Voices of Color


Book Description

A collection of scenes and monologues by African American playwrights.




Contemporary Plays by Women of Color


Book Description

In the two decades since the first edition of Contemporary Plays by Women of Color published, its significance to the theatrical landscape in the United States has grown exponentially. In this second edition, Roberta Uno brings together an up-to-date selection of plays from renowned and emerging playwrights tackling a variety of topics.




The Ground on which I Stand


Book Description

August Wilson's radical and provocative call to arms.




Playwrights of Color


Book Description

A selection of plays by fifteen playwrights of color, each accompanied by a contextual essay that provides relevant historical, sociological, cultural, and historical backgrounds.




Black Broadway


Book Description

The African-American actors and actresses whose names have shone brightly on Broadway marquees earned their place in history not only through hard work, perseverance, and talent, but also because of the legacy left by those who came before them. Like the doors of many professions, those of the theater world were shut to minorities for decades. While the Civil War may have freed the slaves, it was not until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s that the playing field began to level. In this remarkable book, theater producer and historian Stewart F. Lane uses words and pictures to capture this tumultuous century and to highlight the rocky road that black actors have travelled to reach recognition on the Great White Way. After the Civil War, the popularity of the minstrel shows grew by leaps and bounds throughout the country. African Americans were portrayed by whites, who would entertain audiences in black face. While the depiction of blacks was highly demeaning, it opened the door to African-American performers, and by the late 1800s, a number of them were playing to full houses. By the 1920s, the Jazz Age was in full swing, allowing black musicians and composers to reach wider audiences. And in the thirties, musicals such as George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess and Eubie Blake's Swing It opened the door a little wider. As the years passed, black performers continued to gain ground. In the 1940s, Broadway productions of Cabin in the Sky, Carmen Jones, and St. Louis Woman enabled African Americans to demonstrate a fuller range of talents, and Paul Robeson reached national prominence in his awarding-winning portrayal of Othello. By the 1950s and '60s, more black actors--including Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, and Sidney Poitier--had found their voices on stage, and black playwrights and directors had begun to make their marks. Black Broadway provides an entertaining, poignant history of a Broadway of which few are aware. By focusing a spotlight on both performers long forgotten and on those whom we still hold dear, this unique book offers a story well worth telling.




Contemporary Plays by African American Women


Book Description

African American women have increasingly begun to see their plays performed from regional stages to Broadway. Yet many of these artists still struggle to gain attention. In this volume, Sandra Adell draws from the vital wellspring of works created by African American women in the twenty-first century to present ten plays by both prominent and up-and-coming writers. Taken together, the selections portray how these women engage with history as they delve into--and shake up--issues of gender and class to craft compelling stories of African American life. Gliding from gritty urbanism to rural landscapes, these works expand boundaries and boldly disrupt modes of theatrical representation. Selections: Blue Door, by Tanya Barfield; Levee James, by S. M. Shephard-Massat; Hoodoo Love, by Katori Hall; Carnaval, by Nikkole Salter; Single Black Female, by Lisa B. Thompson; Fabulation, or The Re-Education of Undine, by Lynn Nottage; BlackTop Sky, by Christina Anderson; Voyeurs de Venus, by Lydia Diamond; Fedra, by J. Nicole Brooks; and Uppa Creek: A Modern Anachronistic Parody in the Minstrel Tradition, by Keli Garrett.




Black Drama Anthology


Book Description




Critical Perspectives on Contemporary Plays by Women


Book Description

Explores how women playwrights illuminate the contemporary world and contribute to its reshaping




Black South African Women


Book Description

The first anthology to focus on the lives of Black South African women. Includes the work of, and interviews with, award-winning and emerging authors. Contains 6 full-length and 4 one-act plays.




50 African American Audition Monologues


Book Description

This collection of powerful and original monologues for African American men and women offer a refreshing alternative to recycled standards.