by Christine Owen
Editor in Chief
Michael Keck returned to the intimate Cabaret Theatre at the University of La Verne this week to work with new material and music as he prepared an updated version of “Voices in the Rain – The Struggle for Survival and Hope” which he will perform in October at the Merle Reskin Theatre in Chicago.
In “Voices,” Keck assumes the identity of eight to 10 characters whose personalities are a composite of the men he has encountered while visiting prisons around the country and talking with inmates. Props on stage are limited to a table and a chair, while visual artistry is projected onto big screens and lighting is used to engage the audience.
What makes Keck’s play unique is that it is a 90-minute, one-man play that he wrote and composed the music for. “I’m not Denzel Washington and no one’s ever heard of me,” Keck said, “but these themes mean something to me and people want to hear about them.”
Five years ago, Michael Keck stood in the Cabaret Theatre doing the original rehearsals for “Voices in the Rain,” which he was planning to take on the road. Steven Kent, adjunct professor of theatre arts at ULV was also there at the initial rehearsals to coach and direct the young actor as he took on the identities of the incarcerated who are lost and forgotten in the eyes of society.
Keck’s interest in visiting prisons and the social problems within was not easy to discover.
Following an incident where his parents were beaten and robbed, Keck returned home to Wake County, N.C. to put bars on the windows of his parents’ house and stay with them while they recovered. That night, the same suspect who had terrorized his parents returned and attempted to gain entry through a back window that Keck had not been able to bar up because “Home Depot ran out of bars.”
After scaring the suspect away, Keck immediately called the police and began to describe the suspect to the operator.
“I suddenly realized that I was describing myself,” said Keck, himself African-American.
So as not to awaken his parents, Keck said that he went outside to wait for the police, only to be mistaken for the suspect upon their arrival and be subsequently arrested. “By the time they realized they had the wrong person, they [the suspects] were long gone,” he said.
As he looked through suspect books at the police station, Keck said that he was astonished by how disproportionate the number of minorities and men were. They included several of his educated friends whom he grew up with.
“I left there wondering what my relationship [with them] was,” he said. “I wanted to do some exploration, but I didn’t know how.”
During his visits to prisons, Keck has talked with inmates to discover how they got there, what their lives were like before prison and what they think their lives will be like after they get out.
“A lot of stories came out,” he said. “Many people are imprisoned in their hearts and in their minds too.”
Referring to many national studies, including one conducted by the White House, Keck said, “It has been well-documented that the arts are an effective tool to help [incarcerated] people regain confidence and a sense of identity. This includes painting, creative writing, poetry, etc.”
In the communities nationwide where Keck performs “Voices in the Rain,” his voice is being heard loud and clear. Before and after his performances, Keck meets with community members and talks with them about problems in the community and possible solutions to them. Some of these topics include violence, drug use, the educational system and homelessness. These meetings often attract influential personalities such as the mayor and board members.
In “Voices in the Rain,” Keck’s identity changes with the many characters in the show. To accomplish the numerous changes on stage, Kent coaches Keck on volume emphasis, looks, gestures and music.
In addition to giving script and music advice to the actor, Kent said that Keck’s visit is part of the Theatre Arts Department’s practice of bringing in professionals to work with the students. Throughout the year, many working professionals are brought in to coach the theatre students.
“Students need to know that there is a world beyond school,” Kent said.
Kent encouraged students to watch and observe as Keck rehearsed the production. Keck also attended theatre classes and practiced his work right in front of students.
When asked what he hopes to give the ULV theatre students, Keck said, “I didn’t come with an agenda, but I would like them to understand and know that they can create their own voice.”
Performances of “Voices in the Rain” are rare, but popular. Keck said that he would like to get commissioned to perform it for several weeks at a time, but no such offer has come along.
“I haven’t done this material in two years,” Keck said, explaining the need to revamp the play.
For the October performance, Keck was commissioned by the DePaul University Humanities Center. He said that universities are particularly interested in “Voices in the Rain” because it allows professors to bring their students to watch and study topics such as theatre, social justice and cultural studies. Keck also said that universities seem more willing to address the graphic, hard-hitting themes explored in “Voices.”
Christine Owen
