Back in the days of bell-bottoms, public cocaine use and disco, a woman named Ntozake Shange wrote featuring women identified only by colors rather than names. She compiled poems on heavy topics such as domestic violence, rape, abortion and tied it all together with the memorable ups and crippling downs that can go along with simply just being a woman. Later this year, Tyler Perry will be releasing his film adaptation of Shange's work, and already people who know the play intimately are telling me how shitty Tyler Perry's version will be. But before you get that fist raised and shaking at me to protest, you can see the play itself right here in Hartford this weekend!Destination Destiny, Inc & poetess Darlene "Peaches" Brandon have done a lot of work to put on the production at Classical Magnet's Black Box Theater for this weekend only! I'll be out of town seeing what things black people do in the Nation's Capital (*cough* drunken debauchery *cough*), so I'll miss the official show, but the cast was lucky enough to give me and my girlfriend Charmane a sneak preview of the show you will all be getting. Take it from me, you're in for a real treat! You may recognize this cast of beautiful and talented ladies from poetry nights in the Greater Hartford and Springfield areas, or doing the many other talents they have in life. You'll definitely notice them after this because like I said: beautiful and talented. No homo. That's a lie, mad homo.
Beyond the prettiness you'll be looking at on stage, these ladies all care about putting on one hell of a show. Peaches is the captain of this ship and it's clear that she takes the job very seriously. The other ladies of the cast follow where she leads, listening to the notes she gives and immediately turning gears in their own heads on how to make their performance work. The pride that each woman takes in her performance comes through with every monologue, and from our vantage point, we were able to see them transform into their respective "color" the moment they stepped on the stage.
Though the parts are all played by women of color, this is far from being only "our" story. I'm sure any woman can find a connection to their own life in here. No one should leave here thinking, "poor colored girls, they've got some pains and sorrows to work out, I mean did you see Good Hair?" because the poems hit too close to home for all that. Plus you shouldn't be saying "colored" anymore, unless you're someone's great-grandma and you're "from a different time".
Parts of this are tough to hear for even my seasoned ears, so for that reason I'd suggest leaving the little kids at home. But it's thought provoking and the actresses are amazing, so you WILL be sorry if you miss it.
Info:
When: Friday, September 24 & Saturday September 25 at 8pm
Sunday, September 26 a matinee performance at 3pm, doors open an hour before all three shows.
Where: Classical Magnet Black Box Theater, 85 Woodland Street, Hartford
Price: $15 General Admission, $25 VIP
Two last things:
1. Proceeds benefit Destination Destiny, a local non-profit serving youth and young adults.
2. The cast of the play will be featured on Poetz Corner this week. They're filming at Cloud 9 tonight and airing all week on Access TV's website. Check it out!
