The Black Theatrical Voice in Western, American theater is often drowned out. Though misunderstood, appropriated, or altogether abandoned, the notion that Black theater is inherently different than Western theater is still relevant and important.

The second class in our Black Theatrical Voice series is for those who seek to educate themselves by diving deep into the themes of August Wilson, including acting approach, play history and performance, and – perhaps most importantly – understanding the integration that occurs between Wilson’s theatrical world, Black life and the importance of the integrity of Black culture within theatrical spaces. It will also explore the ways in which white supremacy and its antecedents have and still do shape the Black perspective and therefore the Black aesthetic.

Course Reading Material
“The Devil Finds Work” by James Baldwin
“Sexism: An American Disease in Blackface” by Audre Lorde, Sister Outsider
“Love as a Practice of Freedom” by Bell Hooks

The Plays to Read
Gem of the Ocean
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
The Piano Lesson
Seven Guitars
Fences
Two Trains Running
Jitney
King Hedley II
Radio Golf