Summary of ""The Revolt of the Evil Fairies" by Ted Poston (Off the Shelf: Short Stories Out Loud)"

Summary of "The Revolt of the Evil Fairies" by Ted Poston

The story centers around the annual grand dramatic presentation at Booker T. Washington Colored Grammar School in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, a major social event where students performed a play titled Prince Charming and the Sleeping Beauty. The play was a "modern morality play" rewritten each year by their teacher, Miss H. Bell Laprade, highlighting the conflict between good and evil, with good always triumphing.

Artistic Techniques, Concepts, and Creative Processes:

Playwriting and Adaptation: Miss Laprade rewrote the script every year, ensuring it was unique and modernized, not a simple retelling of the classic fairy tale.
Casting and Symbolism:
- The casting process was deeply influenced by racial and colorism biases.
- Good fairies wore white costumes; evil fairies wore black.
- Light-skinned children, often with Eurocentric features, were cast as good fairies and lead roles like Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty. Darker-skinned children were typically assigned evil roles or minor parts.
- The roles symbolized societal perceptions of good and evil tied to skin color.
Costuming:
- Good fairies: white costumes.
- Evil fairies: black costumes, often made from black cheesecloth.
- The narrator’s family prepared for his inevitable evil fairy role by buying black cheesecloth each year.
Performance and Characterization:
- The narrator embraced his role as the head evil fairy, developing a memorable character despite the disappointment of not being cast as Prince Charming.
- The play included physical staging and fight choreography, such as sword fights and dramatic exits.
Audience and Social Context:
- The audience was racially mixed, with white patrons attending and sitting in reserved rows.
- The event reflected the racial and social hierarchies of the community.

Key Events and Advice:

Casting Dynamics:
- Light skin was a major advantage for lead roles.
- Social status and family influence also played a role in casting decisions.
- The narrator’s personal disappointment in being repeatedly cast as the villain due to his darker skin tone is a central theme.
Performance Highlights:
- The narrator’s fight scene with Prince Charming (Leonardius Wright) became an unscripted, memorable moment when a real scuffle broke out on stage.
- The teacher and audience initially thought the fight was part of the play.
Emotional Impact:
- The narrator’s exclusion from lead roles despite his talents reflects the racial prejudices of the time.
- The play served as a microcosm of the community’s social and racial divisions.

Creators and Contributors:

Author: Ted Poston (story and narrator)
Teacher/Playwright: Miss H. Bell Laprade (script rewrites and director)
Actors mentioned:
- Leonardius Wright (Prince Charming)
- Roger Jackson (previous Prince Charming)
- Sarah Williams (Sleeping Beauty)
- Rat Jointer (classmate and commentator)