Small Town Race: A Performance Text

Abstract

During a research project designed to construct life stories for two students in a small town high school, an opportunity arose that promoted an examination of race relations in a rural context. From information gathered and autobiographical reflections, the author constructed a performance text as a means of presenting the material and promoting discussion of the issues raised. The compiled script includes four scenes showing specific events and characters focusing on the theme of race relations in a rural community. The scenes are punctuated with the words of various theorists to provide a critical perspective, and the author is included in the script as a character who provides narration during the performance. The script ends on a reflective note inviting discussion of the issues. After the script, in an epilogue to the piece, the author has included a brief discussion of the relevance and importance of alternate forms of research presentation.