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The ‘Black Box': Former Old Globe Director Discusses Breaking Barriers

“There were many people who sort of started that fight before me. Unfortunately, by the time I came along, I still had to wage that battle,” Sheldon Epps says

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Sheldon Epps is an acclaimed television, film and theatre director, writer and actor.

Sheldon Epps is an acclaimed television, film and theatre director, writer and actor. He spent two decades as the Artistic Director of the Pasadena Playhouse and is currently the Senior Artistic Advisor of Ford’s Theatre in Washington, .DC.

Prior to that, Epps spent several years as Associate Artistic Director at The Old Globe in Balboa Park. He said his experiences there really helped to shape his career.

“I would say that my time at the Old Globe I refer to as my graduate school training in the art of being an artistic director,” Epps said. “It really gave me an opportunity to learn what the job is and how a major American theatre operates.”

During his time there, Epps also conceived and directed the Duke Ellington musical "Play On!" which went on to receive three Tony Award nominations on Broadway.

“So it was a hugely influential time, as well as a great time artistically,” Epps said.

Epps called his career is “very blessed,” but added that he has had to overcome particular obstacles as a person of color in the arts.

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He describes some of those challenges in his book, "My Own Directions: A Black Man’s Journey in the American Theatre."

“I often say that as a person of color, you’re put into a box, in my case, a Black box, and you’re told this is what you can do, this is what you can’t do. You can’t be a leader. You can’t really run an organization,” Epps said. “So, it’s been very much a factor in my career and in my life, for that matter.”

Epps said he had a lot of support along the way, both personally and professionally, and said he is grateful to those who paved the way for him.

“There were many people who sort of started that fight before me. Unfortunately, by the time I came along, I still had to wage that battle,” he said.

Now, Epps hopes his work will encourage the next generation.

“I do hope that it is an inspiring story and encourages young people in the theatre or in other fields to follow their own directions and define their own dreams and goals, and their own ambitions, and not be limited by those things that people tell them that they can or can’t do, but realize that they can dream big and dream bold and do anything and everything they want to do. As Dr. King said, ‘Have your dream. Have your dream.’”

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