By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
In a contemporary slant on Shakespeare’s wedding plays, Academy Award winner and playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney, the screenwriter of “Moonlight,” recently debuted the world premiere of a personal reflection on same-sex marriage and gay rights, which have come under fire with the return of Donald Trump to the White House.
“We Are Gathered,” directed by Kent Gash, is currently open to patrons at Arena Stage’s in-the-round Fichandler Stage in Washington, D.C., through June 15.
McCraney, 44, said he wanted to write a play that allowed queer love to shine and celebrated WorldPride 2025, a gathering of the LGBTQ+ worldwide community. It kicked off in D.C. on May 17, will conclude on June 8, and coincides with the 50th anniversary of Pride events in the nation’s capital.
“About a year ago I pitched the idea to the artistic director of Arena Stage, Hana Sharif, because I believed it would be a great way to celebrate pride, specifically Black pride,” McCraney said. “She was on board immediately. With that, I focused on writing something that would allow people to celebrate love in a specific way – a Black queer way.”
When asked why the play and its multiple themes speak to recent attacks on LGBTQ rights, he said he felt compelled to stand in solidarity with the gay community of which he is a proud member.
“When I write, it’s always personal because the personal can be universal,” he said. “Given my thoughts on same-sex marriage and Black people, I hope this play engages the entire community. I wanted to explore what same-sex marriage means today and to propose ways in which we could more effectively and easily engage in or consider gay marriage in today’s world.”
LGBTQ advocates face two major concerns
There are two safeguards in place, a Supreme Court ruling and federal law, that make any attack against same-sex marriage – whether from the executive branch or elsewhere – more difficult to achieve. However, LGBTQ advocates point to two factors as reasons to be concerned.
First, there’s the conservative makeup of the Supreme Court. On June 26, 2015, in the narrowest of margins, 5-4, the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriages. The Court’s decision, in Obergefell v. Hodges, stipulated that the 14th Amendment requires all states to license marriages between same-sex couples and to recognize all marriages lawfully performed out of state. But Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, speaking for the dissenting votes, emphasized that they’d like to revisit the Obergefell decision.
It remains unclear if there’s a court majority that could overturn the decision. But should Trump make good on his desire to increase the size of the court, and if he were able to replace some of the liberal voices on the bench as they retire or for other reasons, he could nominate judges who stand in close alignment with Thomas and Alito.
Second, Trump’s religious right allies could prompt the president to take an official stand against same-sex marriage. So far, the president has taken the stance that the Court’s decision was “settled.” But other members of his party, including Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), have been adamant in their view that Obergefell was wrongly decided.
Attendees of the play may find unique reasons to celebrate
McCraney attended the play’s opening earlier this month and said he’ll probably attend several more performances during his stay in the District – but not for the reasons one might suspect.
During each performance, couples of any background who have signed up and been chosen in advance will have their marriage officiated by an ordained minister.
Several talk-back sessions between the cast and audience have been scheduled, including one on June 11 that will be moderated by Racine Pendarvis, a native Washingtonian, columnist and LGBTQ activist affectionately known within the Black gay community as the “High Priestess of Love.”
“Our community is a lot stronger than people suspect and we, if no one else, must always welcome and affirm any examples of love that we find within the LGBTQ community,” McCraney said. “I spent my youth in Liberty City where I faced grief again and again throughout my childhood. I survived by pulling pieces of our ancestors along with me on my journey.
“For the gay community to remain strong – to survive – we must have safe places to gather where we can remember the past, talk about the present and imagine and dream about the future.”
McCraney said he remains indebted to the elders of the creative community, from the noted playwright August Wilson, who was his teacher and mentor during his final year of studies at Yale University, to director/actor Kenny Leon, known for his extensive contributions on Broadway, and actress/singer/director Phylicia Rashad. They and countless others, represent the ancestors whose lives bear witness to how he conducts his life and his craft.
“When I was working on my BFA (bachelor’s of fine arts) in acting at DePaul University, and my MFA (master’s of fine arts) in playwriting at Yale University, I had teachers, like August Wilson, who influenced the way I think about and work with artists and other creatives,” he said. “During the final year of August’s life , while he was completing ‘Radio Golf’ , he worked with me consistently and poured so much into my life.
“There were many others, some who are still alive, who guided me as a young artist and developing playwright. Now, I do the same thing to honor August’s legacy and the contributions of other ancestors who are no longer with us. I am who I am because of the ancestors. They poured the strength of God, which sustained them, in me, as well as their resilience and ability to be present with our people – keys to how we learn to truly love another and how to survive.”
