GOOD OLD DAYS
My Encounter with Fr Hartke,
pioneer of Integrated Theatre
by Sayeed Ahmad
Fr Hartke (left), Ethel Merman (right)
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During the spring of 1949 a distinguished group of Washingtonians convened to discuss the dearth of professional theatre in Washington DC. Among them was drama critic Richard L. Coe, Rev. Gilbert. V Hartke O.P. founder of Catholic University Speech and Drama Department, Congressmen Emanuel Celler, Jacab Javits of New York, Actress Frances Starr and others. They were committed to find an enlightened entrepreneur who could secure the National threatre lease and admit black patrons.
It was Father Hartke, whom I had the honor to become acquainted with in 1978, who went to New York seeking the cooperation of Marcus Herman, the then current lessee.
However Fr Hartke did not succeed at that time, but when the lease ran out in 1952, Broadway producers Richaed Aldrich and Richaed Myers secured control of the National theatre and announced that in association with Robert Dowling they would open an integrated legitimate theatre. I was deeply impressed to learn that as far back as 1959 there was a liberal thinking American intellectual movement committed to integrating black people in theatre. They play chosen to inaugurate the National was "Call me Madam" in which Ethel Merman, queen of musical comedy did the main role, while composer Irwing Berlin, choreographer Jerome Robbins, authors Howard Lindsay and Russell Crouse and direcor George Abboat made a triumphant tribute both to art and social justice. The critics showered superlatives on Miss Merman and the reopening night of the National was studded with famous first nighters including senator Robert Taft, General George C. Marshall and Alice Roosevelt Longworth.
One bright morning I determined that I call on this great man Fr Hartke of whom I had learnt so much in my pursuit of the American theatre. As I alighted from my taxi in front of the Catholic University Drama department, I was faced with a large painting on the wall of Fr Hartke. I bowed my head in tribute and passed into the building approaching his office, my heart was beating faster to think that I would soon be meeting this great theatrical personality. At my first knock on the door I was greeted by a tall, well built, grey haired man with a radiant smile and noble air. He stretched out his hand and in a rich warm voice of an actor said "Mr Ahmad, welcome". As I looked round the room, feeling a bit shy, I observed the well arranged books behind him on the shelf and the wooden and terracotta artifacts along with an array of dozens of silver cup awards. Fr Hartke put me at case by saying he was most interested in eastern theatre and wished he could visit the subcontinent to see real traditional theatre. I took the cue and started to tell him about jatra folk drama and the importance of folk tales and allegories which even modern playwrights were using in Bangladesh.
I informed him about my contribution to Bangladesh theatre through the genre of Absurd theatre. I presented him with my book of plays in English and we went on to discuss the holding of classes at Catholic University's Drama Department. I was a bit worried that Fr Hartke might offer me a tinning in the morning period. As I was working at IMF at that time it would have been a bit of a problem to absent my self from office. By a stroke of luck Fr Hartke said "We can give you a slot in the afternoon around 4 pm, as the students will be free from regular classes by then." I promptly agreed and thanked my stars! I enquired about the level of knowledge of the department students regarding world and eastern drama. Fr Hartke informed me that their syllabus did not include sub continental drama, although they were familiar with Japanese and Chinese operatic modes. It was therefore a great challenge for me to reach out to American theatre students and convey Bangladesh's rich store of dramatic forms.
I felt deeply gratified that I was in the company of am extraordinary human being who had begun his work of Integrated theatre in the late 1940's, and was witnessing its fruition in the late 1970's. Even though America had achieved some level of social integration with the blacks and Asians, especially in the arts, music and stage, I could sense the general lack of interest by American audiences in the vast area of eastern theatre. I realized that there still existed a great gap in the acceptance of eastern stage performances, and translated works were not generally undertaken. Great works such as "Shakuntala", "Mahabharat" and "Ramayana" were few and far between performances. I am glad I could make my little contribution in bridging the gap.
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