Word: haile
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...first he thought he was being paranoid, or just "too sensitive," as his white friends put it, when he told them of his misgivings about auditioning for a Loeb play. An aspiring student actor, Gerald Hail '81 tried to forget about the butterflies in his stomach and --accompanied by a white friend--walked into the Loeb Drama Center two weeks ago to audition for "The Royal Family," an upcoming mainstage production...
...Hail had good reason to be nervous, with a history of discouraging experiences in Harvard theater behind him. This time he had asked the play's associate producer in advance if race would be a consideration in the casting, and since she had told him to go ahead and try out, Hail sat in the Loeb, waiting and hoping...
When director Timothy Garry '81 began to call up actors in groups of four, Hail and his friend went in to audition together. Hail waited for what he and his friend later agreed was an unusually long time, as his friend read for several roles, including the male leads. When Garry finally called Hail to audition, Garry told him to read the role of Jo, the family butler; Garry listened, politely thanked him, and called for the next group of actors...
...Hail felt stunned--and angry--so the following day he returned to the Loeb to confront directors George Hamlin and Robert Chapman over what he considered unfair and perhaps racist treatment. Chapman, who could not be reached for comment, reportedly told Hail nothing could be done since solely undergraduates were responsible for the play, and since Hail had technically had an audition--even if he had only read one part. Hamlin declined to comment but told Garry of Hail's concern and suggested that Garry call...
...Hail to the Earl...