Today we’d like to introduce you to Cherie Gray.
Cherie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am an actress, performing artist, arts educator, producer, and director from Shreveport, Louisiana. I have been in the arts all of my life. When I am not acting or producing theatre then I’m doing music like singing and playing the violin. I started Lumpy Grits Artistry performing arts organization in 2013. The motto is “bringing together artists from both sides of the tracks”. We are currently celebrating our 10th birthday season.
In 2019, I began offering acting and theatre workshops to my local community. Introducing children and adults to the arts. In 2021, I began working on a documentary entitled Ratchet City Blues: The Documentary. Cherie Gray’s cultural and historical curator traces the music history, community, and hip-hop culture of Shreveport, Louisiana.
It traces the word “Ratchet” origins of the man that started Ratchet city, Anthony Mandingo of Lava House. It is still in production. Currently, we are celebrating our 10th Birthday celebration with the Children’s Theatre Troupe performing a series of stories such as Anansi: Lord of Stories and Tell Me A Tale of Resistance.
In March, I’m directing Renaissance Reimagined: Measure for Measure with my adult cast.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been fun. There have been struggles along the way. You deal with many personalities in the arts. You may agree and sometimes you may not agree. You continue to work together or you separate.
During Covid, we were not able to perform live.
I had to find creative ways combined with technology to stay relevant in a changing industry. We began to film more.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
When you see my work in my local and regional markets. It stands out. I educate, inform, and pose questions centered around history, creativity, and justice even with personal projects and community projects.
During 2020, I collaborated on an exhibit in downtown Shreveport. It was entitled the Blackout exhibit headed by PJ. Brown. I had an interactive exhibit that covered African American Black contributions to local, national, and global history.
I’m currently raising awareness about the historical Star Cemetery. It was the first cemetery for Blacks established in 1883. Founding fathers, Black veterans, and Black Reconstruction era politicians such as Samuel Armstead were buried in the cemetery. I am raising awareness to get the cemetery mapped, and the monument installed and in 2022, a large and legible sign was installed at the entrance. This is only the beginning.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
My favorite childhood memory spending time with my grandmother and traveling with my family to Indianapolis, Indiana in the summer times.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Lumpy_Grits
Image Credits
Cherie Gray, Latoya Knox, So Nervy Films, and LaDonna Welch
