On Oct. 27, I had the pleasure of watching the Black Theatre Workshop’s opening performance of “The Lord’s Will,” a two-act production both written and directed by BTW’s own Oscar P. Grant. I found the play to be very entertaining and downright touching to the very end. Needless to say, I was very impressed with the overall production. The BTW cast is extremely talented and deserves a great deal of recognition. I also felt that Oscar Grant did an extraordinary job in directing the play.

On this predominately white campus of ours, many of the positive efforts of blacks and other minorities seem to go unrecognized and later become blinded by what I call “racial politics.” It is such a shame that the university doesn’t go out of their way to support such talented African-American groups like the Black Theatre Workshop, the NIU Black Choir or the Lifeline newspaper staff. These organizations go unnoticed while the administration diverts its primary efforts to other NIU non-minority oriented organizations, departments and affiliations. I’m not saying that the university does nothing for its minority population, but it could do more…a whole lot more.

And as for those students who choose to remain racially and culturally ignorant, I suggest you find out more about such positive minority organizations before you condemn an entire race of people. Remember, a few bad apples doesn’t spoil the whole crop. Go and see “The Lord’s Will.” It’s running the next few weekends into mid-November in Gabel Hall at the Caven Auditorium, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and on Sundays at 3:30 p.m. I suggest that the NIU Theatre Department view the production as well. It’s about time that the theatre department became enlightened by the Black Theatre Workshop instead of treating the workshop like they had the plague or something.

Keep up the good work, BTW, and thanks for the joy that you’ve brought us.

John Quilico

Junior

Management