This week we completed our midterm exam which was an opportunity for you to stretch out and explore what your thoughts are on African American Theatre thus far. We read The Colored Museum by George C. Wolfe which is a meditation on the variosu representations of African American life by black playwrights and performers from slavery to the the contemporary moment. Written in 1985, the play presented a compelling cultural critique of many African American playwrights we have read to date, including Lorraine Hansberry,Charles Fuller, Amiri Baraka and Ntozake Shange. Wolfe critiques the work of these playwrights within a broader analysis of African American cultural production in the aftermath of slavery. As you blog about racial stereotypes in African American Theatre, consider how African American writers and performers manipulate these recognizable characters in both positive and negative ways. What social contradictions do you find? How do class and gender complicate the manipulation of these stereotypes?
Through-out the play The Colored Museum there are many African American stereotypes. Not only are they the stereotypes from African American culture, such as a basketball player (454) or a black woman who is nothing without her hair (460), but there are also stereotypes about African American theatre. For example, in the piece The Last Mama on the Couch Play, Wolfe confronts stereotypes from A Raisin in the Sun and For Colored Girls. The character Mama is based on Mama from Raisin and she is carrying an oversized bible to represent her Christianity that she imposes on the family. She is also very representative of the “mammy” figure that cares for the African American family (Lecture, Jan. 21). The character Walter-Lee-Beau-Willie represents Walter Younger from Raisin and Beau-Willie from For Colored Girls. He is a very angry, defiant character, which makes fun of the “Buck” stereotype (Lecture, Jan. 21). I believe the author used these characters to make fun of a “typical” African American play and its characters because this was the only thing being show onstage. The author is trying to tell the audience that there are more roles (onstage and in real life) for African Americans rather than Buck, Mammy, the tragic mulatto or even a basketball player.
ReplyDeleteIn the introduction to The Colored Museum Hatch and Shine include the following quote from George C. Wolfe: “Humility, I think, is tremendously overrated. Reality and racism are gonna try and humble you, so there’s absolutely no reason in the world for you to be humble” (463). After witnessing Wolfe’s intense critique of both cultural stereotypes in the African American community (for ex. the black woman who is nothing without her hair) and in African American theatre (for ex. the amalgamation of A Raisin the Sun and For Colored Girls through the character of Walter-Lee-Beau-Willie), it is clear that Wolfe is not humble OR afraid to directly confront the African American theatrical canon. As we discussed in class, many argue that black theatre is a theatre of protest (lecture 2/25); Wolfe undeniably answers this call for protest with his direct use of cultural and theatrical stereotypes. The use of the Narrator who breaks into applause, saying, “Just splendid. Shattering,” (463) after the black Mama figure and the victimized, broken-spirited black wife figure weep, scream or resort to violence can be read as Wolfe’s indictment of what mainstream theatre expects and praises in African American plays. It is impossible to ignore the harsh critique Wolfe holds toward black females both as playwrights, characters, and everyday women as echoed by Harry Elam when he writes: “Furthermore, this exhibit is inherently sexist” (301). However, Wolfe’s direct lampooning of female cultural and theatrical stereotypes through The Colored Museum can be read as an intertextual revision that forces the audience to confront these images with the goal of stopping the perpetuation of such limiting roles both onstage and on the street for black men and women.
ReplyDeleteThere are a number of stereotypes that are apparent in George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum. One of the stereotypes that come up in the scene The Hairpiece is the way an African American woman is supposed to look. She is trying to look whiter by adding color to her cheeks and straightening her hair. The wig Janine says, “Look at the poor thing, trying to paint some life onto that face of hers. You’d think she’d realize it’s the hair.” (Wolfe, 460). To which the second wig Lawanda responds, “What hair! She ain’t got no hair! She done fried, dyed, de-chemicalized her shit to death.” (Wolfe, 460). The wig Lawanda the straight hair wig says, “I am quality. She [Janine] is kink. I am exotic. She is common. I am class and she is trash.” (Wolfe, 461). This shows the stereotype that ‘white is better’ for African American women. That for some reason there is a stereotype associated with ‘kinky’ hair being common, trashy, and lower grade. Plus, there is the stereotype that African American women have more attitude and are not as warm to their men which is also within this piece. Janine says to wear her because “there is nothing like attitude and a healthy head of kinks to make his shit shrivel like it should.” (Wolfe, 461). She also states, “The kink of my head is like the kink of your heart and neither is about to be hot-pressed into surrender.” (Wolfe, 461).
ReplyDeleteAnother stereotype that is addressed in the show is that African Americans can only come to wealth through sports. Miss Pat states, “And with this little item here… (she removes a basketball from the overhead compartment)… you’ll become millionaires!” (Wolfe, 454). This is the only mention of wealth within the show. Although this is a way that a number of African American people have become wealthy there are many more that become wealthy through business, art, and music. This reminds me of a story of a tall African American man who said that people just assume that he plays basketball and ask him about his basketball career. They just assume because of his race and height that was what he did, when in all reality he’d never played a game of basketball in his life.
Stereotypes are ever present within The Colored Museum, and more importantly it portrays a lineage of Black history from slavery to 1988 when its conception arrived to the world of dramatic arts.
ReplyDeleteThe signifying approach to the play is not only limited to the text. It adheres to and acknowledges the physical representations of Black culture. “ The Colored Museum is not limited to the dramatic text. Gestural and iconic symbols conveyed through the theatrical performance of the play are signifying on African-American cultural practices.”( Elam 292) It is through the gestures and expressions of the performers that it becomes relevant and comprehensive Black theatre.
At first viewing of the play a few years ago I was aggravated by the stereotypes and could not relate to it in its presentation of Black life, progressively. I perceived that the labels adhered were defeating and extreme. As I review the play with a formulated knowledge of African-American drama with precepts associated with drama in the sense of what is acceptable and why Black dramatist utilize the Theatre of the Absurd as an avenue to convey their thoughts and ides I am more open to the process and the message.
Stereotypes in America are the unfortunate underbelly of a racial divide that many people do not want to recognize is there. Both in plays and life we see stereotypes that can be positive and negative but more so negative when speaking of minority groups. Class and gender manipulate stereotypes in many ways for example if a black man is a doctor he would be treated differently than a black man who works at a Kwik Shop. Both class and gender decide how white America views a minority and the closer the minority is to whiteness the more accepted they are. Men seem to be given more respect in The United States because of the idea, which has been in existence forever, that men are better than woman therefore a stereotype that a minority may be considered who is also a woman makes it that much more difficult. Stereotypes hurt people because it takes away from the individual without them doing anything. In The Colored Museum we see many stereotypes addressed. The stereotype of all blacks in America came from slavery along with the idea that only sport (Basketball) can earn them income. The stereotypes addressed in the play are to be seen as serious but whites laugh them off as if they are a common joke. Many whites do this today thinking comments or thoughts are appropriate to say but in fact they are not.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed George Wolfe’s The Colored Museum very much. It reminded me of the satirical movies that have been popular in the last 10 years, such as Scary Movie, which poke fun at society, stereotypes and people in general. Wolfe takes stereotypes that have plagued the African-American community for centuries and writes about them in a humorous way that makes the audience re-examine what it is to be a part of or how to perceive that community. I think two of the most powerful exhibits in the play are the Git on Board and The Last Mama on the Couch Play. The first reminded me immediately of KU Film Professor Kevin Willmott’s mockumentary, Confederate States of America, about what it would have been like if the South would have won the Civil War. In the film, there is a infomercial, but instead of selling kitchen appliances or whatnot, they are selling slaves. They say you can get a discount for buying the entire family! Though it is funny, just like Wolfe’s play, there is a sad underlying truth to it. I appreciate Wolfe taking African-American stereotypes and poking fun at them; basically stating to people (the audience) that “this is what you think we are because this is how we have been portrayed, but we are SO much more than just this.”
ReplyDeleteIn order for one to reprimand or admonish one another the course of action could be up front and personal. Or it could be a comical yet revealing attempt to point out discrepancies of your position on what you feel. Wolfe’s play blatantly does so in a rather very comical and revealing way. “His play celebrates the realization that the outdated cultural patterns from the past must be broken and yet the past can be forgotten or forsaken (302).” Wolfe’s play tears down the edification of traditional patterns and almost religious like characters and themes. Wolfe wanted an escape from the non-reality of black culture that was portrayed and brought color to it. Using the word colored already has its ideological ties to African Americans. Wolfe, probably upset and irritated may have thought that we have progressed from Negro to colored? Wolfe wanted to portray African Americans as a whole so it cannot be generalized by other playwrights. I believe that Wolfe knew and understood there was too much missing from the playwrights. Honestly I think he was thinking beyond his works and those before him. He may have looked at Negro and colored as relatives within the mutually bland view or description of African Americans. Therefore he may have wanted black artistry to go into a new platform and not repeat itself over the years, as you see today black playwright history does repeat itself. However in doing so Wolfe may have indeed created a new platform for people like the Wayans brothers and the show in-living color that mimic his work.
ReplyDeleteI feel the stereotype of the African-American is best given in the piece from Colored Museum called “Cookin’ with Aunt Ethel” as she seems to show the audience a very brief, joking presentation of African-American history in a form of a song and recipe. “First ya add a pinch of style/ and then a dash of flair./ Now ya stir in some preoccupation/with the texture of your hair…” (456). Her whole speech continues on adding in different ideas such as suffering, and slavery, ending with the display of several black dolls to represent the African American community. This whole piece being a recipe on how one can cook a negro, and just what goes behind the idea of being African-American.
ReplyDeleteThe Aunt Ethel character does all of this recipe while portraying the stereotype of the Mammy figure that has been used in movies and other entertainment sources to show the more servant-like, jovial black figure that is non-threatening to the whites as she is a caretaker and storyteller that is seen as friendly as she smiles throughout her singing and cooking. This recipe/story is quite dark when looking through the piece as it drags in the stereotypes and the history of slavery and suffering, and so when presented in song by a non-threatening stereotype only serves to show how the image of African-Americans have been molded into those that are servants, or objects like the dolls to be made and devoured (used) by those in higher authority to them.
Throughout the play I noticed that there were several “black” stereotypes George C. Wolfe used in Colored Museum. The one that really caught my attention was the reference to the black basketball players as she states, ”you will all be millionaires!” Now obviously basketball is one of the most popular sports in our African American culture and I understand why Wolfe used this stereotype in his play. For the people who are not familiar with the African American culture may stereotype black people to only be interested in sports and nothing else. Secondly when Wolfe writes a woman is nothing without her hair (460), this really confused me. Though black woman are judged and stereotyped by their hair, the question is how credible is this stereotype? Black woman who choose to have their hair look more natural without a perm typically are associated with a lower class. This Is unbelievable I do not think it is possible to associate one hair with their socioeconomic status. For example, Lauryn Hill and Erika Badu are two successful black woman and wear the hair naturally. And there are woman who may not make as much money and choose to have there hair straight. As we discussed on class (03/04/09), the people who are not familiar with the African American culture need to understand that hair does not associate you with one class or another
ReplyDeleteIn George C. Wolfe’s, The Colored Museum, there are many examples of racial stereotypes in the form of comedy. The play uses various forms of parody to exemplify this comedy. As we learned in lecture, parody is a “literary of musical work in which the style of the author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule” (NHP Lecture 3/4/10). The parody in the play starts off from the very beginning. In the first vignette Wolf writes, “We will be crossing the Atlantic at an altitude that’s pretty high, so you must wear your shackles at all times” (454). This is poking fun at the stereotype of blacks during the time of slavery; the shackles implying that the airplane is violent, a typical stereotype. Another example is in the vignette, The Gospel According to Miss Roj, which states “God gave him an extra thick piece of sausage. You know the kind who beat up their wives for breakfast” (459). This is another common stereotype of African American men, that they are violent towards their wives or girlfriends. It suggests that the men enjoy this act of violence, as breakfast is the most important meal in a day. Both of these stereotypes in the first couple vignettes depict black men as the animalistic and sexual deviant in society. Wolfe uses her comedy/parody in The Colored Museum to show these social problems that are happening around us at the time in 1985 when it was written, and still to this day. The comedy is more comfortable to read/watch on stage, but the problems of these stereotypes are still consistent in today’s society.
ReplyDelete“The Colored Museum” explores the changing stereotypes and concepts associated with race; from the introduction of slavery, to the 1980s when concepts and portrayals of “blackness” had been at the forefront of art and discussion for decades - continuously altering and adapting throughout that time. The play was really entertaining and I was fascinated by Wolfe’s clever use of satiric humour. As we discussed in class, Wolfe used comedy to discuss political issues (Lecture 03/04/2010), and the serious undertones of each scene is evident behind the humour; for example the horrific reality of slave ships that lies behind the “Git on Board” exhibit. The element of the play that I found really interesting was the way in which Wolfe parodied prominent plays from various stages in black history. “The Last Mamma-on-the-Couch Play” for example, parodies A Raisin in the Sun. The Narrator mocks the way the play was viewed by audiences of the time by describing it as “a searing domestic drama that tears at the very fabric of racist America” (461), and then undermines this portrayal by accentuating the obvious racial stereotype within – i.e. the Mama figure with her “oversized Bible” (461). Although undeniably funny, it also emphasised the fact whilst some praise the power and influence of these plays, they also continued to create more stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteGeorge C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum, was a great play to show the stereotypes in the Black community. I feel as though he was not doing it in a negative light but more as in showing others how the Black community comes off to everyone else. He kinds of tells the story in a timeline, starting with the Git on Board scene. He is making the middle passage like a plane ride so people can see how this journey starting for Blacks in America. He even makes the comment about the basketball helping blacks be millionaires (454), which is funny to me because comedian Katt Williams made this same statement saying that we learned the skill of dribbling a ball from picking cotton. The only part of this play that I felt was a little out of place was the act The Last-Mama¬¬-on- the-couch play. He is using characters from the play Raisin in the Sun and The Colored Girls. I feel as though maybe he is saying these characters do exist or he is making fun of the way those playwrights portrayed them. I still feel as though this play showed the good and the bad of the black community and the things that need to be worked on within our race.
ReplyDeleteIn George C. Wolfe’s play The Colored Museum, I felt he put out a bunch of stereotypes that are directed a black people in different walks of life but they do occur nearly every day amongst people. Wolfe showed how blacks are viewed in our society, and how they are depicted on films a lot of the time. I’m an athlete, so the part that I noticed, and appreciate him putting in the play was the part about the basketball player, because it is still really relevant in our society today. A wide variety of people feel that athletes have it easy and are handed the world because they can shoot a ball, or catch or run. I witness this kind of judgment every time I went to school growing up and even today. People told me all the time that I have it easy and I’m using football as a way to cheat the system in a way; because they sincerely believe that going pro in sports people in the sense that they go make millions of dollars not being the most studious, hard working, smart or talented person in society but can play a sport well. Having that in this plays meant a lot to me because certain individuals think that way and don’t even realize it, and it’s important to me because I know it’s directed at black athletes especially. Don’t get me wrong, some cases it may happen a guy got by because of a gift to perform well in a particular sport but that’s not all gifted athletes. Its hard work and all athletes shouldn’t be judged like that just because they’re blessed with a gift to be athletic and great at it.
ReplyDeleteAfrican American theater in its origin came about as a means to perform the own cultural experiences of African Americans, rather than playing roles of other cultures, intended for audiences of different cultural backgrounds. Such performances should then include issues of the African American community that most certainly would include racism and intra-racism as it is depicted through means such as stereotypes. Stereotypes as we know them almost always vastly misrepresent the target group. However, such stereotypes are often rooted in simply matters of fact. Take for instance the stereotype of all young African American males being good at basketball, or at least play it. While this may be a racist stereotype, consider the situation. Many inner city school systems, such as the one I am familiar with in Chicago do not have great resources. The in class resources such as textbooks and teacher quality making pursuing a higher education more challenging that for the average student. Cities are often very densely populated. There may not be places for the school to build a nice baseball field, or tennis courts; however every school has a gym for physical education, meaning a basketball court. The stage, as it does for all cultures, allows a forum for social critique that otherwise might be inappropriate to voice in other mediums. Stereotypes can be pointed out in an attempt to mock, or remove them from societal acceptance, or stereotyped roles can be filled perfectly in an attempt to build a relationship with the audience, as we all do know that one person who fits a stereotype perfectly. Stereotypes are an important reflection of issues within a society and their portrayal through theater is even more crucial as although the depictions may be positive or negative, they still emotions to generate much needed thought on the subject being depicted.
ReplyDeleteWithin the play “Colored Museum” Wolfe shows a black man who is fighting to forget his past in the skit “Symbiosis.” In the play the Man is throwing out all things of black culture that remind him of his past, while his past who is represented by his younger self, the kid, tries to make him save the different items. This is where I saw “colored contradictions” in the play. The man said “The climate is changing, Kid, and either you adjust or you end up extinct. A sociological dinosaur,” ( Hatch and Shine 465). This quote shows how the man chooses to conform with society and impress the white man, rather than joining the other blacks who want to expoit the goodness of black people. The kid who is contradictory to the man states, “And regardless of how much of your past that you trash, I ain’t goin’ no damn where. Is that clear,” (Hatch and Shine 167). In a broader sense, the Kid wants to explain to the Man, that no matter how much he changes, he cannot deny his black past. Wolfe does not just focus on the stereotypical likes of black people such as popular music, but it shows the group of blacks who were not for the Black Power Movement. Some believed blacks were being rebellious during this time period, and the Man represented those people.
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