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Lend Me a Tenor

During the 1994-1995 season, Nomadic Theatre hosted a production of Lend Me a Tenor, a show that traditionally uses black face. Board 41 (2022-2023) discovered this previous production and is working to have critical conversations to provide the Georgetown theater community with sufficient knowledge of Nomadic's history with racism. 

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Executive Board Statement

 Board 41 was made aware that nomadictheatre's production of Lend Me a Tenor from the 1994-1995 season contained a cast member in blackface. This show has a long history of utilizing blackface and it is unacceptable that this show is a part of nomadic's history; however, it is an undeniable part of it that I will not let be forgotten.

There is no amount of explanation of context that could account for the harm done by the former nomadic members involved in this production, and the practice of blackface has a long and storied history both at this university and in the theater industry as a whole. As such, Board 41 will be working over the summer to update our website with a history section that addresses this practice and production, and we will be hosting an open dialogue about this history come the Fall. I am ashamed of the racism and harm that this portrayal perpetrates and hope that as we progress forward, everyone who comes in contact with nomadic will be met with a community that is warm and welcoming as we strive to build a more inclusive space. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any and all concerns.

- Joseph Ravago, Board 41 EP

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How to Access the Show Material

Nomadic became aware of this production through a photo of the cast in which an actor is in blackface. That photo is now in the Lauinger Library's archives and can be accessed via the following steps:

  • Email GU Archivist conwayl@georgetown.edu , requesting to see the photo

    • Identify as: University Archives Photographic Files: Drama: Nomadic Theatre: 1994-1995: Lend Me a Tenor: GTA 20220829

    • “nomadictheatre photograph from the 1990s” will also work

  • Establish a date and time  

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