 |
Department of Fine Arts The
University
Theatre Presents:
February
18-21, 2004 |
| The
Francis Marion University Theatre's winter mainstage production of the
2003-2004 season, to run February 18-21, will be for
colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf
by Ntozake Shange. The
production will be
under the direction of Associate Professor of Theatre Arts Keith Best,
with set and lighting design by Professor of Theatre
Arts David Granath and costume design by
Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts Abigail Kiker. for colored girls... was originally performed in New York City, off-Broadway, in 1976. The run was very successful and the play has been very popular over the years. The cast is made up of seven women, the lady in brown and the ladies in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Cast in these roles are Consuella Ferguson, Crystal Patrick, Dana Bufford, Tiffany Holmes, Jocqlene Maria Wright, Shakita Walker and Lakesia Monique Reed. |
 |
 Rehearsal
images by Larry
Falck
 |
Ntozake
Shange's
script is actually a performance piece of poetry. The script contains
beautiful language but doesn't hesitate to challenge it's audience with
explicit language, descriptions, and situations: but no single word is
carelessly placed. Several larger poems, each delivered by one of the
ladies, are put together with smaller snippets of poetry, music, and
dance performed by the whole group. The expression of these
personalities and their experiences as told through Ms. Shange's poetry
creates a beautiful theatrical piece celebrating the African-American
woman in America.
i cdnt have people lookin at me pregnant i cdnt have my friends see this dyin danglin tween my legs & I didnt say a thing not a sigh or a fast scream to get those eyes offa me get those steel rods out of me this hurts --lady in blue there waznt nothin wrong with him/ there waznt nothin wrong with him/ he kep tellin crystal/ any niggah wanna kill vietnamese children more n stay home & raise his own is sicker than a rabid dog/ that's how their thing had been goin since he got back/ --lady in red |
As
a director, my goal is to allow the actors to bring themselves into
these characters-to make them breathe with their own experience--and to
showcase these performances and the music of this language in a manner
that captivates every member of the audience. Though about the black
woman's experience, this is a play for everyone. All people can
appreciate the attributes of grace, strength, courage, wisdom, and
spirit exemplified in these characters. They reflect the best of what
humanity has to offer.
-- D. Keith Best
The Francis Marion University Theatre opened its season with Jules Feiffer's Feiffer's People. The final production of the season will be Compleat Wks of Wllm Sksp Abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, April 14-17, 2004.
Reservations for for colored girls... may be made beginning February 9 by calling the box office at 661-1365. The box office will be open to reserve seats Monday through Friday from 1 pm to 5 pm. All tickets are free to the public. Curtain is at 8:00.
For additional information contact Mr. Best in FAC 222, 661-1536, dbest@fmarion.edu.
Interested
in working
"behind the scenes"? Contact Mr.
Granath
in FAC 222, 661-1536, dgranath@fmarion.edu.