iTheatre of the Absurd

African-American playwright parodies the black experience

Comments (0) By Jay Bennett Thursday, Jan 31 2008

To his credit, when George C. Wolfe wrote The Colored Museum in 1986, the Tony Award-winning playwright created a timeless satire about the struggles of black Americans. To society’s discredit, plays like Wolfe’s still need to be staged a full generation later as we try to shatter black stereotypes.

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“When you hear someone making certain comments about Obama, you realize this play doesn’t need updating. It’s just as relevant today as it was in its groundbreaking debut,” says Christopher Haines, artistic director of iTheatre Collaborative.

It all sounds pretty serious, but Haines promises that the 11 short plays-within-a-play, or “exhibits,” are very funny as they send up elements of black culture. Of course, between the laughs in Emmy-winning director Charles St. Clair’s interpretation, there’s enough pain in the black experience to go around as the production’s seven actors, each of whom plays multiple roles, help carry their characters’ baggage as they find their place in a white nation.

Fri., Jan. 18, 8 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 19, 8 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 20, 2 p.m.; Thu., Jan. 24, 8 p.m.; Fri., Jan. 25, 8 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 26, 8 p.m.; Sun., Jan. 27, 2 p.m.; Fri., Feb. 1, 8 p.m.; Sat., Feb. 2, 8 p.m., 2008