Who needs a black, queer hero?

That was the question of the evening last Friday when two dozen playwrights, activists and scholars attended a discussion to address the black LGBT protagonist's place on the American stage at the Graduate Center for CUNY in Midtown. The discussion was cosponsored by Freedom Train Productions, an organization that promotes political theater written by up-and-coming black playwrights, and CUNY's Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies. The evening was moderated by Andre Lancaster, the artistic and managing director of FTP.

Playwright Aurin Squire said that the presence of black LGBT protagonists in his work was no coincidence.

"It's a personal story, and I'm a black LGBT protagonist," Squire said, speaking about his latest play.

Producer Bryan E. Glover echoed these sentiments when asked why he worked so hard to portray black LGBT characters on the stage.

"I am determined to do it because I'm interested in seeing my story," Glover said.

In addition to the personal connections they have with their work, other members of the panel said black LGBT protagonists were necessary to enhance the limited representation of that community, as well as to expose people outside the community to its realities.

"Part of what art is ... is to shake people up," Carol Polcovar said. Polcovar is the artistic director for the Fresh Fruit Festival, an annual festival dedicated to LGBT culture and arts.

The panelists also discussed the challenges they face when bringing controversial topics like sexual compulsion and abuse to the stage. Perhaps not surprisingly, the most outstanding difficulty is a lack of funds.

"Getting money in this society for the arts is increasingly difficult," Polcovar said. She emphasized that the problem becomes further complicated when the donors are people whom the playwrights do not want controlling their work.

In the tug-of-war between artists and financiers, Columbia University M.F.A. candidate and playwright Harrison Rivers explained that the artist often comes out on the losing end, compromising their work beyond recognition. The consensus on the panel was that this battle was inevitable.

Still, each panelist is dedicated to producing their art in a climate that does not readily accept LGBT images, let alone heroes. What keeps them motivated is the impact their work has on their community and beyond, despite the naysayers.

"Art is very strong and gives back to people in tremendous ways," Polcovar said. "In this country, we're made to believe that it doesn't count."

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