Karani Marcia Leslie Johnson Strips Black Stereotypes Bare by Robert M. Gardner Karani Johnson pulls no punches in her hard-hitting exposè of Black stereotypes. We know well the history of white oppression since , but her “The Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman vs. Mammy Louise and Safreeta Mae” reveals Black people’s prejudices against…
Millennial Notes Robert Townsend’s Compelling Solo Show Exposes Hollywood by Theo Rosenfeld Robert Townsend’s “Living the Shuffle” is a triumph. Townsend gives us a deep meditation on race, success, and his life as a “TV guy” as his friends from his childhood put it. Townsend expertly weaves deeply personal moments with laugh out loud…
Katrina Lauren McGraw Scores Triumph as Bessie Smith by Robert M. Gardner As the saxophone player (smooth Ric Alexander) steps center stage, he coaxes soulful notes and seductive rhythms to the tune of “St. Louis Blues.” We are thrilled as diva Katrina Lauren McGraw channels Bessie Smith, the Empress of the Blues, and sings…
Lucas Hnath Writes A Smart, Funny, Relevant Update by Lynne Stevens Anne Marie, the housekeeper, dozes on a chair. A gentle knock at the enormous blue door, where Nora exited with a bang fifteen years ago, startles her. And there, standing in the softly falling snow, is Nora. Scenic Designer Christopher Fitzer creates an…