Paul Oakley Stovall leans back in his chair, the energy of a busy rehearsal day still radiating as he discusses the upcoming Charlotte production of “Immediate Family.” After more than a decade of shepherding this deeply personal play in cities including Chicago and Los Angeles, the playwright is bringing his acclaimed work to Booth Playhouse for a monthlong run that promises to spark conversations about Black family dynamics, identity and acceptance.
The timing feels significant. In an era when some might assume that battles for LGBTQ+ equality have been won, Stovall’s play reminds us that the work of understanding and acceptance within families, especially Black families navigating complex intersections of race, sexuality and faith, remains far from finished.
The Charlotte production is a collaboration between Stovall, Blumenthal Arts (producer) and Phylicia Rashad (director), who played Clair Huxtable on “The Cosby Show” and has won three Tony Awards for her work on Broadway.
Stovall said his relationship with Rashad spans over a decade, rooted in what he describes as an almost telepathic understanding of his work. Their partnership began in 2012 with the original Chicago production, continued through Los Angeles, and now brings a fresh perspective to Charlotte.
What sets Rashad apart, Stovall says, is her refusal to impose rigid control over her actors, noting how she encourages performers to discover their characters organically rather than simply follow directions. This approach proves particularly valuable for Stovall’s writing, which deliberately leaves space between the lines for actors to explore.
Stovall said returning to the material after a decade was initially challenging. He found himself expecting new cast members to replicate previous interpretations, until he realized that each production offers fresh discoveries. “That’s the beauty of live theater,” he said, noting that great plays evolve while maintaining their essential truth.
Stovall said “Immediate Family” sprang from his frustration with the limited roles available to Black LGBTQ+ actors in theater. Years of auditioning for one-dimensional characters – “bodyguard number 3” or “the best friend that has no sex life” — drove him to write the complex, fully realized story he wanted to see on stage.
“I knew that wasn’t true because I had a life,” he said, his voice reflecting those early career struggles. His desire to portray authentic Black LGBTQ+ experiences within family contexts became the driving force behind the play, he said.
The title itself emerged from an unexpected source. Originally called “As Much As You Can,” the play was rechristened just before its Chicago debut when a friend’s mother suggested it should be about “The immediate Family.” The change proved inspired, capturing both the intimacy of nuclear family bonds and the urgency of the relationships that matter most.
For Stovall, “Immediate Family” encompasses more than blood relations – it includes anyone you’d call first in a crisis, the people who form your essential support network regardless of biological connection.
Comedy as survival
One of the play’s greatest strengths lies in its seamless weaving of humor through serious themes. Stovall has learned to trust that authentic situations within Black families naturally contain comedy, without forcing artificial laughs.
Drawing inspiration from the late comedian Bernie Mac, Stovall noted how Black communities often use humor to process pain. He recounts Mac’s bit about courts threatening to separate children into different foster homes, where the comedian’s response — “Wait, you mean to separate as in to divide?” – transforms tragedy into a moment of recognition and connection.
“In other cultures, people wouldn’t find it funny,” Stovall said. “But Black people hear it, we know it’s terrible, but we laugh. We laugh through things to survive them.”
This survival mechanism permeates “Immediate Family,” allowing audiences to process difficult conversations about acceptance, identity and family loyalty through moments of genuine levity.
Stovall doesn’t shy away from placing his play within broader contexts of systemic inequality and social justice. Despite progress in LGBTQ+ rights, he says families — particularly Black families – still struggle with acceptance around sexuality and identity.
His analysis extends beyond individual prejudice to systemic issues. “Slavery never ended; they just found a new way to do it,” he said, connecting historical oppression to contemporary mass incarceration and economic marginalization. This perspective informs the play’s central message: that unity within Black communities matters more than ideological differences about sexuality, religion or lifestyle choices.
Stovall said media distraction often prevents communities from addressing these internal challenges. Rather than focusing on international conflicts or partisan politics, he said, Americans — and Black Americans specifically — need to examine their practices of division and exclusion.
“Immediate Family” doesn’t attempt to solve complex issues of family acceptance but rather creates space for dialogue. Stovall envisions audience members leaving the theater and talking with their children, opening lines of communication that might otherwise remain closed.
“Don’t try to have the solutions,” he advises. “But just open the lines of communication. That’s all any play should do.” This philosophy extends to his broader vision of social change, which he sees happening one person, one family, one conversation at a time.
Playwright Paul Oakley Stovall says he has found “a second home” working with Blumenthal Arts, a space where he feels safe and supported in presenting challenging material. Photo: Blumenthal Arts
The ripple effects of these conversations, Stovall suggests, can create positive change in schools, workplaces and communities as people learn to extend kindness and understanding to others who are different from themselves.
Stovall’s background as a performer, including years touring with “Hamilton” – he played Georg Washington when the musical last came to Charlotte – deeply influences his playwriting approach.
Interestingly, his favorite line from “Hamilton” isn’t one of the show’s famous political statements or historical references, but rather the ensemble’s simple plea: “Forgiveness. Can you imagine…” This focus on forgiveness as a radical act permeates “Immediate Family,” where characters must navigate hurt, misunderstanding and acceptance within their family bonds.
Bringing “Immediate Family” to Charlotte represents more than geographical expansion for Stovall; it’s a homecoming of sorts. The city’s position in the South, with its complex history around race and sexuality, makes it an ideal testing ground for the play’s themes. The production also represents the play’s first major Southern engagement, adding cultural weight to its exploration of family, faith and acceptance.
At Blumenthal Arts, Stovall has found what he describes as “a second home,” a space where he feels both safe and supported in presenting challenging material. This sense of security proves crucial for a play that asks audiences to examine their own biases and family dynamics.
While “Immediate Family” captures Stovall’s immediate attention, his broader artistic vision includes projects exploring themes of identity, belonging and cultural significance. His recent work includes co-adapting James Baldwin’s “Giovanni’s Room,” a poignant exploration of sexuality and emotional conflict within the context of Baldwin’s experiences as an expatriate in Paris, and developing a play about Phyllis Wheatley, the first published African American poet whose work grappled with themes of freedom, faith and identity in the 18th century. Additionally, Stovall is working on “Fire”, a play centered around the early days of the Harlem Renaissance, specifically the creation and impact of the literary magazine Fire!!, edited by Wallace Thurman, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes during their youth.
Each of these projects reflects Stovall’s commitment to telling stories that center on complex identities while addressing universal themes of family, acceptance and authentic self-expression. His ultimate goal, he said, remains simple but ambitious: reaching as many people as possible with truthful, layered storytelling that opens hearts and minds.
As “Immediate Family” prepares for its Charlotte debut, Stovall said audiences should “come ready to laugh. Come with someone you can be yourself with.”
Stovall called the production “a well-made play” – one that entertains while provoking thought, that celebrates Black family life while honestly examining its complexities, and that uses humor to address serious questions about love, acceptance and belonging.
Dates: July 29 – Aug. 31
Place: Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal Arts Center
Cost: Starting at $27.76
