Brandeis Ensemble Theater and Brandeis Players organized a coffeehouse performance in Chum’s this Monday to create anticipation for their upcoming joint presentation of Ntozake Shange’s acclaimed play “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf.” Hosted by co-producers Carly Chermonorets ’16 and Khadijah Lynch ’16, the event featured a series of performances by Brandeis students and groups, as well as a short preview scene performed by the play’s main cast. After a short introduction from Chermonorets, the night opened with a reading by the play’s director, Ra Malika Imhotep ’15. Imhotep read two pieces, one of original prose and another a collection of excerpts by Zora Neale Hurston, cited as a personal “literary mother” by Imhotep. Each piece was very personal and moving and fit with the play’s theme of identity and women of color’s experiences with racism and sexism.
Following Imhotep was Reno Kersey ’17, who performed an original song, as well as one by George Michael. Kersey, with his bright-red turtleneck and acoustic guitar, was an interesting choice to follow Imhotep, but he was nevertheless very entertaining and fun. Next came Nyah Macklin ’16, who beautifully performed three songs a cappella, including a rendition of Nina Simone’s “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair” that caused the entire, packed venue to go quiet for a few seconds before erupting with applause. False Advertising joked that they would never be able to follow Macklin before performing a set of sometimes surreal, but usually funny improv comedy themed around cookies. Anna Chmiel ’15 went up next, performing 15 minutes of raunchy and very funny standup comedy that elicited much laughter, even though some of it was nervous.
After Macklin and Kersey retook the stage as part of the ever-cheery Company B, it was time for the cast preview performance, which was by far the highlight of the event. They performed “My love is too,” one of the play’s set of choreographed poems, this one specifically relating to the acceptance of love by the characters. Each character, unnamed except by their dress color, recited how their love was too “delicate/beautiful/sanctified/magic/saturday nite/complicated/music to have thrown back in my face” before joining in a chant. The audience and I were all enchanted by the passion and power in the performance. It was especially important in light of last semester’s on-campus contributions to the “Black Lives Matter” movement which drew attention to issues that many students felt were unrepresented. When the applause finally died down, the stage was occupied by Rather Be Giraffes. Lynch took the stage early to fit a schedule change, and performed three original poems, all having to do with gender, race and sexual identity as a woman of color in a world where the odds are often stacked against her. The performance drew loud cries, snaps and claps of appreciation and was very intense at parts, with Lynch’s searing prose challenging her listeners’ conceptions. The evening closed with a cappella from Voices of Soul and Proscenium, and overall was a very fun experience. Tickets are on sale now for Brandeis’ performance of “for colored girls who considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf,” and will be performed March 5 and 8 in the SCC theater.
