25 Jun Meet Our Festival Playwrights – Nilan Johnson
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Nilan Johnson
Nilan Johnson brings his provocative new play Endangered Species to the 40th Bay Area Playwrights Festival. Set in a futuristic dystopian future, the play follows a family as the youngest, Little Emma, enlivens her black identity while her family continuously struggles to maintain their racial identity a new “colorless” America.
Saturday, July 15 at 4PM, and Saturday, July 22 at 4PM
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Why are you writing this play now?
I was teaching this summer youth program, and they started asking me questions about [police-related deaths]. And I got concerned with what they were saying about themselves. In the wake of survival, [young African Americans] were told to comprise who they were. Unfortunately, I realized that I was raised the same way. I realized that I was told to talk a certain way. I realized that I was raised to fear aspects of blackness and I find that so dangerous to the fear of blackness.
I find it problematic — and a lack of affording actions in this country — to continue this cycle to raise our young to show our fears and suffering of our people first. And that goes for all minorities.
How does your writing process begin?
With a rant. I’m serious, I believe that every story should have a purpose. I don’t like going to art or seeing art that lacks immediacy and purpose. And a rant is immediate.
And how do you know you have reached a grand idea for a story?
To be honest, its when it’s something I would sit down to watch. I am my hardest critic. If I won’t feel and be honest with what I’m writing on the page, 100 percent, then it’s not worthy. [It’s a great idea] when I know its making me giddy. When you’re not sure if you’re panicking inside, or if you’re hungry.
Why do you keep writing or creating stories?
I am a black queer man in America. The true power that no one can take away from me is my imagination. In my imagination, I can be who I want and I can love who I want.
And writing gives me that. No other artistic expression gives me that much say. I’m so thankful for language and its flexibility.
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