Pictured Anthony Fleming III.
WCT theater critic Mary Shen Barnidge gave a 'thumbs-up to Victory Gardens' presentation of Free Man of Color—a play based on the life of John Newton Templeton, a freed Black man who in 1828 graduated from Ohio University. But as many know, there's a lot of work that is done before the stage lights are illumined and the curtain opens.
With that in mind, we sat down with the playwright Charles Smith and the talented young actor, Anthony Fleming III, who plays the role of John Newton Templeton in this world premier of Free Man of Color.
WCT: Where did you get the idea to write about Templeton?
Smith: I've been teaching at Ohio University for about nine years and so after my arrival, I began to hear stories about a Black man named John Templeton who earned his degree almost 40 years before the end of slavery. Some years later when the president of the university commissioned me to do a piece for the school's 200th anniversary I knew I wanted something with legs in it. I started to research this guy and my first take was how similar he was to Marcus Garvey with the whole back-to-Africa movement. But I soon realized that even in his commencement speech that I reference in the play, The Claims of Liberia, that he was really speaking the words of his benefactor, Robert Wilson, third President of Ohio University.
WCT: What was the toughest part of writing the play?
Smith: I was trying to pull Templeton through his dilemma at the university and to justify his existence there. Without giving away too much, Templeton slowly discovers what it really means to be a free man of color in a time when slavery is still the norm. And, even though he is excelling in his college classes, he realizes the objective is not to educate him so he thinks on his own, but to be trained, therefore reacting in an anticipated manner—much like an animal would. In contemporary terms, the situation would be similar to a white couple adopting a Black child. The challenges come when the child comes of age and begins to flex his muscles. One of the real ironies that I highlight is that Templeton is allowed to matriculate at the university while Jane Wilson, the president's wife, is denied the opportunity to pursue her own educational pursuits, because she is a woman. That made for great tension between her and Templeton.
WCT: What's next for you?
Smith: Well, we hope that Free Man of Color will get a nod and have the opportunity to play in other cities in regional theaters and off-Broadway. I've hooked up with Margo Harley [artistic director, The Acting Company] and we're working on an adaptation of a novel for a Broadway musical. And in keeping with my interest in investigating historical icons and examining issues of race and politics, I'm writing a piece to be shown at Victory Gardens on Denmark Vessey.
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Smith penned the words for Free Man of Color, but it took a real man of color to get inside the mind of Templeton and to portray the slow move from accepting everything his mentor said to challenging those words. No better actor could be pegged for the role than Chicago's own Anthony Fleming III, the 25-year-old thespian from Downer's Grove.
Fleming, fresh of a real coup at the last year's Jeff Awards—nominated for seven awards and garnering six—is one of the hottest actors in Chicago. Just consider that in 18 months he has held his own in Race at The Looking Glass Theatre, The Cider House Rules at Famous Door Theatre, Cut Flowers at both The Nobel Fool and CTC.
Those who have followed this actor's career have hoped that he would receive a role that he could really 'sink his teeth into.' And according to Fleming, the role of Templeton has given him the chance to push his skills to the next level.
Fleming: What a challenge—to play someone like John Newton Templeton and to consider all of the difficulties he faced as the first man of color to attend and graduate from Ohio University. Getting into character took real work. But part of an actor's success is due to those around him—the other actors, the playwrights and the directors. In this case I had some of the best. [Gary] Houston [Robert Wilson] has been in the business for 20 years, so I have 'mad respect' for him. And Shelley Delaney [Jane Wilson] is a professor at Ohio University and has been in the business 20 years too. Her work ethic and the way she prepares for the role—that's key. I guess I'm saying that while I want people to appreciate my acting ability—to even be moved or inspired by the roles I play—that it isn't just me you see up there. I'm like a sponge—always learning as much as I can.
WCT: How did you develop your craft?
Fleming: It started by attending Columbia College for one year. I was competing for roles in college at the regional and national levels. And while I didn't finish college, that year of school exposed me to people like Charles Smith—professionals with a lot of experience. I left college to do a show on Fred Hampton at the Pegasus Theatre. Then I went on to The Goodman Theatre Workshop and began working with the late Bryne Piven and his wife Joyce. They've been doing the workshop now in Evanston for the past 30 years. Bryne guided me in my career and I learned so much from him and Joyce.
WCT: What's your advice for inexperienced, hopeful actors and actresses?
Fleming: Go to some kind of school for training. I've been on the stage since I was 19 and I didn't learn it all in college. In fact, acting isn't like being a doctor or an attorney—you can get on-the-job-training by training under an acting coach or taking classes. But the key is you have to have the passion, the desire, the focus and discipline. If you have those, and of course talent, you can do it. You have to hustle and market yourself too. I'm sure young in my career and so I have to keep learning, whether it's in the classroom setting or if I'm cast in a show where I can learn from those around me.
WCT: What are your plans for the future?
Fleming: I've always considered Chicago my home and I've been on a really phenomenal and fantastic run in the last couple of years. But I'd really like to do a show on Broadway—that's my long-term goal.
Free Man of Color runs through Feb. 29 at Victory Gardens Theater.
