Rising Stars: Meet Alvin Lockett

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alvin Lockett.

Hi Alvin, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I got started in technical theater in 8th grade when my aunt joined Mosaic Youth Theater of Detroit. I started the program in 1999 and graduated as the Stage Manager in 2002. In 2002 the best performers, singers, and actors were paid for special performances, but the best techs weren’t. In 2004 I was hired as the Assistant Technical Director; my first duty was to create a Next Stage group for the techs. After completing the curriculum, my task was the hard part of naming the program. I got with my team and asked what we should be called, and we agreed on Que Blackout. It served three purposes; when we had a great show, the last cue was a blackout; if people annoyed us, we turned off the lights and sound in the middle of them talking, causing a blackout; and Jay -Z Black album was released, and we huge on using the phrase Blackout. In 2008, I left Mosaic to work in banking and touring locally in MI. 

In 2016, Mosaic temporally halted the Technical Theater program. That year I was playing piano for my church’s choir, and while visiting a church, the sound system went down, and the whole building looked at me. I realized more people need to learn the audio/visual craft. I visited my pastor, parents, and Mosaic’s Founder to discuss bringing Que Blackout back. In 2018 we formed a 501c3 to host anyone in the community. In 2020, covid19 forced my team to really explore our mission and goals. We focused not only on technical theater, but we added performing arts, broadcasting, mentoring, and workforce development to our programs. 

We have a program called “See You in the C-Suite,” where minority leaders from Fortune 1000 companies speak to our youth and model what success looks like in all industries. In 2022 we held our first original play where the young people handled everything during the show. I grew up on Joy Rd and Livernois, aka the hood, and I got to be a sound engineer for the G.O.A.T. D.J. Jazzy Jeff; people from my hood barely survive, let alone do sound for their childhood hero. No matter what happens, no one can take that moment from me. My goal with Que Blackout is to give every kid their D.J. Jazzy Jeff moment. Rick Sperling of MNosaic started me on this path, and my life mission is to provide “Hope & Access” That’s what people gave me, and I have to pay it forward. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I love Detroit, but it is a city of haves and have not. I have been blessed to be tied to some of the more prominent nonprofits in our region, but I see how it can be disheartening to do good work when all the support goes to 10% of the nonprofit sector. In Detroit, a study showed that more than 60% of the funding goes to organizations with budgets of 1.2 million dollars or above. It is unfair to those larger organizations that have earned the trust and respect of the philanthropic and residential community to be asked to fix issues in communities they aren’t part of. We need to find ways to give resources to more groups and groups with new ideas to see change. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I lead Que Blackout, a new youth theater in Detroit. I took my passion for audio/visual and media arts and created a program for young people. People ignore how much of a greater opportunity you have behind-the-scenes work instead of on stage or screen. I tell my students in tech and broadcast that not every play will need a certain sex, age, or race performer, but in most cases, they will need lights and sound operators. Once you get past the first 45 seconds of a movie, the credits rolling are not for performers. There are far more people behind a camera than in front. Our program is in Detroit and Atlanta, and we pride ourselves on showing how these artistic skills scale and travel. 

We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I got into tech by accident. I will never forget attending a Mosaic rehearsal and being like Goldilocks. I remember seeing the beautiful young ladies who wouldn’t stop singing and thinking I couldn’t deal with them. Then seeing more attractive ladies who were off the wall crazy, I found out those were the actors. I finally saw a group of girls who were chill, I asked them what they were doing, and they said we use power tools and blow stuff up. For a 14-year-old, that was all I needed to hear, and the rest is history. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.queblackout.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queblackout
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QueBlackout
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/que-blackout-youth-theater/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@queblackouttheater
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@queblackout

Image Credits
Que Blackout Broadcast Team