Exploring Tania Richard’s Solo Play at American Blues Theater

Tania Richard’s solo play, “Black Girl from a White Suburb,” is currently onstage at American Blues Theater. The performance begins and concludes with a focus on breathing. Before speaking, Richard performs yoga stretches on a rug, offering a private moment. At the close of her interactive, personal show, she invites the audience to join her in synchronized breathing. This provides a reflective end after sharing memories ranging from humorous to painful.

Richard, a Chicago-based actress, is involved with theaters like Goodman and Steppenwolf. At American Blues, she serves as an artistic affiliate and an inclusion and belonging consultant. Her memoir, “Black Girl from a White Suburb: Finding My Light, Using My Voice,” published in 2025, was adapted for the stage by American Blues with direction from J. Nicole Brooks.

Her Haitian parents moved to Canada for medical school and then to Chicago for residencies. Following advice to raise their family in Western Springs, a mainly white suburb, Richard found herself often as the only Black student. In high school, there was another Black student, though Richard notes he fit in differently.

Richard’s journey to becoming a writer and performer started with complexities. Despite microaggressions from a middle-school drama teacher, portraying the caterpillar in “Alice in Wonderland” was transformative for her. She humorously notes wearing green makeup before it was popularized by the character Elphaba in “Wicked.”

While many plays focus on overt racial injustices like lynching or police violence, Richard’s work highlights subtler aspects of being Black in America. Even with parental privilege, she faced frequent indignities, illustrating racism’s pervasive nature. National events, such as Rodney King’s 1991 beating, impacted her deeply. Notably, she was part of an all-Black cast for Steppenwolf Theatre’s premiere of “The Song of Jacob Zulu” during this time.

The theme of breath reappears as Richard connects Eric Garner and George Floyd’s pleas with medical racism. After facing COVID-19 complications in 2020, she received little help until visiting a Black doctor, highlighting discrimination’s reach into healthcare.

Some wish Richard’s call to action were clearer, but her journey of finding her voice and narrating her story stands strong. The memoir-style show may lack dramatic flair, yet its realism resonates authentically. Richard’s story, shared in a setting designed by Shokie Tseumah with props by Tyson Carter, is compelling.

“Black Girl from a White Suburb” runs through October 4 at American Blues Theater, located at 5627 N. Lincoln Ave. The show spans 1 hour, with tickets priced between $34.50 and $64.50, available via phone at 773-654-3103 and online at americanbluestheater.com.