For Colored Girls... Film in the Works

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 2:54pm

I was reading Essence magazine today and ran across an article stating that Alicia Keys, Angela Bassett, and Sonaa Lathan are in talks for a film version of this. Nzingha Stewart(whose cridits include India.Arie and Macy Gray videos) is directing. I adore this play/poem and am a huge Ntozake Shange fan, but unsure if it will seem a bit dated today. Any thoughts?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 3:20pm

I have the earlier tv movie version that was filmed for PBS about 25 years ago with some of the original cast (plus then unknowns like Alfre Woodard and Lynn Whitfield) and while a lot of it definitely still packs a wallop and works on a visceral and emotional level, a few things simply don't come off very well on film (and were much more powerful in the theatre). The film made the mistake of dramatizing some of the monologues with the women playing off of male actors -- in each case the scene was MUCH stronger when it was performed solo on stage.

I think the piece can still resonate for the most part with today's audiences -- although the last NY revival in 2000 was miscast, the one before in the early 90s at Henry Street was strong overall (I've seen about 7 or 8 productions of it since 1977) -- I really doubt that it can be filmed and have nearly the same impact as seeing it live.

Updated On: 1/15/07 at 03:20 PM

[jaesdare]

Posted: 1/15/07 at 3:21pm

i agree some of the issues seem a little dated, but i'm sure the people they have can make it work. i want to be in it so bad.

[Sandy in Sable]

Posted: 1/16/07 at 9:23pm

Trezana Beverley directed a few plays when I was in college. An interesting lady. I've always wanted to see that Colored Girls taped recording.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/16/07 at 9:36pm

You can get the DVD of the 1982 movie at the link below. While they (stupidly) decided to dramatize the epic climactic "Beau Willie Brown" monologue which undercuts Beverley's devastating (Tony-winning) performance of it, they do leave her "Without any further assistance or guidance from you......" monologue alone and let her deliver it solo straight into the camera with all the fiery passion she brought to it on stage.

For Colored Girls DVD

Updated On: 1/16/07 at 09:36 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/16/07 at 9:52pm

I love this show, but have NO idea how it would translate to a film.

Reenacting these monologues physically would (for me) kill it.

Kinda like adding all the men into "The Women."

[Sandy in Sable]

Posted: 1/17/07 at 1:55am

Thanks for the link Margo! I've bought a few dvds from the Broadway Archive collection (the Ovation network airs them from time to time).

[Sandy in Sable]

Posted: 3/6/08 at 9:53pm

Decided to revive an old thread...

Just read that Whoopi Goldberg and DreamTeam Entertainment Group are producing a revival of For Colored Girls...

Shirley Jo Finney is directing, Hinton Battle is choreographing.

Singer India.Arie has been cast as one of the seven ladies, which one specifically is tba.

The show is set to open in August.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 3/6/08 at 10:11pm

I had to read this play in college and I hated every second of it. I guess I just couldn't relate.

[roquat]

Posted: 3/6/08 at 11:52pm

This was one of the strongest theatrical experiences of my life when it was done at Baltimore's Center Stage (George Faison of THE WIZ directed and choreographed). It was cast older than usual, and the strength and humor of the middle-aged actresses was overwhelming. You could tell most of the audience (Baltimore is 75% Afro-American) had been through some variant of what those characters had gone through. There was a joyous communal feeling in the theatre during "Someone ran off with alla my stuff!" and "My love is too...to be thrown back in my face."

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 1:07am

I absolutely hate the way "Somebody ran off with all of my stuff" on the PBS tape.
This is such a powerful play, I really have no interest in seeing a film of it, it's so theatrical, I think. And like the PBS show I think they'll want to add the men into the story which I believe ruins the intent of the piece.

[Margaret Jerrold]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 9:07pm

There are talented individuals involved with For Colored Girls, but I think it's a dated play. It's time to move away from all the anger towards black men that the play emphasizes. True it does celebrate women's stories. As a woman, I appreciate that, but I am so tired of hearing about Bo Willie dropping that baby out the window. It's time to leave it alone. There has to be another way to dramatize male/female relationships.

[roquat]

Posted: 3/9/08 at 11:36pm

"Dated?" Has domestic violence gone away of its own accord?

The "woman in green" played Beau Willie Brown in the Center Stage production I saw, and I was never more terrified in my life.

[Sandy in Sable]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 1:49pm

A note from the EPA casting notice:

Please prepare a brief contemporary monologue in the style of the show. Monologues from the show (EXCEPT the “Beau Willie” monologue) are welcome.

[bwayboi4life42]

Posted: 3/11/08 at 9:55pm

I agree, ray-andallthatjazz86.

It will never be as powerful on screen as it is performed live.

[postergirl]

Posted: 3/12/08 at 12:42am

Seeing Trazana Beverly in this at the Public Theatre was truly a life changing experience I will never forget. At the end I was completely unable to leave my seat, and have never forgotten her in all the intervening years. It was so wonderful to see her at the 2006 Anniversary Tonys where all the available winners were photographed.