‘For Colored Girls . . .’ Paired With ‘Word Becomes Flesh’ at Anacostic Playhouse

Theater Alliance  brings the #BlackLivesMatter slogan vividly alive at the Anacostia Playhouse with productions of the American theater classic, “for colored girls who have considered suicide when the rainbow is enuf,” by Ntozake Shange. It, in turn, inspired Marc Bamuthi Joseph’s “Word Becomes Flesh”.

The two productions will be performed in repertory Feb. 25 to March 26.

There are some resonant names involved in the two productions, not excluding Shange herself, who began life as Paulette Williams but changed her name to the Zulu words “Ntozake” — she who comes with her own things — and “Shange” — she who walks like a lion. 

Shange re-invented not only herself in terms of the resounding name change but also a new form — “colored girls” exists in the form of what she called a “choreopoem,” which integrates poetry, movement, music and dance.  Call it and her what you want, the play exists as a classic, inspiring several generations of African American and white audiences, and continues to do so. It’s a favorite in the American theater repertoire.

The production is directed by veteran Deidra Starnes, who directed “The Word” at the recent Hip Hop Festival and Mary Stone Hanley’s “Street Life” for the D.C. Theatre Festival. She also acted in a production of “colored girls” directed by Ntozake Shange herself.

The play will contain the same cast size as the original, which is seven, but will be using a version of the text that Shange updated in 2010, with references to HIV and Desert Storm. Sharisse Taylor, who starred in “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea” for Theater Alliance, heads a cast that includes Christa Bennett, Kashayna Johnson, Naomi LaVette, Allina Collins Maldonado, Lolita Marie and Natalie Graves Tucker.

“Colored girls …” will be in repertoire with “Word Becomes Flesh” by Marc Bamuthi Joseph. “Word” is directed by Psalmayene 24, an apt pairing with Joseph, both being hip hop pioneers.

Producing director Colin Hovde said, “These pieces are such a natural pairing. Bamuthi drew inspiration from Ntozake when first creating ‘Word Becomes Flesh,’ and the poetic form and ensemble-driven storytelling really complement one another.”

Theater Alliance first presented “Word Becomes Flesh” in 2013, in a touring production modified from an original solo production to a cast of five performers.  The production is choreographed by Tony Thomas, and includes Louis E. Davis and Justin Weaks, as well as Chris Lane, Clayton Pelham, Jr., and Gary L. Perkins III.  Nick tha 1da created original music for the piece.

“They’re such powerful pieces on their own, and we believe will be more powerful together,” Hovde said. “Though the shows present the experience of one gender, the other gender is always present and alluded to. Our hope is that presenting these pieces together will help to open up a conversation in the community about traditional gendered behavior and provide opportunities for audiences to really listen to the stories being told and find unexpected connections to the stories, and to one another.”