“For Colored Girls” is too Necessary to Have Thrown Back in Our Faces

I’m bummed out, yo.

I’m just now learning that the revival of Ntozake Shange’s ‘For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf’, which was to have starred the Grammy-winning singer, India Arie has been postponed. Apparently financiers were “spooked” by the “edgy” title of the 1970’s choreopoem.

For real? Wow, in this day and age? [insert sarcasm here] Hmmm…
How did they not read the title of, or research the content of the play prior to agreeing to back the show financially. It makes no sense.

Side Note: In high school I played the role of “Lady In Green” (Somebody almost walked off with allll of my stuff). In college, my mother played the role of “Lady In Green” as well. She has a custom framed autographed poster that I have been begging for years, for her to pass on to me. I can’t find a poster like that anywhere online or otherwise.

We’ve also had the privilege of hearing Ntozake read. Our family loves us some colored girls. Period. It’s a classic. 30 years later Ntozakes words still ring true to many of my personal experiences of being a “Colored Girl” in the new millennium.

More talk on “For Colored Girls” over here and here.