By: Michael Nacey ’19
On October 27, Bellarmine opened their fall drama Spinning Into Butter, a play that acts in conjunction with the Justice Summit on race to promote discussion of the sensitive theme.
Spinning Into Butter lays out, in the words of its director, Mr. Canavese, “a world we’re all familiar with” — a school where a flurry of racist letters forces the student body and the faculty of Belmont College in Vermont to understand and confront racism in their lives.
Bobby Houston, who plays Dr. Ross Collins in the fall drama, describes how the play depicts a community struggling to deal with racism.
“The characters do not know how to deal racism when it comes knocking, almost literally, at their door,” Houston said. “This theme is perfect for this political climate and especially for Bellarmine.”
Mr. Canavese believes that this production is particularly relevant amidst current racial tensions in America.
“The play is about where we are in our country in terms of race. It shows both sides of the racial divide. It shows white privilege and a kind of narrow view that comes with white privilege and that being cracked open by confronting the issue of race,” Canavese said.
Likewise, addressing racism is something the student body of Bellarmine has been attempting to do as well in light of this year’s Justice Summit on Race in the 21st century.
“Bellarmine’s Justice Summit seeks the same goal of thinking about race, talking about race, reflecting on race, and considering how our community can better deal with the issue of race,” Canavese said.
To do so, the cast and crew of the play hold a fifteen-minute discussion at the end of each play. Bobby Houston has observed that the discussion often promoted enlightening dialogue.
“The discussions got people talking about race and got people thinking about that relates to their own lives and that’s what I think the show does. It puts it in its own world and then pushes it on you,” Houston said.