"What About Black Womyn?" a two-act play by James Chapman, will kick off Delta Sigma Theta sorority's 10th anniversary celebration Sunday, Oct. 16.
The play is a sequel to Chapman's "Our Young Black Men Are Dying and Nobody Seems to Care," which was performed at the College in 1991 by the same acting company, Living The Dream, Inc.
"What About Black Womyn?" is a dark comedy about three HIV positive black women: a transvestite named Billie; Ruth, a young crack addict; and Naomi, a middle-aged widow. At its start, they discuss their disappointment in their men and their lives: Naomi recounts her tortured marriage to a gay man, Billie recalls her wedding day, and Ruth, raised by white foster parents, grapples with issues of racial identity.
Ultimately the play is about coming to terms with illness and finding peace of mind, and as Billie puts it, "about womanhood: those who have it naturally and those who want it desperately." The second act brings into focus the tragedy of HIV: just as it helps people really begin appreciating life, it slowly drains life from them.
Lischa Barrett '95, who coordinated the project, said, "This sequel will address issues minorities are faced with while addressing relations between black men and women. It will be not only educational but entertaining."
Barrett believes these issues are important in raising the campus' consciousness. "It is important to address [the AIDS crisis] on a serious level in an entertaining way -- to drive home the point about how AIDS is affecting communities."
Living The Dream, Inc. is a non-profit acting company based in Columbus, Ohio. They perform free shows at prisons and children's centers throughout the country. The project was Funded by the Programming Board, the African American Society on campus, the Tucker Foundation, the Women's Resource Center, and the Dean of Students as of this printing.
The show will be performed in Collis Common Ground at 4 p.m. Sunday and will be free for students with I.D. Afterwards, a reception will be held in Cutter-Shabazz Hall at 7:30 p.m., featuring an informal discussion with the cast.
