PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The first-ever play adaptation of a James Baldwin novel is on stage now in Mt. Airy.
Playwrights Paul Oakley Stovall and Benjamin Sprunger worked with the Baldwin estate to adapt “Giovanni’s Room,” and now Stovall is directing its world premiere with Quintessence Theatre Group.
“For young gay men, like 50 and over, for a lot of us, this is all we had when we were young,” said Stovall, referring to Baldwin’s 1956 novel of romantic and sexual discovery.
The story begins with an American couple in Paris. “They're trying to decide if they want to get married or not,” Stovall said, “and when the female in the couple goes off to Spain to contemplate … the male partner in the couple falls in love with a man.”
He said the book and play address many political issues from the past and present. “It's about ageism in the gay community. It's about women's rights. … It's about American exceptionalism and capitalism and the fall of empire. It deals with substance abuse.”
“Baldwin, he's timeless. … You find videos of him talking about things in the 70s that are happening right now that he was warning us about as a society.”
Baldwin was a Black, queer author who was outspoken during the Civil Rights Movement, but Stovall said audiences may be surprised to see that “Giovanni’s Room” doesn’t have many Black characters.
“But they should not take that to mean it's not a story about us,” he said. “He's very much making commentary about whiteness and the havoc that it can wreak.”
Stovall had a strong mentor while creating this play: Actress Phylicia Rashad. “The Cosby Show” star is also a Broadway actor and director. She directed “Purpose,” which just won the Tony Award for Best Play.
Stovall and Rashad met during a workshop for a new musical and have since stayed in touch and continue to work together. Stovall said Rashad has connections with the Baldwin family and was excited to hear about this adaptation.
“When I told Phylicia that this was happening, she said … ‘Paul, this has to be great!’ … And she said, ‘Anything I can do to be here for you, to answer questions, to help you shape the narrative, throw ideas off of me.’ So she's been a great support.”
“Giovanni’s Room” runs at The Sedgwick Theater through June 29. Tickets and more information are on Quintessence Theatre Group’s website.