Harlem Duet

An old soul at only 37, driven by both enormous passion and exceptional intellect, Billie approaches everything important to her from an extreme vantage point: When she loves, it is boundless, and when she feels, it is unwavering. The other side of this precarious coin is that when she is angry or hurt, the aftermath is psychologically debilitating and self-destructive.

Billie is a graduate student in psychology and is in the process of adjusting to life without her husband, Othello, who has deserted her for Mona, his younger white colleague at Columbia University. Othello’s betrayal has driven her to madness, and her morbid jealousy, like that of Shakespeare’s Othello, poises her to entertain dangerous thoughts. Although her current mental state may be partially due to a genetic predisposition—her mother suffered from what her father called “moods”—the main cause of her pain and despair is the loss of her dreams.

In tandem with mourning her personal trials, Billie also grieves the societal conditions that continue to impact the Black community. When she moved to Harlem—a place she refers to as a sanctuary—she was excited to be living in a predominantly Black section of New York, but her happiness has gradually waned. Much like Malcolm X, Billie eschews the notion of peaceful protest and gradual assimilation as espoused by Martin Luther King Jr. Instead, she aligns with X’s philosophy of Black Nationalism—advocating self-determination for Black people and building a separate Black nation. Because of her extreme emotional state and personal turmoil, she now sees the world from this all-or-nothing posture. In her mind, everything that is wrong in her life traces back to the racist oppression of Black people by white people. This self-imposed mental prison accelerates her breakdown and nearly alienates the people who genuinely care about her beyond repair.

A man of 40, Othello is the ex-husband of Billie. Currently a literature professor at Columbia University, he takes immense pride in his academic achievements and how they have allowed him to ascend in his career. However, unlike Billie, Othello aligns more closely with the philosophies of societal integration and assimilation. While he acknowledges that he has personally experienced racism, he finds the race wars, and what he views as the rhetoric which accompanies them, exhausting.

Othello’s actions also appear to lack character. He betrays Billie by leaving her for a white woman, but then also betrays his fiancée, Mona, by sleeping with Billie, knowing full well that Billie’s mental health is tenuous. This underlines the self-centeredness that is evidenced by many of his arguments for change. He is fully capable of supporting his own progress, but he seems uninterested in advancing the Black community.

Acceptance to Othello means becoming an accepted member of white culture. If this translates into becoming “whiter” in the eyes of others, or more deferential to white people in general, so be it. Because he lacks the level of passion that drives Billie, he navigates his predominantly white world much more successfully than she because doing so provides the means to his desired end.

This character is presented as a precursor to the Billie of the 1997 storyline—someone whose life and personality roughly parallel those of Billie, though in very different historical circumstances. As someone involved in the performing arts, She is living in one of the best eras in American history, the Harlem Renaissance. Unlike Billie, who thinks of Harlem as an insulated sanctuary, She sees it as a mecca—a beacon of inspiration for those interested in art, music, and any other form of self-expression. She deeply loves her partner, He, a frustrated minstrel performer whose dream is to act in the classical roles of the theater. The language with which she communicates with him reflects their shared artistry. Still, his ambitions threaten her, and in response, she disparages them. These feelings of insecurity are exacerbated by He’s attachment to Mona, a white director. Their relationship inflames her delusional jealousy and propels her violent actions.

This character is presented as a precursor to the Othello of the 1997 storyline—someone whose life and personality roughly parallel those of Othello, though in very different historical circumstances. As an actor during the richly artistic Harlem Renaissance, He is primarily confined to roles depicting traditional Negro theatrical caricatures performed in blackface. These limitations chip away at his desire for full artistic expression. He longs to perform the great roles of classical theater, such as Hamlet or Macbeth, but his partner, She, is unsupportive. Just as Othello seeks comfort, solace, and acceptance from a white woman, so does He. He leaves She for a white director named Mona, whom He believes understands his dreams more clearly and appreciates his creative gifts.

This character is presented as a precursor to the Billie of the 1997 storyline—someone whose life and personality roughly parallel those of Billie, though in very different historical circumstances. An enslaved woman in the last days of the Civil War, She is highly aware of the abuse and oppression that impacts the 19th-century Black community. Devoted to her mate, identified only as Him, she enthusiastically supports His suggestion that they escape to Canada to start a new life of freedom. She fantasizes about pursuing a home and a family with Him, but these fantasies are short-lived. His decision to stay on Miss Dessy’s estate crushes her spirit and leaves her to deal with the ramifications of His love for a white woman.

This character is presented as a precursor to the Othello of the 1997 storyline—someone whose life and personality roughly parallel those of Othello, though in very different historical circumstances. He works as a blacksmith for Miss Dessy, an enslaver and Mistress of an estate, but he imagines himself a free man in Canada. He and his partner, identified only as Her, make plans to cross the border and begin a new life. Still, a lack of passion arrests His actions and, by extension, their relationship. Something holds Him back from committing 100%, and that something is his growing attachment to Miss Dessy. According to Him, Miss Dessy makes Him feel like a man, as she needs Him, respects Him, and even looks up to Him. Like Othello and the 1928 He, the 1860 He betrays Her love and trust in exchange for affection and validation from a white woman.

Forty-one-year-old Magi is Billie’s friend as well as her landlady. Her jovial demeanor contrasts with Billie’s depressive behavior; however, she is nonetheless highly attuned to her history as the descendant of an enslaved woman and her enslaver. She thinks deeply about the evolution of the Black experience in America. She and Billie often indulge in philosophical exchanges, and while she is not as formally educated as Billie, she is intelligent, clever, and perceptive. What separates her from the other characters is her long history with Billie: she can recall Billie and Othello as newlyweds and has witnessed the decline and ultimate collapse of their marriage. Magi longs for a husband and family, and dates a variety of men in the hopes of finding her life partner. Surprisingly, she is attracted to Canada, despite their age difference. While he has had to fight his own past demons, he appears to be trustworthy, respectful, and decent, which is a refreshing change from the men in her past.

Billie’s sister-in-law, Amah, is married to Andrew, Billie’s brother. Together, Amah and Andrew brought Billie’s young niece, Jenny, into the world and provided one of the few bright spots in Billie’s world. Somewhat more traditional than Billie, Amah dreams of opening a hair salon but lacks the necessary licensures. Although she acknowledges the societal issues that impact the Black community, they do not consume her. On the contrary, it is Amah who consistently advises Billie to find and impart the gift of forgiveness, even if for no other reason than to preserve her psychological health. At only 33 years old, she tends to defer to the other characters in the play, especially Magi.

Billie’s 67-year-old father, Canada, was not an ideal parent, but to his credit, takes full responsibility for his past actions. Recovering from alcohol addiction, he travels from Nova Scotia to Harlem in the hope of reconciling with Billie after an extended period of estrangement. Knowing that she is going through a dramatic psychological transition, he wants to now deliver the parental support that he could not offer Billie when she was a child and he was a young, grieving widower. Attractive, charming, and sincere in his intentions, he is saddened by the news of Billie’s divorce from Othello and by her deteriorating mental state. He wants very much to make up for lost time and finally become the father he believes she always deserved.