“The Submission” to Explore Intersection and Inequity

In an election season where issues of prejudice have come to the forefront of our national discourse, “The Submission,” tackling both racism and homophobia, seems almost doubly relevant. The play, which won playwright Jeff Talbott a Laurents/Hatcher Award before it premiered Off-Broadway in 2011, is coming to Adams Pool Theater from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 and looks to unsettle audiences with a searing examination of prejudice between marginalized groups.

The play centers on the relationship between the African-American and BGLTQ communities. When a major theater festival accepts his play about a struggling black family, Danny (Casey R. Goggin ’19), a white playwright, is understandably concerned about the obvious racial disconnect. His solution: hire Emilie (Meghan Onserio ’19), a black actress, to pretend to be the writer in his place. Tensions rise and prejudices are uncovered as Danny attempts to put on a successful play.

For director Carla Troconis ’19, “The Submission” is an intriguing twist on an already provocative narrative. “Often when we talk about racism or homophobia, we talk about it between the majority and the minority,” she says. “This show explores what happens between two members of different marginalized groups and how they can be oppressive toward each other.”

As a member of the Latinx community, Troconis says that she has seen the need for support between minority groups. “I was really aware of some attitudes in communities of color and queer communities that seemed harmful to me,” she says. “Support is not given to members of marginalized groups. We have a lot more to do in terms of intersectionality and support between minorities.”

Actor Ryan T. Kapur ’20, who plays Danny’s boyfriend, Pete, agrees with the need for support. For him, it’s especially personal: “My hometown, Charlotte, North Carolina, has been having a lot of riots and protests over the past couple nights over a police shooting of a black man,” he says. “So I know that a lot of the racial issues that are brought up in this show are very poignant. I see it in my hometown right now.”

For Goggin, the play offered a unique learning experience. “[Danny] is very racist and problematic, which is obviously challenging. I was very intimidated by it,” he says. “It forced me to access this internalized racism that is kind of pervasive throughout society. It’s been really helpful to me not just as an actor but as a person, learning to maintain a lot more empathy and support for communities that might not have the privilege that I do.”

Although the show has some strong language and deals with sensitive issues, Troconis is confident that the conversation that “The Submission” will start is worth it. “If you have a piece of theater that shocks you and you speak about that, it creates dialogue,” she says. “And that’s when change starts to happen.”