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Character Matters Speaker Series
10/30/2006
On Thursday, October 26, playwrite and actor Michael Fosberg spent the day on Branson's campus. He performed his one-man show Incognito for the entire school during a special morning assembly, and took the time to field questions after lunch about his life and the experiences that led to creating Incognito. In the evening, he again performed his one-man show for parents and community members. All of the events received rave reviews. Students returned home after school encouraging their parents to see a truly unique and moving performance.
At the age of 32, Fosberg discovers his biological father is African American – this after being raised his whole life in a middle-class white household in addition to physically appearing to be white. Incognito explores the events leading up to this life-changing discovery, and the spectrum of feelings and introspection that followed. In a remarkable display of versatility, Fosberg portrays his younger "annoying" sister, his fragile yet loving mother, his deep-voiced biological father who is thrilled to be reunited with his long-lost son, his spirited paternal grandmother, and his intellectual British girlfriend, among others.
Throughout the performance, Fosberg forces the audience to face their own racial preconceptions and stereotypes. At the end of the play, he comes right out and directly asks the audience if their perceptions of him changed after the discovery of his other roots. He also encourages viewers to explore their own assumptions about identity. Who are you really? What do you want to be? Fosberg demonstrates the courage needed to address these complicated, life-enriching questions, encouraging others to find the courage to figure out who they are as well.
Michael Fosberg was invited to be the first speaker of the year as part of Branson's Character Matters Speaker Series. Thanks to senior Talia Seidman for recognizing the significance of Fosberg's message during a summer program at Northwestern University she attended, and to Steve Bileca for coordinating Fosberg's visit to Branson.
At the age of 32, Fosberg discovers his biological father is African American – this after being raised his whole life in a middle-class white household in addition to physically appearing to be white. Incognito explores the events leading up to this life-changing discovery, and the spectrum of feelings and introspection that followed. In a remarkable display of versatility, Fosberg portrays his younger "annoying" sister, his fragile yet loving mother, his deep-voiced biological father who is thrilled to be reunited with his long-lost son, his spirited paternal grandmother, and his intellectual British girlfriend, among others.
Throughout the performance, Fosberg forces the audience to face their own racial preconceptions and stereotypes. At the end of the play, he comes right out and directly asks the audience if their perceptions of him changed after the discovery of his other roots. He also encourages viewers to explore their own assumptions about identity. Who are you really? What do you want to be? Fosberg demonstrates the courage needed to address these complicated, life-enriching questions, encouraging others to find the courage to figure out who they are as well.
Michael Fosberg was invited to be the first speaker of the year as part of Branson's Character Matters Speaker Series. Thanks to senior Talia Seidman for recognizing the significance of Fosberg's message during a summer program at Northwestern University she attended, and to Steve Bileca for coordinating Fosberg's visit to Branson.