The NIU School of Theatre and Dance will present “for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf,” a work by Ntozake Shange. Directed by Roxanna Conner and Sarita Connelly, this production is an immersive experience with a story that’s painted by emotion, strength and self-discovery through vulnerability.
Debuting in 1976, this choreopoem – a series of poetic monologues paired with dance moves and music – has an influence that still resonates today with 49 years under its belt.
After speaking with two cast members, senior acting majors Sania Henry and Jaylin Turner, , one could understand the deep connection formed with Shange’s work by the way they spoke about the piece.
How Shange’s work speaks volumes through all
When asked whether or not the stories featured in the work struck a personal cord, Henry expressed how the performance reminded her of experiences of others she knew personally.
“I feel like I can find a piece of something from each story that I feel for or relate to,” Henry said. “Not necessarily things I’ve experienced myself, but other women in my family and I can recall things that they’ve gone through or they’ve told me about other women they grew up with that experienced these same things. It’s very easy to see people you know in them.”
By using interconnecting themes of love, abandonment, as well as sexual and physical violence throughout the appearance of each character – such as the Lady in Yellow who represents innocence had and innocence lost – Shange speaks through her characters to highlight the shared experience that women go through, all while expressing the characters’ personal stories.
What it means to represent
“For colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf” addresses powerful themes and controversial topics specifically on the way Black women are perceived by society. By shedding light on these uncomfortable but relatable topics, Shange also shows the resilience that comes about by experiencing these things.
This is also a deeply personal and significant experience for those bringing the show to life. For the cast, it’s a way for them to reflect on the strength in their voices, both on and off stage.
For Turner, this experience not only held weight due to the gravity that came with being a part of a predominantly Black and woman-of-color cast, but also personal significance as the synthesis to her senior year.
“This being our last show, like this opportunity to be in a cast like this, and to tell a story like this by ourselves, and we are telling the story through us, it’s just such a great experience. And I honestly think it’s the perfect senior capstone,” Turner said.
Opening at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the O’Connell Theatre in the Stevens Building, NIU students can get tickets for free at the School of Theatre and Dance’s website. Tickets are $20 for the general public, $18 for seniors and staff, and $12 for non-NIU students.
