Mr. Luce’s alumni book club centered around the works of American playwright August Wilson.
In an effort to connect with others in the Barstow community who love reading, Mr. Mark Luce, the Chair of the English Department, and Alumni Coordinator Ms. Lauren Kanan ‘15 created Knight School, a book club open to alumni.
However, this is not the first time Mr. Luce has directed a bookish event in the community. It’s been an item at the Barstow auction before, and Knight School made its first appearance during the COVID-19 pandemic with a cocktail twist.
Alumni responded well to the first edition of Knight School, so when Ms. Kanan approached Mr. Luce with the idea of bringing it back, he was excited to pursue it.
American playwright August Wilson is the focus of this year’s Knight School. Wilson wrote a play for every decade of the twentieth century, The Century Cycle, and Mr. Luce chose the plays about the 1900s-1930s; Gem of the Ocean, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Piano Lesson.
While these four plays were chosen for their relevance to current media releases and interconnected theme of music, Mr. Luce also believes they’re Wilson’s best works. Gem of the Ocean stands out because “he’s at the height of his powers,” even though it was the play in his cycle he wrote closest to his death in 2005.
The remaining three plays explore music and song in different ways. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom follows the story of a blues artist, Piano Lesson expands on that idea of music, and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone deals with a man who has lost his song and his efforts to gain it back. They also allow Mr. Luce to discuss his interest in not only the Black experience in America in the 1900s but also his other love of music.
Both alumni in attendance and Mr. Luce felt that the first meeting went very well. After introductions, the floor was opened up for the group to share opinions, interpretations, and have questions answered. The group had great conversations about the music industry and gender in their first play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
Mrs. Anne Russ ‘78 appreciated both the smaller size of the group and the diversity of those in attendance. Everyone brought different insights to the table and different perspectives across generations.
One example of differentiating perspectives that came up in their meeting had to deal with the language used. “There’s a lot of profanity in Ma Rainey, and I said to the group that it was really hard for me to sit through that and process it,” explains Mrs. Russ. However, after listening to other alums share their thoughts, it was easier to appreciate Wilson’s intentions.
Mr. Luce doesn’t have to worry about anyone trying to be the class clown, like what might happen in his senior or sophomore English classes.
“It’s nice reconnecting with kids who aren’t kids anymore. I don’t need to keep my foot on the brake like it would be teaching sophomores,” he explains. “There is something really pleasant about listening to your old students talk and think about literature.”
Alumnus Mr. Alexey Ayzin ‘19 shares a similar sentiment about returning to Barstow for Knight School, “I was interested in joining the club, especially one under Mr. Luce’s guiding hand.” Mr. Luce and Ayzin have kept in contact and remained friends since his graduation.
To add some context to the play and help create a fuller interpretation of Wilson’s work, Mr. Luce sent out reading and audio material. During the meeting, they also watched portions of performances. Some attendees, like Mrs. Russ, even watched the movie adaptation after reading it to help with their comprehension.
Reading plays can be challenging to follow for some because of how much there is to keep track of. Going back and forth between dialogue, narration, and stage directions can confuse readers. Being intentional and disciplined is important when encountering any form of literature, but it can be especially beneficial when reading plays.
Despite its challenges, reading plays also “allows you to pick up on details you might otherwise miss seeing it being performed,” explains Mr. Ayzin, “you can engage with the material on a deeper level.”
This idea, of course, applies to reading plays in class, but exposure to a variety of forms of media is always important, “Anytime you can get plays in front of students is a good thing, even if you just watch it and don’t read it. It’s really powerful. Kids respond to it, I think,” says Mr. Luce.
Mrs. Russ agrees that students should encounter this kind of material whenever possible and that it’s important for them to know American playwrights. Especially those who offer different perspectives, like Wilson’s interpretation of the Black experience, “Wilson is so masterful with his intentions, words, and actions which makes him a great one to introduce to a younger audience.”
At the high school level, Mr. Ayzin believes that students should be open to reading about all topics from a variety of perspectives, especially if they’re important to American or even world literature, “It’s canon. That’s what makes it so important to read.”
Wilson and his works have left a unique, powerful imprint on American theater, so much so that The August Wilson African American Cultural Center was dedicated to him in 2009 in his hometown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The AWAACC holds around one hundred events each year in celebration of different Black artists in theater, music, and film industries to honor and continue Wilson’s mission to spread their history. An exhibition that celebrates his life and everything he accomplished opened in 2022.
Despite this, Mr. Luce believes that Wilson is still under recognized , “I think a lot of times we tend to think of the theater as a space of white people, and it’s not. I want to give people a sense of the 20th century from the Black perspective and let them see the issues that were faced.”
He also wants to construe the misconception that “there’s not joy, or somehow that the [Black] community is monolithic.” While there’s undoubtedly trauma in the history of people of color in the U.S., he doesn’t want that to outshine celebrations of triumph, love, and self expression. Mr. Luce happily embraces navigating that balance, even if it can be a minefield for teachers.
For those who aren’t able to attend the book club and who are interested in reading Wilson’s works and those like him, Mr. Luce recommends works from authors and playwrights like Jackie Sibblies Drury, James McBride, Colson Whitehead, or Octavia Butler if you’re more sci-fi inclined.
Mrs. Russ hopes that other English teachers will follow in Mr. Luce’s footsteps and create similar events with their own selections. However, if they’re less inclined to go the book club route, she also suggests that they could gather a list of personal recommendations for students and alumni who are interested in diving deeper into those areas of interest that would be available to the community.
Knight School has three more meetings left this year. Their next one is on December 16th when they will discuss The Piano Lesson. Both Mrs. Russ and Mr. Ayzin look forward to their second meeting and appreciate all the effort Mr. Luce and Ms. Kanan have put into Knight School. It’s a fun and unique way to come back to the Barstow community and study a contemporary American playwright who is masterful at his craft.
If there are alums who aren’t already on the RSVP list for Knight School and would like to be, they can send Mr. Luce or Ms. Kanan an email to get involved.
