“Spotlight on an up and coming Play director” Raymond O. Caldwell
There is a bright, up and coming actor, writer, director on the scene. His name is Raymond O. Caldwell. Quiet on the Set recently caught up with him on the set of his latest production “Anything Goes” at the Ira Aldridge Theatre at Howard University.
QOTS: You have an acting background. How long have you been an actor?
Raymond: I started acting when I was a teen. That’s when I formally got my training. I went to college and pursued theatre as a major.
QOTS: At what point did your focus turn from acting to directing?
Raymond: Actually, it was a gradual shift. While in graduate school, I found that I really liked telling stories. I tried to be in control of the story as an actor, but I found that you don’t necessarily get to control the story. You only get to be a part of the story most times. I think it was a natural progression because I really wanted to be able to tell the whole story. Directing gave me that ability.
QOTS: Do you now find that you prefer directing to acting?
Raymond: I do. I think that I’m at the point in my acting career where I’m waiting for very specific roles. I’ve gotten the opportunity to play the unexpected roles, and I’ve also had a chance to play different types of roles. Now, I’m at the point in my career where I can be selective, so in terms of acting, I’m waiting for that role that I really want. With regards to directing, I get to be in control, so that makes the difference for me.
QOTS: What role then would be the one to take you back to acting?
Raymond: I think the role that I’m waiting for would be something in a solo or one man show. I’m currently working on my own solo performance. It’s an exploration into one man’s contemplation of race, and how we see and deal with the issue of it. So my dream role is one that I’m developing now.
QOTS: Since you are creating it, do you plan to write, direct, and produce it?
Raymond: Yes, I will write it, but when it’s finished, I’ll ask someone else to step in. Especially, with a solo piece you need that outside eye. I would then bring in someone else to direct it. I think that’s critical to a piece of that nature.
QOTS: What experiences have transformed your career thus far? In your travels abroad, have they formed the way you look at theatre?
Raymond: Well, I’m half German. My mother is German and my father is African-American. I’ve always been internationally minded. The focus of a great deal of my international travel is creating conversations, using art as a tool. One of the most interesting places I’ve had the opportunity to go is India. Being in India was a life changing experience because you see poverty and the complexity of poverty, while at the same time seeing such wealth and beauty. It’s a series of contradictions artistically, allowing one to see the intermingling of the ugly with the beautiful all at once. That’s really what the meaning of art is right? The mingling of what is hard with what is beautiful. It was profound to me, and it forever changed me.
QOTS: You recently had the opportunity to direct your adaptation of Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” for Howard University. Having seen the play, I was quite impressed with the level of professionalism of the entire production. What were some of the challenges you encountered putting on a play such as this, and why this particular play?
Raymond: As a child I loved science- fiction and fantasy. I think at times, it’s hard for people of color to see themselves in those roles. I rarely saw myself represented on stage and screen with regards to those types of productions. Cole Porter was greatly influenced and deeply inspired by African-American music, but when it comes to making a production of “Anything Goes”, we don’t assume that that is our story. “Anything Goes” is story of love. We are people who love, laugh, sing, and dance. I wanted to get the cast as well as the audience to see the universality of the story. I wanted expand the idea of who we are and who we can be.
QOTS: I believe you achieved that goal. I saw nothing but fine actors on a stage telling a great story. It could have been anyone. Congratulations on an excellent production. I believe you could take this play anywhere. The acting, the music and choreography were exceptional. Do you have any aspirations outside of the theatre?
Raymond: I love live theatre. It’s an experience that is unlike any other experience. Each night is different. Each performance is different. The excitement is in never knowing what’s going to happen. I love the live audience and the exchange that takes place. Somehow, there is some type of catharsis that takes place that can only happen in the theatre. We seem to be moving in a direction where live theatre isn’t celebrated as it once was, so my passion for now lies in the theatre.
QOTS: Where do you see your career in the next five to ten years?
Raymond: I would love to be right here, seeing Howard University as an incubator for new work and talent. This is one of the birthplaces of the Black Arts Movement. I want to see a new Black Renaissance happen here. With so many actors coming from Howard, most notable recently, Taraji P. Henson because of Empire’s phenomenal success, I know there are more to come. I think she is doing a great job with that character.
QOTS: I believe we need more writers, directors, and actors on your wavelength to embody that mindset to be able to transform not only theatre, but Hollywood as well. Thank you and we will be looking for your next production and your name in lights.
Raymond O. Caldwell holds an MFA in acting with a focus in developing new work from The Ohio State University, and a BFA in acting from the University of Florida. As an actor, he has toured nationally and internationally. He has worked with playwrights including Ntozake Shange, Edward Albee, and Tarell Alvin McCraney. For the past six seasons, he has worked for Arena Stage’s Community Engagement Division. Caldwell has also directed and developed work with schools, organizations, and non-profits throughout the DC metropolitan area. Internationally, he has had the opportunity to develop work in India, Ukraine, Greece, Germany, and the UK.
