One on One with Miss Maxine Lyle
I sat down for a fierce cup of coffee and conversation with my longtime friend and collaborator Maxine Lyle. A proud Newark native, Maxine Lyle has spent the last decade traveling the world, creating original shows, sharing her passion for stepping and doing it all with that million dollar smile. We chatted about her latest work STEP SHOW: THE MUSICAL, what it’s like to work with me as a director and her advice to other theatre makers of color.
Daryl: Maxine, Good afternoon. Thank you so much for sitting down with me to chat.
Maxine: Of course, Daryl. And thank you for having me.
Daryl: So, let’s dish on STEP SHOW: THE MUSICAL. What is it?
Maxine: STEP SHOW: THE MUSICAL is an original two-act production that celebrates the African-American legacy of step. It is a fictional show inspired by the history of step among African-American fraternities and sororities, Black College life, and the step culture that still carries on today. We follow the journey of a college freshman as she tries to preserve her grandfather’s legacy and find a voice for herself through rhythm. The show addresses cultural appropriation, systemic oppression, sexuality, mental health, sexism, and colorism, all while placing a Black female heroine at the center of its story.
Daryl: What a unique story. What inspired you to write this story specifically?
Maxine: The impact that step has had on my life, particularly in college, was the impetus for developing Step Show. I attended a small liberal arts school in MA, called Williams College where I co-founded a step team with friends. As a student of color on a predominantly white campus, step had been my lifeline — it amplified my voice, magnified my presence in a sea of white faces, and allowed me and my classmates to claim a cultural space for ourselves. After college was over, I felt naked without my percussive mouth-piece and the community it provided. It was at that time that the idea of a developing a Broadway-bound musical about step first began to take shape. Driven by that curiosity and passion, in 2005 I founded Soul Steps LLC, a professional step company based in the NY-NJ area, which has served as an artistic home for myself and other step enthusiasts who want to join me in building cultural bridges through step and in developing Step Show.
Daryl: How long have you been working on this show?
Maxine: My journey to create Step Show began in 2003.
Daryl: Damn, talk about commitment. Yikes.
Maxine: yes, we started through a series of tiny workshop presentations in small venues. At the time I didn’t know a thing about professional theater or what I was doing — (haha, it’s true!), so I decided to get more experience and information under my belt. I attended Columbia University School of the Arts where I received a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Theater Management and Producing in 2009. From there, fully armed with the right tools, Soul Steps took off! We brought step into new and exciting spaces all over the globe — Kosovo, Cameroon, Ireland, Paris, the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2007 and again in 2011; Good Day NY, CBS News, and Ars Nova Theatre, to name a few. Throughout this period, I relentlessly worked towards my dream of a step musical. Not considering myself a playwright, I steadily pursued other playwrights to bring my ideas into fruition, but, for one reason or another, things never worked out. Overtime I learned that the same power I possessed on stage I also had within me. With the encouragement of friends, I found the courage and sat down to finally write my show — FOR MYSELF! It took me two and a half years to write it (a more seasoned writer could’ve spit it out in months). While some might be embarrassed to share such a detail, I feel it’s important to be transparent about my journey so that you know that I am crazy in love with the work I’m doing and remain just as committed to this dream now as I was in 2003.
Daryl: That is good. People need to understand what we sacrifice and how much time it takes to create quality work. I’m curious. For fun- What’s it like to work with me as a director?
Maxine: I truly never know what each day will bring with Daryl, haha! Will I get Daryl, the Fire Ball? Daryl, the Ball Buster? Daryl, the Baller? Or all of the above?! Seriously though, it’s been smooth sailing working with you on the West Virginia and NJ workshop presentations. You are intense and that has pushed me and the cast throughout these few months, but it’s a good kind of intensity and I’m thankful for all you’ve contributed to the project.
Daryl: And I thank you Maxine. You’ve been a huge supporter of my work in the theatre. You hire me, support me, work with me, you were even apart of the cast of my last piece. So, thank you.
Daryl: You wear a lot of hats. What has been the hardest part about developing this musical?
Maxine: Developing the work when I ain’t got no money! Related to that, it’s been a great challenge to get people who do have the resources into the room because many theaters and producers are looking for work that’s further along. So what comes first, the chicken or the egg? It’s hard to build a show without the proper financial resources to do so, but it’s hard to get that support without a show that’s already developed. It’s made me realize that as our theater industry moves towards greater equity we need to expand that conversation to include fiscal equity as well. What does it look like for a person without access to money, or even without access to people who have money, to get their work seen and produced? These are the conversations I’m interested in having and hope to push forward.
Daryl: Where do you see STEP SHOW: THE MUSICAL playing in the future?
Maxine: I see STEP SHOW: THE MUSICAL playing on Broadway and touring all around the world — South Africa, the West End, Japan — EVERYWHERE! I see a Historically Black College tour, and it being optioned by high schools all over the country. In the foreseeable future, my dream space for development would be the Alliance Theater or the Public Theater.
Daryl: Shoutout to the Public Theater. I love the work that they are doing. They are really serious about equity, diversity and access. I see it in their staff, in their initiatives, in their board and in their programming.
Daryl: There are so many shows playing these days. Every weekend there is something to see, experience, etc. Why should people attend STEP SHOW: THE MUSICAL
Maxine: Come see Step Show because Black stories matter to you. Come see it because you believe it’s time to widen the platform and shift the narrative for what gets celebrated and validated in theater. Come see it if Black intellectualism, creativity, identity, and social activism hold space in your heart. Come see it if you want to be a part of history! No one has ever told a story that captures the story of step in stage form. While step has had its cameo in a show or two in the past, no professional production has completely centered itself around the unique, powerful, sorrowful, joyful history of African American step. Come see this show because you want to be in the “room where it happens” for US!
Daryl: What advice would you give other artists or producing creatives?
Maxine: My advice to other theater professionals of color is to get comfortable with hearing the word “no,” and then get comfortable with doing whatever you want to do anyway. Break rules hard and often. Periodt. You’re bound to offend somebody, so you may as well go after your dreams while doing it.
Daryl: That’s it! You said it all right there. Rules? Who needs em’. This was great. Thank you for sitting down with me. I’ll see you in the rehearsal space.
Maxine: You are most welcome. See you there. We got work to do.
Daryl: And history to make.
The work in progress presentation of STEP SHOW: THE MUSICAL will take place on November 9th, 2019 at 2PM at the Bickford Theater in Morristown, New Jersey. For tickets click here. For more information on Maxine Lyle or her company Soul Steps please visit www.soulsteps.com.
