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For colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf

Soulpepper's vital production moves audiences through music, poetry and dance

Presented by Soulpepper Theatre
Written by Ntozake Shange
Directed by Djanet Sears

for colored girls... ensemble, photo: Cylla von Tiedemann.

Words have the power to heal in for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, a vibrant new production of Ntozake Shange's award-winning play, now on stage at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Written in 1976, for coloured girls was only the second play by a black woman playwright to be produced on Broadway (the first was A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry). After more than 40 years, the story's message remains intensely fresh.

Featuring a talented seven-member cast, including Tamara Brown, Karen Glave, Ordena Stephens-Thompson, d'bi.young anitafrika, Akosua Amo-Adem, SATE and Evangelia Kambites, Shange's play weaves together stories of heartbreak, violence, love, longing and ultimately, self acceptance, in a cathartic performance that opens our hearts to the experiences of African American women from many different walks of life. Astrid Janson's brightly coloured costumes stand out brilliantly against a softly lit set. The women make great use of the space, standing, sitting, stomping in unison, dancing and walking up and down a flowing runway in the centre of the stage. It's simply a striking production.

Despite dealing with some very dark topics, the narrative reflects on moments of joy throughout, and leaves us to meditate on Shange's poignant mantra: "i found god in myself / & i loved her / I loved her fiercely."

Don't miss this limited engagement. For colored girls runs until May 31, 2017 at the Young Centre. Visit soulpepper.ca for more information and to buy tickets.

Show Dates: 
Thu, 2017-05-11 - Wed, 2017-05-31
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