Great Shows That Deal With Racial Injustice

[Hot Pants]

Posted: 6/12/20 at 10:56am

Sorry, if theres already been a forum for this, but given the current state of things in America, I figured a good topic would be talking about shows that are linked to this particular topic.

A pick of mine would be Ragtime. A great show dealing with prejudice that offers many different perspectives on the issue.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 6/13/20 at 7:57pm

Ragtime or any August Wilson play

[Roteach]

Posted: 6/13/20 at 9:08pm

Hot Pants said: "Sorry, if theres already been a forum for this, but given the current state of things in America, I figured a good topic would be talking about shows that are linked to this particular topic.

A pick of mine would be Ragtime. A great show dealing with prejudice that offers many different perspectives on the issue."

The show that comes to mind for me is A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and it's musical spin off Raisin.

[mcsquared]

Posted: 6/13/20 at 9:53pm

Hairspray and Scottsboro Boys

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/13/20 at 9:53pm

I loved The Scottsboro Boys.

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 6/13/20 at 9:54pm

DESSA ROSE

MARIE CHRISTINE

THE COLOR PURPLE

and especially SLAVE PLAY

Updated On: 6/13/20 at 09:54 PM

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/14/20 at 2:47pm

To Kill a Mockingbird

The Great While Hope

The Scottsboro Boys

A Raisin in the Sun

Ragtime

Showboat

This may be semantics, but I did not think of Slave Play, which I think is as great a play as I have seen at least in the past decade.  I saw it as being about the fallout from social injustice.  If that is the same thing, then add it to the list.

Purlie

 

[GiantsInTheSky2]

Posted: 6/14/20 at 3:01pm

What about Shuffle Along?

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 6/14/20 at 5:41pm

1985’s GRIND

[AADA81]

Posted: 6/14/20 at 11:01pm

The Member of the Wedding - not directly but noticeably

No Strings

The River Niger

Raisin (musical)

Fences

Caroline, or Change 

Gem of the Ocean

Radio Golf

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/14/20 at 11:08pm

The greatest American play ever written about racism is M. BUTTERFLY. Full stop.

I know we are all thinking about white on black racism right now and August Wilson is and always will be a giant of the American theater. If you can attend one of Wilson's plays without being both enlightened and moved, you are in a coma.

But Hwang really gets at the essence of racism, gender and sexism! I thought my head might explode the first time I saw it because the play was rapidly rearranging sections of my brain!

[Jarethan]

Posted: 6/15/20 at 1:47pm

GavestonPS said: "The greatest American play ever written about racism is M. BUTTERFLY. Full stop.

I know we are all thinking about white on black racism right now and August Wilson is and always will be a giant of the American theater. If you can attend one of Wilson's plays without being both enlightened and moved, you are in a coma.

But Hwang really gets at the essence of racism, gender and sexism!I thought my head might explode the first time I saw it because the play was rapidly rearranging sections of my brain!"

I see your point, and it is valid.  I wish, however, it was better than it is.  I have only seen the play twice, original run and revival, and did not like either one.  The first time I didn't like it, I attributed it to John Lithgow's performance.  I normally really like him, but I thought he overacted to the point of distraction.   The revival was a mediocre production, which did nothing to alter my opinion of the play itself.  

I remember being impressed with the original production itself and BD Wong, but not the play.

To BrodyFosse123, I have to tell you that you are half right IMO: Grind deals with social injustice, but it was a rotten show.  Two good things: the set and Stubby Kaye.  Even the woman who won featured actress only won because it was a torn year for musicals,,,they even eliminated lead performances in a musical that year.

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 6/15/20 at 2:06pm

Sweat by Lynn Nottage

[KJ4]

Posted: 6/15/20 at 2:41pm

american son

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/15/20 at 5:53pm

Jarethan said: "I see your point, and it is valid. I wish, however, [M. BUTTERFLY] was better than it is. I have only seen the play twice, original run and revival, and did not like either one. The first time I didn't like it, I attributed it to John Lithgow's performance. I normally really like him, but I thought he overacted to the point of distraction. The revival was a mediocre production, which did nothing to alter my opinion of the play itself...."

I saw the original production twice, with Lithgow and with John Rubinstein. The latter was fine, but I think Lithgow's performance is the single greatest I've ever seen by a male actor in a non-musical tragedy. (His earlier performance in BEYOND THERAPY is one of the greatest comic turns I've ever seen by an actor.)

I also taught the play twice a year for nearly 15 years. It was still all too relevant when Bush and Cheney invaded Iraq after 9/11.

So agree to disagree, I guess. LOL.

[ggersten]

Posted: 6/15/20 at 7:07pm

Pass Over by Nwandu Antoinette

Twilight (but also Fires in the Mirror) by Anna Deveare Smith

South Pacific (?) - 

Sleep Deprivation Chamber by Adrienne Kennedy and Adam Kennedy

 

 

 

[StephieElise]

Posted: 6/16/20 at 2:39am

Memphis
The Sapphires

[Pauly3]

Posted: 6/16/20 at 1:36pm

There is much disagreement it was great, but Allegiance dealt with racial injustice that isn't well known from a very significant period of American history.

[Steve C.]

Posted: 6/16/20 at 1:47pm

Finian's Rainbow....

[theatreguy12]

Posted: 6/16/20 at 11:13pm

I would have to agree with The Scottsboro Boys.   That musical just tore me up inside.    

I remember people being against it for certain reasons and critiqued it as such, but I found its manner of presentation to be an extremely effective way of showing what those times really were about, and how distorted and flat out wrong peoples racist belief systems really were when it came to that time period and how horrifically black people were treated.

In fact, I remember having dinner with friends and they felt pretty uncomfortable by such a depiction using the minstrel approach.

But I felt it was an effective way of showing how truly despicable the racist thought process was.   And how unjust these young men were treated.  Did I see how they could see the controversy in it?  Sure.  I even remember Whoopi talking about it and how while she could see the controversy, she praised the way the show was done.  It had the same impact on me.

And at the end, the story left me feeling true sadness for these young men.  And anger about how they were treated.  I felt the minstrel approach was a huge exclamation point to that fact. 

[dented146]

Posted: 6/17/20 at 1:28am

I agree, South Pacific certainly is about prejudice. The story touches on racial injustice in the Nellie's initial behavior.

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 6/17/20 at 5:30am

ggersten said: "Pass Over by Nwandu Antoinette

Twilight (but also Fires in the Mirror) by Anna Deveare Smith

South Pacific (?) -

Sleep Deprivation Chamber by Adrienne Kennedy and Adam Kennedy





"

Pass Over started off great but veered into unearned and unjustified ridiculousness halfway through.