Harrison David Rivers (He,Him,His) Interviewed by: “Living in the Light” Columnist, Javannah Davis BlaqueOut brings to center stage another riveting, and extraordinarily talented writer of both stage and screen; that was featured in our very own ImageOut film festival. Award winning writer Harrison David Rivers has written a variety of critically-acclaimed plays and films throughout his accomplished career. His work showcases his consummate and thought provoking talents as a writer. He has won such awards as the Relentless award in 2018, as well as Artist of the Year in 2018 by the Star Tribune, and 2017 Artist of the Year by City Pages. Harrison was reached out by an acquaintance he has who is affiliated with Rochester’s Geva Theatre to invite him to submit his works to be added to our famed ImageOut Festival line-up. I had the pleasure of corresponding with Harrison regarding his works, and getting to know him as the profound individual that he is.
Javannah: Tell us about who Harrison is? Where were you born/raised? When did you find your passion for writing? Harrison: I am a Black male identified person who is attracted to other male identified people. I was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas. I am a writer, primarily of plays, but I have recently begun to dabble in TV and film. I’ve always written on Post-its, napkins and, to the chagrin of my librarian grandmother, in the margins of books. I was a performer, first, but switched to writing after I developed crippling stage fright my senior year of college.
Javannah: As a successful writer, what are the challenges that go along with creating the lives and background of such distinct characters in your plays? Harrison: Most of my plays are rooted in autobiography so sometimes the writing process can be painful.
There’s the pain of revisiting a trauma and then there’s the pain of transposing that trauma onto a fictional character. But while the process may have moments of pain, ultimately, its a process that leads to healing.
Javannah: What’s the first hook that gets a new play started for you? Is it an image, a theme, a character? A life experience? Harrison: Every play is different. Some begin with an image. Others with a line of dialogue. Sometimes a news story will trigger something. Or a piece of music. “we are continuous” was inspired by my relationship with my mother and my own HIV+ diagnosis story.
Javannah:. Class is sort of artificially invisible in this country, and often conflated with race. What is the significance of class on the characters, attitudes, beliefs, and behavior in the play? Harrison: In many plays about Black families, money is the primary obstacle. A Raisin in the Sun, The Piano Lesson, to name two greats. Oftentimes, the families in these plays don’t have money. Or they don’t have enough of it. And the lack of resources and/or opportunities due to the lack of resources propels the narrative. Most of the families in my plays are middle class, which doesn’t mean that they have unlimited resources, but money, or access to resources due to the lack thereof, is usually not their primary concern. Race and sexuality are undeniable components of my plays, but they are usually not the narrative focus though they are often the catalyst for the narrative.
