For Darius Wallace, Frederick Douglass is the north star

After years of challenges with depression, anxiety and substance abuse, Darius Wallace looked to a certain abolitionist to inspire both his life and creative work.

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Actor Darius Wallace knows a thing or two about iconic Black figures and their historical reputations. In his portrayal of 19th-century Black abolitionist and statesman Frederick Douglass, Wallace continues his grand artistic exploration of  Black historical figures on stage. Having previously portrayed Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, his muses often share a key characteristic: Their lives were transformed by the power of the written and spoken word.

“Frederick Douglass was the Jimi Hendrix of his time,” says Wallace.

Wallace’s path in bringing Frederick Douglass to stage began in 2001 with The Starry Road to Freedom, a show specifically for elementary and middle school kids. “I wrote [the show] for young people first,” he says, “to [let them] see someone who was born into limitations that they didn’t ask for — chattel slavery.” His artistic vision and motivation to create the show was inspired by the triumphant story of Douglass and what he had to overcome to achieve greatness. 

Being a constant innovator, Wallace would transform the show, eventually performing it at colleges and universities, museums, theaters and for Douglass’ own descendants.

His passion for acting was sparked early on, along with an interest in martial arts. “I wanted to be Bruce Lee,” he says. At the age of 13, he found himself at a critical juncture. “I was a prime target at a very dangerous period in Flint, Michigan, history for gang life. And I did get involved.” Of that time in his life, he says he saw and experienced things that he shouldn’t have. Then one day, he got into trouble at school and was called into the vice principal’s office. According to Wallace, the vice principal gave him three options: “You can either go the way you’re going and end up in jail or juvenile, or I can tell your Daddy — or you can do what I know you love to do, which is theater.” 

He struggled at first because he had a hard time remembering his lines. But a supportive theater teacher who saw young Darius’ potential was able to help him. “He took words away and he started teaching me how to speak and how to move on stage without speaking, which is miming. And I did that, and I was comfortable with that because I was a martial artist.” 

An impressive theater pedigree followed: Interlochen Arts Academy, State University of New York’s Purchase College — though he would leave after his sophomore year — and then the Michigan Shakespeare Festival. Wallace would go on to develop an enviable body of work on stage and screen over the years, but it’s playing Frederick Douglass that has been the rush. 

The show explores the question of what freedom is — a subject Wallace relates to his past personal struggles with anxiety and depression. “I struggled with it for years. And I would say only over the last decade have I found some joy.” He’s also candid about his past alcohol addiction in hopes it will help others. Today, he’s about 15 years sober.

Wallace’s academic experiences also helped him prepare for the role. “I’m very thankful for the training — the speech training, the vocal training, the movement training, the acting training. Tapping into my emotional life on a regular basis has really contributed to the success of me being able to do it for so long.”

Wallace hopes people get a sense of empowerment and courage from his show. He wants audiences to be inspired to make their lives what they want them to be. For fellow actors, his advice is “to write your own content” and “to be entrepreneurs.” He encourages actors and artists not to wait for opportunities but to create their own.

“We’re living in a very competitive time,” he says, “more so than when I first started acting.”

Wallace will continue to tour the show and also has two upcoming film projects: a mystery thriller called Queen Rising and Damaged Goods, which he describes as a “Blaxploitation film noir.”

Frederick Douglass! The Lion of Freedom! will be at the Conyers Rockdale Council for the Arts (CRCA) black box theater June 21 through June 23.

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Charles Stephens is an Atlanta-based writer. His work has appeared in publications such as Atlanta magazine, Creative Loafing, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Georgia Voice, The Advocate and Them.