Nine questions every actor of color should consider when tokenism is not enough

"“Shanésia Davis has provided an essential and vital tool for ALL actors and, in so doing, proves the axiom that questions can provide more insight than answers. Her professional/personal experiences and probing mind make her the ideal curator for the subject. One gets the sense that her courage in confronting the insoluble puzzle of bringing one’s inescapable identity to this mysterious work of ours will save minds, and maybe even souls. My biggest takeaway from this book is that it is a relief to know that I am not alone.” Harry J. Lennix, Producer and Director, USA ""Shanésia asks relevant questions that require a degree of courage from both the one asking and those answering. The theatrical community abroad will gain an understanding, by reading this book, that may serve as a unifying tool for us all. It offers a truthful glimpse into a world, of which the depths aren't known by many, through voices that are usually silenced and ignored. Shanesia, through this project, empowers those that need it most."" Melody Betts, Actress and Director, USA “The unique challenges and resilience strategies of global majority actors working on Chicago and U.S. stages are specific, and far too often have gone unrecognized or under appreciated. Shanésia Davis’s own holistic, honest, and experienced approach to character building and artistic collaboration opens the doorway to the lessons gleaned and journeys revealed by the artists whose artistry is given full voice in 9 Questions. More than simply a resource, it’s a whole testimony that gives strength, guidance, and reassurance to performers of color looking to unlock their own excellence and strength.” Darren Canady, Professor of English, Honors Faculty Fellow, University of Kansas City, USA “This collection of interviews asks the reader to enter a world that lies beneath the shiny, oft-sanitized façade of; first rehearsals, media interviews, and opening nights, that most actors experience as a part of their work. Davis asks us not to cynically give over that world as false, but to bravely witness actors of color revealing the stories behind the stories—a version of reality that almost every Black actor can viscerally recognize even before the final sentence has been spoken. And the fact that it focuses specifically on experiences in the vibrant Theatre community of the city of Chicago brings a fresh, down-to-earth perspective that will appeal to many theatre practitioners of all ages.” Lisa Gaye Dixon, Chair of Acting and Producer of Illinois Theatre at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, USA."