I've been a fan of Ntozake Shange's poetry for a while but it wasn't until this spring that I actually did myself the favor of reading her most famous play, For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf, in its entirety. The play is often given credit for being one of the first, if not the first, to introduce the style known as choreopoem. For Colored Girls shares the stories of seven nameless Black American women through the form of poetry; the resulting product is an affirmation of Black womanhood and humanity. Shange's beautiful, albeit haunting, stories stay with you long after the play is over; it left such a lasting impression on me that I made a vow, on paper, to see it on the stage the next time an opportunity presented itself. Which brings me to the point of this post.
This summer, For Colored Girls, which had its first showing 33 years ago, has been adapted by the famous 14th Street Theater in Atlanta, Georgia and will be directed by the incredible, Jasmine Guy. This will be Guy's first directorial role but certainly not her first experience with the theater. Although she is best known for her role as the spoiled yet impeccably stylish southern belle, Whitley Gilbert, on A Different World, Guy has also gained praise on the stage. She appeared in the Broadway revivals of both Grease and The Whiz as well as several off-Broadway plays.
I am currently scheming on ways to get to Atalanta because this is definitely something that I don't want to miss. Tickets for all shows/all seats are $25, not bad at all.
Choreopoem Written by Ntozake Shange
Directed by Jasmine Guy
14th Street Playhouse
Stage 2
173 14th St NE Atlanta, GA 30309
(404) 733-4754
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