Under the baobab: With Penn State sports on a hot streak, there’s Happy Valley hope in Indy

The last time we were in Indianapolis, I was performing in “Amber Waves,” an original play at The Indiana Repertory about folks who lived and worked family farms in America’s heartland. The American family farm was once the world’s most efficient means of production. Then came conglomeration on a massive scale. It was not as efficient, but it was productive. The United States became the world’s breadbasket and largest exporter of fossil fuel. Family farmers did not benefit from the transition.

In the play I was a Black farmer who had lost most of his land, living next to a struggling white family trying to hold on to theirs, against encroaching agribusiness. Their family tried to survive in an economy of diminishing returns for working poor people. The play mirrored the reality of our fragmenting and polarized financial world. The rich got richer. Our Town became Their Town.

While in Indy I had the opportunity to see then President of the United States, Donald Trump, when he delivered the keynote address at the National Rifle Association’s national convention. That was the only time I saw him in person. Vice President Mike Pence, former governor of Indiana, also spoke. Their solution to our economic woes was to provide tax breaks to the super rich, speculating it would trickle down to the rest of us. It didn’t work. The incoming administration’s plan seems to be, put billionaires, American oligarchs, in charge of fixing our economy problem. I don’t believe that will work either.

In the sports world there is Happy Valley hope in Indy. We’ve been there before. We witnessed the Nittany Lions beat Wisconsin for the Big Ten Championship in 2016. Coach James Franklin has brought them back to face the No. 1 ranked team in the country, undefeated Oregon. Even if the Lions do not claim victory in Indy, there is a good chance that with their record they will host a game in the national playoffs.

Indy is where the Big Ten will hold its men’s and women’s 2025 basketball tournaments. Both PSU teams are hopeful of a successful March return. The men’s basketball team beat Purdue to open the conference schedule. The Lady Lions begin their conference season this weekend.

In other good news, the PSU women’s volleyball finished the regular season ranked No. 3 nationally and No. 1 in the Big Ten. They are one of the top seeds and host of the NCAA tournament. Our courageous champion, Katie Schumacher-Cawley, was named the league’s coach of the year. Izzy Starck was named Big Ten Women’s Volleyball Freshman of the Year and four players were named to the All-Big Ten First team. And of course the PSU wrestling dynasty continues.

Congratulations to Professors Steve H. Broadnax III and Curtis Craig, who won Barrymore Awards for their wonderful work on the play “Bonez” at People’s Light and Theatre Company. Writer/director Broadnax won “Outstanding Overall Production of a Play.” Associate Professor of Sound Design Craig won “Outstanding Sound Design.” The Barrymore Awards recognize professional theater in the Greater Philadelphia region, honoring local artists and theater companies while increasing public awareness of the richness and diversity of PA’s thriving theater community. This year 67 productions were recommended. Professor Broadnax, who recently directed “Thoughts of a Colored Man” on Broadway and “Sally and Tom” by Suzan-Lori Parks at the Public Theatre, is a PSU MFA graduate and professor-in-charge of the Master of Fine Arts Directing Program. Craig recently won the Silver Medal in Sound Design at World Stage Design in Taipei.

And three-time Grammy Award winner Samara Joy performed “A Joyful Holiday” featuring the McLendon Family at Eisenhower Auditorium this week. The “classic jazz singer from a new generation” with a “treasured gospel music lineage,” performed original songs and holiday gems, many arranged by her father Antonio McLendon. Happy holidays.