Whites needed for black history play in Schaumburg

White people needed.

That unusual request comes from an equally surprising source: the producers of a Black History Month play to be performed in Schaumburg next year.

Locally based Powerhouse Productions will stage its 11th annual black history program at Schaumburg's Prairie Center for the Arts Feb. 28.

The original play, called "Black Wall Street" and based on the 1921 race riots in Tulsa, Okla., has been written and the auditions held.

The problem?

"No white people showed up," producer Valerie Profit said. "How do you do a show about race riots without any white people?"

Barry Rogers, the program's writer and director, said he isn't sure if the dearth of whites was because they "don't want to be demonized," they just assumed they wouldn't be wanted, or simply because organizers didn't get the word out effectively enough.

Whatever the reason, Powerhouse has scheduled another audition for 6 p.m. Tuesday at Schaumburg Township headquarters, 1 Illinois Blvd., Hoffman Estates. People of all ages are invited, both for speaking and nonspeaking parts, on a strictly volunteer basis. There is no pay.

"In all of our productions at Powerhouse, diversity is something we want to incorporate," Rogers said. "In this play, it's very important because of the subject at hand."

The Tulsa riots, which started after a white girl accused a black boy of attacking her in an elevator, were among the worst in U.S. history, with scores left dead, injured or homeless and a black neighborhood largely destroyed.

But Profit and Rogers said their production is really about racial reconciliation - something that could come about now just by getting more whites involved.

"We're really just looking for people who are motivated to come out for something positive," said Rogers. "We just want as many people to get involved as possible."

For further details or tickets, call (847) 352-1801 or visit powerhouseproductions.com.