Isabella Diaz-Mira | Photo Editor

As the play begins, lighting illuminates a simple yet pleasant family room, filled with vintage furniture in yellow and orange tones. Suddenly, conflict arises: the main character, Nellie, is gone. As domestic chaos unfolds, her entire family questions her disappearance, and the living room becomes the stage where complex intergenerational differences are woven around activism with sitcom-like ease.

Black Anthology’s (BA) 2026 performance “It’s Easy Going,” ran Friday, Jan. 30, and Saturday, Jan. 31, in the Edison Theatre. This year, the students behind the show brought a fresh perspective to their production, inspired by the culture, activism, and social dynamics of the late 1960s. The result was a story that resonated with audiences beyond any single background or lived experience. The play reflected not only the nuances of real life but also the timeless dilemmas young people face as they grow up, balancing tradition and independence.

In a flashback before her disappearance, Nellie joins her uncle on the sofa, laughing as they flip through TV channels together. Her uncle then begins telling the story of his youth, when he left home to work as a member of the Pullman porters, sleeping car attendants who went on to form the first union led by Black workers. It all sounds unbelievable, and it’s later revealed that he’s actually retelling Malcom X’s life story as his own. For the moment, though, the mood grows sentimental as he describes the tiresome yet exciting brotherhood of the job. Moved by his journey, the niece feels inspired to find a community for herself.

Producer and senior Ha-Ya Davis explained how her team envisioned the meaning behind the title, “It’s Easy Going,” to reach the audience.  

“It’s an oxymoron in the sense that it’s really not ‘easy going.’ These are your ideologies, your political beliefs. They’re important to you. They’re a part of who you are,” Davis said. “Acting upon those beliefs can be very easy, but also it comes with its hardships, its consequences.” 

Isabella Diaz-Mira | Photo Editor

The show takes place during the Vietnam War and intentionally coincides with Philadelphia’s famous Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ student protests. Although the script is rooted in history, the play includes themes that carry into modern-day life. In the panel discussion before the show, audience members were encouraged to consider how values can grow and the importance of staying true to ourselves as our surroundings change.

With late 1960s Philly as the backdrop, there is something enduring and often joyful about the stylistic choices made by the cast and crew. Dances to Marvin Gaye, “It’s a Man’s World” by James Brown, and multiple R&B pieces allow rhythm to further the story of homesickness and old, yet ever-present struggles. Monologues about sibling or spousal dynamics earned plenty of hums of recognition from the audience, while bursts of lighthearted, slapstick humor sent everyone into hysterics. Feuds among friends and relatives burned bright, highlighting the casualties that come with challenging the norm.

Set designer and senior Obike Anwisye explained that the set, which was created in tandem with the script, flourished thanks to the hard work of each member of the show.

“It feels like a place that somebody might call home,” Anwisye said. “Whether it’s a brush stroke of paint on the set that somebody did when they had 15 minutes to spare, or if it’s the most technically complex dance move or whatever our longest monologue is … the audience will see the effort that [the cast and crew] have put in so far.”

Anwisye has been part of Black Anthology throughout all four of his years at WashU. Speaking on community within Black Anthology, his expression melted into one of ardent reminiscence.

“There are a lot of people from so many different walks of life that come to BA to do whatever performance it is that they’ve come to do,” he said. “I think that that’s really something that I’ve cherished all four years, knowing we’re here to tell a story, [and] that everyone kind of fits into that story.” 

Isabella Diaz-Mira | Photo Editor

Since Marcia Hayes-Harris founded Black Anthology in 1989 to educate others about and celebrate Black contributions, the organization has gradually transformed into a student-operated production, which reflects on Black culture and experiences. The organization is grounded in a community of its own, and Davis and Anwisye share a hope that more students will feel welcome to join in the future. 

“Everyone in the world is so deeply intertwined that as long as you are passionate about telling a story about not only the Black experience, but how the world intertwines with that, then Black Anthology is for you,” Anwisye said.

Davis reflected on the message she hoped would shine through in “It’s Easy Going.”

“I feel like if we are moving towards the better world that we all envision, we have to be able to have hard conversations and be able to experience or put ourselves in tough shoes, as well as … shoes that are maybe not so bad,” Davis said. “We try to balance telling an accurate story, but also telling an impactful story.” 

“It’s Easy Going” presents ideas that are likely to resonate: themes of home, standing up for your values, and avoiding compliance. The performance shows that it is okay to make space for yourself and stand up for what you believe in, even when you’re standing alone.