fall, the Lorain Historical Society will present that play Nov. 3 and 4 at French Creek Theater, 4530 Colorado Ave. in Sheffield Village.
“They are based in Cleveland, but they do work with a lot of different communities throughout the country,” said Barb Piscopo, executive director of the Lorain Historical Society, about Getting To We. “Their mission is really to promote the mission of the play, which is that through our relationships with people, we will definitely become better humans.”
Elyria resident Lydia Lee will play the main character for both performances, Piscopo said.
In addition to drawing in audience members, having a local actress take the main part really drives the message home, she said.
“For years now, I’ve known Lydia,” Piscopo said. “We were involved in other projects together, so I reached out to her to see if she would be interested in trying out.
“She followed up right away with the director and she got the read. So, I’m very, very excited to see her on stage.”
The play, about 70 minutes in length, includes a post-show discussion and call to action for its audience, Piscopo said.
The discussion can help the audience process the material on a much deeper level by sharing experiences, she said.
“The call to action is inspiring because of — rather than in spite of — its willingness to call out difficulties while encouraging audiences to continue to make an effort to cross racial lines in friendship and work toward greater equity,” Piscopo said.
The play is a great way to spread the message of the book, she said.
For a society that mostly consumes information through arts, culture and entertainment, the play can provide a more dynamic method of spreading the message, Piscopo said.
“A lot of times, people don’t want to read; people are averse to reading,” she said. “Also, the arts and entertainment many times will have a theme that if you read it in a book it’s one thing, but seeing it in a play on a stage makes a better impact.
“That was, really, a large part of the reasoning of (Plummer) turning it into a play.”
In a city like Lorain that prides itself on being the International City, Piscopo said the play is extremely important.
It does a great job of bringing systemic racism and underlying issues to the forefront, she said.
“I think, just given our country today and our culture today, systemic racism exists,” Piscopo said. “As a white person, I can always learn better, how to better understand someone else and see their perspective, and I think the same thing is true.”
Performances of “To My White Friends Who Know Me” will take place at 7 p.m. Nov. 3, and 2 p.m. Nov. 4.
Tickets are available through the Community Foundation of Lorain County website.
