Charles Randolph-Wright is, quite literally, all over the place.

The acclaimed playwright and performer, who got his start in the original Broadway cast of “Dreamgirls,” will not be able to watch this weekend as his play, “The Night is a Child,” wraps up a well-received run at the Pasadena Playhouse. He is now on the East Coast, preparing for two openings: his sophomore screen directorial debut, “Mama I Want To Sing,” starring Hill Harper and pop star Ciara; and a new play entitled “Through the Night.”

In an interview this week, he discussed the inspiration for “The Night is a Child,” which is set in Brazil — a place he says “has become [his] second home” — and studies how one family survives great tragedy. He also spoke candidly about the state of the Black arts, and why a lack of diversity has resulted in theater that is “not reflective of today’s world.”

What was the inspiration behind “The Night is a Child”?
I was in Brazil on an anniversary of Columbine and turned on CNN. I saw the parents of the two students [who committed the killings] running from the press. I immediately thought, “What happens when your child does something unforgivable?”
 
Why did you choose Brazil as the setting for your play?
Brazil has become my second home. It is where I go to breathe. I wanted to write about how literally being in a different world forces one to change and see things from a completely different perspective. In this play, the main character travels to a place that is opposite from her Boston home.
 
Is the idea of hope something new that we’re seeing being written into plays, or is it something that’s always been a part of theater, we just hadn’t seen it before?
I believe that hope is a part of many theatrical journeys. We see it now because we need it, and we are looking for it.
 
What’s the common thread audiences will see interwoven into every one of your plays? Is that something you’ve chosen to include in your pieces of work, or does it just come naturally?
I guess that my work always involves someone taking a journey, some type of transformation or change.
 
What do you like the most about “The Night is a Child?” Has it inspired another project, or do you prefer to create projects independently from themselves?
I love collisions of worlds. In this play, there is Boston to Brazil, Candomble to Catholicism, darkness to light. I’ve had many people e-mail me and talk to me about how this play moved and changed them. I am honored that they received that from something I wrote. Even a priest wrote a sermon about it, which truly moved me. I guess each play leads to the next, but it is not necessarily a direct link.
 
Being a part of the Pasadena Playhouse’s rebirth, how do you see the rebirth of theater in L.A. in general? Can you also comment on how far you think Black theater in general, has come on both coasts in the last 20 years?
That is a difficult question because I believe Black theater is in a precarious position right now. There are fewer theaters that exist, so consequently, fewer new artists of color are being nurtured. I am grateful to Sheldon Epps and Pasadena Playhouse because of their unwavering commitment to diversity.
 
People usually say “We’ve come a long way, but we still have a ways to go” when asked about theater gaining mainstream recognition over the years? Do you agree, or disagree? And why do you think people still say that?
I don’t feel that today’s theater is reflective of today’s world. The theater does not allow diverse audiences to see themselves. People, especially young people, flock immediately to the Internet. How do we get them to leave the computer for a few hours and experience live theater?
 
Do you watch a lot of movies, and television? What do you feel is missing? If you were handed the reins to your very own network or studio, what would be the first thing you would do to make sure diversity was a priority?
Hire people of color — and not just on camera!! I have rarely been hired by someone who looks like me. Therein lies a huge problem.
 
Do you believe that if not for playwrights of color, then our stories and our history, would never be told?
I believe that all kinds of people can tell all kinds of stories. There are stories that are unique to certain experiences, and no matter the experience, the authenticity is important to the storytelling. My hope is that writers of color are afforded equal opportunities — sounds like we’re back in the ‘60s!

The Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. “The Night is a Child” closes on Sept. 27. For more information, call (626) 356-7529.