October
2002
Trenton
and Princeton wear a crown together:
Art exhibit and world premiere play a unique collaboration between
towns
By
Joe Emanski 
This is a story about how Trenton and Princeton have collaborated
to bring the Mercer County area one of its most exciting arts
events in a long time. More exciting than Janet Evanovich coming
to the Marriott? Yes, friends, more exciting than that even.
And
believe it or not, it is a story that has its origins right here
in the Trenton Downtowner. An advertisement in the Downtowner
for Ellarslie's "Hattitude" exhibition, back in May,
gave McCarter Theatre director of public and community relations
Dan Bauer the idea of collaborating with the City of Trenton on
McCarter's world premiere play based on the book Crowns: Portraits
of Black Women in Church Hats.
The book, by photographer Michael Cunningham and writer Craig
Marberry, is a remarkable series of portraits of 54 women, ranging
in age from 22 to 78, dressed in their Sunday best, including
especially their "crowns": the hats that mean so much
to them.
McCarter, Princeton's well-known theater, had the play angle pretty
well covered. Written and directed by Regina Taylor (see accompanying
story), Crowns the play will open on October 15, with the book's
collaborators, as well as some of the women whose portraits are
in the book, in attendance.
 |
| Carmen
Ruby Floyd stars as Yolanda in Crowns, Oct. 15 - Nov. 3 at
McCarter |
Meanwhile, from October 4 to November 5, Ellarslie, the Trenton
City Museum, will host "Crowns," the art exhibit. The
compelling portraits of the women in the book, taken by Cunningham,
will be on display in Ellarslie from October 4 to November 5,
accompanied by the hats themselves. While the photos in the book
are really quite striking, the effect of seeing the full-sized
portraits hanging on the walls of Ellarslie make the event truly
special.
The
October 4 exhibit opening, which will be open to the public and
which will feature book signings by the authors, coincides with
Trenton First Friday. Tickets for the play, with proceeds to benefit
Ellarslie, will also be on sale.
As Ellarslie director Brian Hill's "View
from the Hill" column on page 16 details, Dan Bauer knew
that Crowns had inspired more than just their play. When Bauer
chanced upon the "Hattitude" advertisement in the Downtowner,
he saw an opportunity for synergy between Ellarslie and McCarter.
Weekly meetings ensued; the Crowns exhibit was acquired for the
month of October; and the ball started rolling on turning the
Crowns experience has developed into a community event that not
only has brought the two towns together, but also stands to foment
future artistic collaborations between Princeton and Trenton.
"We're
had great support, enthusiasm and interest," says McCarter
managing director Jeff Woodward of the collaborative efforts between
McCarter and Ellarslie. "We're very appreciative of all the
things that have been done (by Ellarslie) to promote the play.
The partnership with Ellarslie has been great for us and we're
happy to be part of the gala."
*
* *
Ah yes, the gala. The gala, which is by invitation only, will
kick off Ellarslie's Crowns exhibit on October 3. Local hatmaker
Sandra King has created hats inspired by women who are either
from the area or who are involved in Crowns in some way. Among
the inspirations for the hats are McCarter Theatre artistic director
Emily Mann and Crowns playwright and director Regina Taylor, N.J.
State Senator Shirley Turner and N.J. Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson
Coleman. The hats will be put on auction, with guest auctioneer
Reverend Willie J. Smith.
It's certainly not the first gala put on by Ellarslie. But with
all the energy provided by the Crowns collaboration, it may become
one of the most memorable.
The opening night reception follows the next night on October
4, and then there will be another event at Ellarslie on October
19, when the women of Crowns return for high tea, from 3 to 5
p.m. The authors will also return to sign books. Reservations
are required and seating is limited.
Following
that, on October 20, participating churches in Princeton and Trenton
will celebrate the month of events at their services.
For
many church-going African-American women, wearing a hat for worship
is a proud element of their heritage, and their hat collections
can range from three to 250 hats or more. Marberry interviewed
each woman in the book and deftly elicited from each a moving,
or nostalgic, or even sometimes humorous story relating to her
hats.
The book does not feature any women from Trenton, but it might
have. In this area as well as in North Carolina, where the book's
authors are based, and around the U.S., wearing a hat to church
is a weekly ritual that takes place all over our area.
You can see on this month's cover the photo of Cassandra Patterson-Brown,
whose white polka-dot hat will be at Ellarslie. It's hats like
Cassandra's that inspire the pride, the respect that African-American
women have long commanded each Sunday. Regardless of economic
or social status, a woman always has her hat, and while they don't
make her the person she is, they do symbolize and stand for the
person she is.
You can see this in the photos of the exhibit, and in seeing the
hats in person, you can feel it. But what will truly make the
exhibit powerful will be to see it with the women whose hats inspired
it in attendance. And not just the women who are actually in the
book, but women from our own area, who will surely participate
in the events at Ellarslie through October and add the Trenton-and
Princeton-touch to a national phenomenon.
*
* *
"Hats…hat
lovers go crazy over hats. They are crowns," says Brian Hill.
"It doesn't matter if you paid $5 for a hat of $500."
What's important about a hat, says Hill, is that it represents
tradition, heritage, pride. The Crowns exhibit will appeal to
people who are enthusiastic about any sort of hat, that's for
certain. But setting up the Crowns exhibit has given Hill some
valuable insights into the traditions of the "Sunday best,"
and some other compelling reasons why a person would want to check
out the exhibit.
"If
you go to some churches, it's not really respectful," he
says of the way people behave in many modern day churches. "But
some churches still keep up with the way it's supposed to be.
Dressing up for church is a part of America that the black community
is not letting go of."
When you see the Crowns exhibit, and when you attend the play,
you will get the full force of that message. The hats are icons
for the women who wear them, but they also symbolize a much deeper
thing-faith. It's touched everyone who's become involved in the
event, and it's something that Trenton and Princeton will be celebrating
long after the play and exhibit are gone.
#
# #
For
more information about Crowns, the exhibit at Ellarslie, call
609-989-3632.
