We recently had the chance to connect with Clovis Kabongo and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Clovis, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Admittedly, I think I have wandered off the path — which is hard to admit. No one ever really wants to say they’re wandering because of the negative connotations. For me, at least, it implies weakness, lack of direction, failure, and uncertainty.
It wasn’t until I forced myself to stop, reframe, and get comfortable with accepting the fact that being lost — wandering, even — is a part of any journey. Instead of aggressively pursuing answers and moving without purpose, it’s often best to retreat within yourself and return to your roots.
There’s something grounding in choosing stillness when the world pushes constant motion. Seasons of retreat aren’t regressions; they’re recalibrations.
And that’s what this season is about for me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Clovis Kabongo, a playwright, director, and founder of Black Petal Theatre. I built the company to give artists of color a stage where their stories aren’t flattened into clichés but celebrated in all their complexity. My own path to the arts wasn’t exactly met with applause—imagine a family who wanted a doctor and got a dramatist instead—but storytelling was non-negotiable for me.
Black Petal sets itself apart by creating theatre that entertains, unsettles, and provokes conversation. Past work includes Austin, which went from award-winning script to a successful run at The Chain Theater, and our recent Off-Broadway production In the Woods Somewhere. Right now, I’m focused on growing Black Petal into a hub where underrepresented voices can thrive. My goal is simple: if you leave our shows feeling the same as when you walked in, you might as well have stayed home and watched TV.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
The part of me that I’ve released is the need to constantly please others at the expense of making necessary, and sometimes difficult, decisions. In the past, I hesitated to act out of concern for how others might feel, even when it meant compromising my own standards, responsibilities, or integrity. I’ve learned that leadership—and growth—require clarity, courage, and a willingness to face discomfort for the greater good. Tough decisions demand even tougher resolve, but ultimately, we’re all better for it.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me the art of resilience in a way success never could. My company wasn’t born from immediate praise, invitations, and acceptances —it was built inside the ruins of rejection, in the moments when I was told to dilute my vision or make myself smaller. Those setbacks forced me to become resourceful, to pivot when doors slammed, and to carve out alternate paths with grit and precision when the ones I wanted were blocked off.
The truth is, success is flattering, but suffering is formative. It conditions you to think sharper, burn brighter, and light a fire that burns hottest when the world feels coldest. All you have is your fire and mine is the very thing that keeps me moving forward.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
That the world does not move without black creativity or culture. Black artists, collaboration, and talent is truly excellent.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope the story people tell about me isn’t just about the plays I wrote or the company I built, but about the way I refused to shrink to fit anyone else’s expectations. I want them to say I was relentless—someone who turned rejection into fuel, setbacks into strategy, and fire into something that inspired others to find their own. That I created spaces where stories by people of color could exist fully, honestly, and without compromise.
And if they add a little whisper about how I made them feel safe, challenged, or even stirred something they didn’t know was there…well, that’s exactly the legacy I want. Theatre—and life—should leave an impression, not a footprint you can forget.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://blackpetaltheatre.com
- Instagram: @blackpetaltheatre
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