Richard Gallion Entertainment Set To Mount Two Shows For Black History Month

Playwright Richard Gallion is staging two plays in February, “1800 v 2020” and “A Fall from Royalty.” Photo provided by 820 Consulting.
Playwright Richard Gallion is staging two plays in February, “1800 v 2020” and “A Fall from Royalty.” Photo provided by 820 Consulting.

Richard Gallion Entertainment Set To Mount Two Shows For Black History Month

By Tia Carol Jones

Richard Gallion developed Richard Gallion Entertainment (RGE) Gallion said the inspiration for his plays came from a series that he is developing called the “What If” series. He said that most movies and television shows emerge from the writer saying, what if.

In “1800 V 2020,” the what if scenario is ‘what if’ the enslaved people from the 1800s had a conversation with African Americans who live in the present day. In “A Fall from Royalty,” the what if scenario is ‘what if’ the African kings and queens had the opportunity to see what the results were of the enslavement of African people.

“The question I pose to them is if you would have known your greed would’ve enslaved your people 400 years later, would you still sign that Transatlantic slave trade,” he said.

Gallion’s “A Fall from Royalty” will run at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Feb. 5th and 6th and “1800 V 2020” will run at 10 a.m. from Feb. 19th-20th and 2 p.m. on Feb. 21st. Both plays will take place at the APC Theater, 11401 S. Vincennes.

Gallion said with his plays, he writes stories about things people aren’t taught in schools. He said he wasn’t taught about the Transatlantic slave trade in school. His education about the subject came from his curiosity as an adult and doing his research.

He said he was intrigued to find out that before they were enslaved and brought to America, Africans controlled wealth. “A Fall from Royalty” takes place in the 1400s and depicts the enslavement of Africans. He said many of the themes in the play are relevant and still happening today.

“I want people to know that we were not just slaves … there’s a lot of adults who aren’t educated in knowing where we come from. There’s really no blueprint on how to find our ancestors. I want to be able to show people the truth of where we come from so, they can look at themselves a little differently,” he said.

Gallion said his interest in writing and the creative arts was a way for him to express his pain. He didn’t have a relationship with his father growing up, which meant he didn’t have the validation and sense of security that came with having a male figure to teach him about life and to prepare him for it.

 While he was working as a model for the Ebony Fashion Fair fashion shows, he started writing things he wanted to say to his father. He also wrote rebuttals from his father’s perspective. Next thing he knew, he had a script, that he read to people. Those people encouraged him to turn it into scripts.

Gallion said that the reception for his plays have been very positive. He said that he knows that he is walking in his calling. He has seen people’s hearts softened and has seen people want to change their lives after seeing his productions. He said it taught him that the arts have the potential to save and changes lives. He said 13 years later, he has witnessed so many people’s lives changed, and he will continue to use his platform and creativity.

Gallion said that he knows that his gift doesn’t just belong to him, he wants to share it with other people. He has five young people that he is currently mentoring and motivate them with their gift for the arts. He said mentoring young people is something that is really important to him. Gallion also wants students to attend the plays because he wants as many young people to see them as possible. He is also working on a screenplay for a movie about breast cancer.

For more information About Richard Gallion Entertainment and to purchase tickets, visit www.richardgallion.com.


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