http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,881326,00.html
" In dignified and quiet language, two thousand Negro women of the Phyllis Wheatley Y. W. C. A. protested against a proposal to erect at the Capitol a statue to "The Black Mammy of the South." A spokesman carried the resolution to Vice President Coolidge and Speaker Gillette and begged them to use their influence against "the reminder that we come from a race of slaves."
This, of course, will rebuke forever the sentimentalists who thought they were doing honor to a character whom they loved. They desired to immortalize a person famous in song and legend. But that person's educated granddaughters snuffed out the impulse by showing that they are ashamed of her."
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,881326,00.html#ixzz17BEnE7tR
- "dignified and quiet language"
- "the reminder that we come from a race of slaves"
- "thought they were doing honor"
- "immortalize a 'person'"
- "they are ashamed of her"
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Auditions
We just had auditions today and yesterday. We already have to have a second round of auditions, seeing as how only 5 people showed up. I am trying my best to stay positive, but having a hard time doing so. At the end of the day, I don't really know where black actors in the area are, so I don't know where (or how) to advertise. It's also finals time. And on top of it all, I'm not even done with the script. Grr...
Friday, October 15, 2010
Topsy Revisited- Chorus Member #1
"Sometimes I feel like a Topsy."
What?
"Or maybe I shouldn't say that. Maybe that's fucked up."
You're darn right it is. If the white girl in my Smith class hadn't caught herself, I might have had to slap her. We were discussing Rush Hour, and why characters like the one Chris Tucker played aren't seen as controversial. The point that the girl was trying to make before her slip-up was that Topsy-like characters are seen as fun-loving, comedic roles. These free-spirited clowns are appealing because they allow the actor to connect with a part of themselves that the role of the "stoic hero" might not. Okay, understandable. But the character of Topsy has a very complicated history that she seemed to have ignored. '
Topsy is a black character from Harriet Beecher Stowe's (in)famous novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Although I haven't read the novel, I have read a play adaptation by George Aiken. In the play, is the antithesis to young Eva. While Eva is pious and angelic, Topsy is a monstrosity that lies, steals and causes general mischeif. Eva evokes love and sympathy from the other characters; Topsy is treated with caution and at best, barely tolerated. She has lines like "I's so wicked" and says that she "Never was born". In many ways, Topsy represents America's perception of all young black children. She is just another pickaninny, devilish and disposable.
Robert Alexander does a very interesting interpretation of Uncle Tom's Cabin called "I Ain't Yo Uncle!" In his play, he has the black characters of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" put Harriet Beecher Stowe on trial for portraying them so inaccurately. He gives depth to his characters, and the Topsy character is no exception. In the play, she is a brash, unforgiving character who raps about her "wickedness." By the end of the play, and the trial, the Topsy character comes out dressed in "hip hop clothes", holding a boombox and violently rapping. Uncle Tom ends the play by asking the audience, "Any volunteers to take Topsy? Y'all think she come from nowhere? Do 'ya spect she just growed?"
I don't know if Topsy is a mischievous trickster, or an example of angry black youth. Either way, there is a lot more going on with this character than just a clown.
What?
"Or maybe I shouldn't say that. Maybe that's fucked up."
You're darn right it is. If the white girl in my Smith class hadn't caught herself, I might have had to slap her. We were discussing Rush Hour, and why characters like the one Chris Tucker played aren't seen as controversial. The point that the girl was trying to make before her slip-up was that Topsy-like characters are seen as fun-loving, comedic roles. These free-spirited clowns are appealing because they allow the actor to connect with a part of themselves that the role of the "stoic hero" might not. Okay, understandable. But the character of Topsy has a very complicated history that she seemed to have ignored. '
Topsy is a black character from Harriet Beecher Stowe's (in)famous novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Although I haven't read the novel, I have read a play adaptation by George Aiken. In the play, is the antithesis to young Eva. While Eva is pious and angelic, Topsy is a monstrosity that lies, steals and causes general mischeif. Eva evokes love and sympathy from the other characters; Topsy is treated with caution and at best, barely tolerated. She has lines like "I's so wicked" and says that she "Never was born". In many ways, Topsy represents America's perception of all young black children. She is just another pickaninny, devilish and disposable.
Robert Alexander does a very interesting interpretation of Uncle Tom's Cabin called "I Ain't Yo Uncle!" In his play, he has the black characters of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" put Harriet Beecher Stowe on trial for portraying them so inaccurately. He gives depth to his characters, and the Topsy character is no exception. In the play, she is a brash, unforgiving character who raps about her "wickedness." By the end of the play, and the trial, the Topsy character comes out dressed in "hip hop clothes", holding a boombox and violently rapping. Uncle Tom ends the play by asking the audience, "Any volunteers to take Topsy? Y'all think she come from nowhere? Do 'ya spect she just growed?"
I don't know if Topsy is a mischievous trickster, or an example of angry black youth. Either way, there is a lot more going on with this character than just a clown.
Placing myself in my work- What does "Sexual liberation" mean to me?
Lately, I have been telling people that I study black female sexual autonomy. To be completely honest, I am not completely sure what this means. I understadn the individual meaning of each of these words, but I think in order to fully grasp what this means as a whole in regards to my work, I need to place myself in the context of my studies.
So. It is not easy for me to talk about my concept of my own sexual autonomy, because in many ways, I feel like I have yet to gain it. When I was nine, I was raped by an older cousin. This is something I am still coming to terms with, mostly because I cannot fully remember it. My lapse in memory has been frustrating, and I believed that the sexual assault was a fabricated memory until my last year of high school because there were pieces of the memory missing. However, this act has completely affected the way that I understand myself as a sexual being.
My cousin was not the only person to take advantage of me sexually in my life, but he was the first, which means that for a very long time I assumed that sex was something that was supposed to be taken from me. I also believed that pleasure and sex were not linked.
In high school and most of college, I was afraid of being intimate with anyone. I didn't want to get close to anyone because I was afraid of being hurt. I successfully created a non-sexual character for myself. In high school, this character even had a name- Mama Damo. But at the end of the day, I was still a sexual being. So I tried to spark romances with people that I was attracted to. However, the people that I tried to pursue didn't see me "like that." Instead, they interpreted our intimacy as a mother-child type of relationship. And being the nurturing type of person that I am, I would accept these relationships, so long as I could stay close to these people.
I also realize that my hesitancy in starting relationships, especially in high school, have to do with me coming to terms with my sexuality. I came out as bisexual my freshman year of high school. But as much as my family loves me, I did not officially come out to them. My mother and aunt came across my internet blog, in which I stated that I was bisexual. They were upset, and I tried to avoid any more confrontation about it by not dating, or keeping quiet about my sexual interests. In that way, I was able to be "in the closet" while still being "out." My family asked no questions about dating or boyfriends, and I offered no answers.
I started feeling, and still do feel, stifled. My division three is an expression of my frustration with my current sexual state. It is me reclaiming my ability to be sexual, and expressing the want to be sexual. It is also a way for me to acknowledge my sexuality, and accepting that the "mammy" character can be "queered."
Whew. That was hard. :/
So. It is not easy for me to talk about my concept of my own sexual autonomy, because in many ways, I feel like I have yet to gain it. When I was nine, I was raped by an older cousin. This is something I am still coming to terms with, mostly because I cannot fully remember it. My lapse in memory has been frustrating, and I believed that the sexual assault was a fabricated memory until my last year of high school because there were pieces of the memory missing. However, this act has completely affected the way that I understand myself as a sexual being.
My cousin was not the only person to take advantage of me sexually in my life, but he was the first, which means that for a very long time I assumed that sex was something that was supposed to be taken from me. I also believed that pleasure and sex were not linked.
In high school and most of college, I was afraid of being intimate with anyone. I didn't want to get close to anyone because I was afraid of being hurt. I successfully created a non-sexual character for myself. In high school, this character even had a name- Mama Damo. But at the end of the day, I was still a sexual being. So I tried to spark romances with people that I was attracted to. However, the people that I tried to pursue didn't see me "like that." Instead, they interpreted our intimacy as a mother-child type of relationship. And being the nurturing type of person that I am, I would accept these relationships, so long as I could stay close to these people.
I also realize that my hesitancy in starting relationships, especially in high school, have to do with me coming to terms with my sexuality. I came out as bisexual my freshman year of high school. But as much as my family loves me, I did not officially come out to them. My mother and aunt came across my internet blog, in which I stated that I was bisexual. They were upset, and I tried to avoid any more confrontation about it by not dating, or keeping quiet about my sexual interests. In that way, I was able to be "in the closet" while still being "out." My family asked no questions about dating or boyfriends, and I offered no answers.
I started feeling, and still do feel, stifled. My division three is an expression of my frustration with my current sexual state. It is me reclaiming my ability to be sexual, and expressing the want to be sexual. It is also a way for me to acknowledge my sexuality, and accepting that the "mammy" character can be "queered."
Whew. That was hard. :/
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Chorus freewrite
Chorus
skin so smooth
hair so soft
ass so big
pussy so tight
skin so smooth
hair so soft
ass so big
pussy so tight
hair so soft
skin so black
pussy so tight
ass so smooth
skin so black
hair so big
skin so black
pussy so tight
breasts so warm
soft
smooth
big
breasts
give me
give me
you are mine
soft, so
smooth
tight
big
big
big
big
big.
i cant feel you
but i sure want to
touch you-
every
part
of
you
(belongs
to
me.)
mammy, let me suck on,
let me suck out
your self-
worth with my
lips
covering your
mouth
don't try to speak, or even
scream, your words are not
welcome here, in this place
where nobody knows your
name, just the outline of your
body (fingers feeling in the dark
of you, looking for pleasure, or
a place to crawl back into- who knows?)
don't try to move, you are stuck
feet glued to the floor beneath that
floor-length apron, hand chained
to the handle of that wooden broom.
skin so smooth
hair so soft
ass so big
pussy so tight
skin so smooth
hair so soft
ass so big
pussy so tight
hair so soft
skin so black
pussy so tight
ass so smooth
skin so black
hair so big
skin so black
pussy so tight
breasts so warm
soft
smooth
big
breasts
give me
give me
you are mine
soft, so
smooth
tight
big
big
big
big
big.
i cant feel you
but i sure want to
touch you-
every
part
of
you
(belongs
to
me.)
mammy, let me suck on,
let me suck out
your self-
worth with my
lips
covering your
mouth
don't try to speak, or even
scream, your words are not
welcome here, in this place
where nobody knows your
name, just the outline of your
body (fingers feeling in the dark
of you, looking for pleasure, or
a place to crawl back into- who knows?)
don't try to move, you are stuck
feet glued to the floor beneath that
floor-length apron, hand chained
to the handle of that wooden broom.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Sonya & Adanne
Here are two random scenes I have between Sonya & Adanne. They might not make their way into the play, but it shows what kind of relationship they have as friends. Also, they've been thinking a lot about what it means to be "sexually liberated", too. Check em out:
First Scene
SONYA. i cant believe that is still there.
ADANNE. leave it alone. my mom gave it to me,and im not gonna get rid of it. it's just a-
SONYA. statue, i know. you've said that before. and she's just a white woman, right?
ADANNE. ...what?
SONYA. the woman you're seeing. she's just a harmless white-
ADANNE. who said i was dating a white woman?
SONYA. honey, i am your closest of friends. and i happen to know that you only wear that cardigan when you're around whitey and you only wear that perfume when you are trying to get some booty. (slight pause) not to mention there was a long blonde hair in the bathroom-
ADANNE. snooping around/ my house?
SONYA. sink, and last time i checked, washing your hands isn't snooping, okay? so since all signs point to yes, i just wanna know... why didn't you tell me sooner?
ADANNE. i... didn't tell you...
SONYA. uh huh.
ADANNE. because..
SONYA. what? it can't be that bad. is the girl a distant relative of cousin it or something? spill it, girl.
ADANNE. .. i didn't wanna make it seem more serious than it is.
SONYA. what more serious?
ADANNE. we're not dating. (slight pause) we're just casually seeing each other.
SONYA. mm hmm, casually seeing each other naked.
ADANNE. sonya! seriously-
SONYA. i know you and your little venus in pisces self. i've seen all the other white biddies you've paraded through your life. i know the signs of you getting serious.. like the fact that your house is clean for once.. and there are fresh flowers on the table- wait, is she..?
ADANNE. what?
SONYA. she's coming over tonight, isn't she.
ADANNE. ..maybe.
SONYA. i knew it! well then, i guess i'm gonna have to stick around a little longer than i had thought
ADANNE. no, sonya, she's gonna be here pretty soon-
SONYA. good. hold up- she's not one of those hippy dippy white women who don 't shave and dont wear deodorant, right?
ADANNE. hey- i remember some black woman artist who decided that a razor was designed to oppress-
SONYA. yeah but my body hair doesn't grow that long-
ADANNE. and that deodorant was optional-
SONYA. okay, but i have since let that phase of my life go.
----
Second Scene
ADANNE. in this book you lent me, it says that if mamy were to be sexual, she would be the white mistresses worst nightmare. because of the white man's inherent attraction-
SONYA. or obsession-
ADANNE. right, mammy complx thing. because of that, the white woman would be threatened. but who is to say that if she was sexual, she would go for him?
SONYA. right. who ever asked if she wanted to be with him?
ADANNE. exactly! who decided that this mammy was straight? maybe mammy wants the mistress-
SONYA. id ont think that's exactly what i was trying to get at but-
ADANNE. or even better, the mistress wants her.
SONYA. why, cuz you got your own white woman you think every black woman is looking for one?
ADANNE. oh, please. that's not even what i said.
SONYA. but it's what you were implying. look- if mammy had a sex drive, there's no shame in her wanting some black dick.
ADANNE. tch-
SONYA. -or some black pussy.
ADANNE. of cours there's nothing wrong with it-
SONYA. but i think ultimately, she has to want herself. be able to look at herself int h miror and see her own self worth. that's why shes not sexual.t hats why she allows these white people to own her identity because-
ADANNE. yeah, but we're talking about a slave here. so
SONYA. no, we're talking about a fictional character. a woman who was made out of the wet dreams of white america.
(paus)
ADANNE. so do you think aunt jemima and uncle ben are knocking boots?
SONYA. what?
ADANNE. or do you think she'd be more into the guy on the cream of wheat box?
SONYA. (laughs) girl you are so crazy.... (playfully) but your aunt jemima is all up in mrs butterworth's bottle.
ADANNE. hey!
SONYA. all this talk about food is making me hungry. what you got in her to eat?
ADANNE. nothing. but- oh shit! claire's taking me to meet her parents.
SONYA. oh really? it's gotten that serious, huh?
ADANNE. well, her dad and his wife are in town and so
SONYA. his wife?
ADANNE. claire's mom walked off when she was pretty young.
First Scene
SONYA. i cant believe that is still there.
ADANNE. leave it alone. my mom gave it to me,and im not gonna get rid of it. it's just a-
SONYA. statue, i know. you've said that before. and she's just a white woman, right?
ADANNE. ...what?
SONYA. the woman you're seeing. she's just a harmless white-
ADANNE. who said i was dating a white woman?
SONYA. honey, i am your closest of friends. and i happen to know that you only wear that cardigan when you're around whitey and you only wear that perfume when you are trying to get some booty. (slight pause) not to mention there was a long blonde hair in the bathroom-
ADANNE. snooping around/ my house?
SONYA. sink, and last time i checked, washing your hands isn't snooping, okay? so since all signs point to yes, i just wanna know... why didn't you tell me sooner?
ADANNE. i... didn't tell you...
SONYA. uh huh.
ADANNE. because..
SONYA. what? it can't be that bad. is the girl a distant relative of cousin it or something? spill it, girl.
ADANNE. .. i didn't wanna make it seem more serious than it is.
SONYA. what more serious?
ADANNE. we're not dating. (slight pause) we're just casually seeing each other.
SONYA. mm hmm, casually seeing each other naked.
ADANNE. sonya! seriously-
SONYA. i know you and your little venus in pisces self. i've seen all the other white biddies you've paraded through your life. i know the signs of you getting serious.. like the fact that your house is clean for once.. and there are fresh flowers on the table- wait, is she..?
ADANNE. what?
SONYA. she's coming over tonight, isn't she.
ADANNE. ..maybe.
SONYA. i knew it! well then, i guess i'm gonna have to stick around a little longer than i had thought
ADANNE. no, sonya, she's gonna be here pretty soon-
SONYA. good. hold up- she's not one of those hippy dippy white women who don 't shave and dont wear deodorant, right?
ADANNE. hey- i remember some black woman artist who decided that a razor was designed to oppress-
SONYA. yeah but my body hair doesn't grow that long-
ADANNE. and that deodorant was optional-
SONYA. okay, but i have since let that phase of my life go.
----
Second Scene
ADANNE. in this book you lent me, it says that if mamy were to be sexual, she would be the white mistresses worst nightmare. because of the white man's inherent attraction-
SONYA. or obsession-
ADANNE. right, mammy complx thing. because of that, the white woman would be threatened. but who is to say that if she was sexual, she would go for him?
SONYA. right. who ever asked if she wanted to be with him?
ADANNE. exactly! who decided that this mammy was straight? maybe mammy wants the mistress-
SONYA. id ont think that's exactly what i was trying to get at but-
ADANNE. or even better, the mistress wants her.
SONYA. why, cuz you got your own white woman you think every black woman is looking for one?
ADANNE. oh, please. that's not even what i said.
SONYA. but it's what you were implying. look- if mammy had a sex drive, there's no shame in her wanting some black dick.
ADANNE. tch-
SONYA. -or some black pussy.
ADANNE. of cours there's nothing wrong with it-
SONYA. but i think ultimately, she has to want herself. be able to look at herself int h miror and see her own self worth. that's why shes not sexual.t hats why she allows these white people to own her identity because-
ADANNE. yeah, but we're talking about a slave here. so
SONYA. no, we're talking about a fictional character. a woman who was made out of the wet dreams of white america.
(paus)
ADANNE. so do you think aunt jemima and uncle ben are knocking boots?
SONYA. what?
ADANNE. or do you think she'd be more into the guy on the cream of wheat box?
SONYA. (laughs) girl you are so crazy.... (playfully) but your aunt jemima is all up in mrs butterworth's bottle.
ADANNE. hey!
SONYA. all this talk about food is making me hungry. what you got in her to eat?
ADANNE. nothing. but- oh shit! claire's taking me to meet her parents.
SONYA. oh really? it's gotten that serious, huh?
ADANNE. well, her dad and his wife are in town and so
SONYA. his wife?
ADANNE. claire's mom walked off when she was pretty young.
(Sexual) Liberation
Okayy... and now for the scary stuff.
Sexual liberation. Sexual... liberationn... damn. A big part of me feels like I got myself in a bit of a bind with my Div II/III title. The truth is, people, I have no idea what I originally meant by sexual liberation. I don't know what sexual liberation means. Am I talking about reconfiguring our concept of the Mammy as that of a sexual body? Am I talking about allowing Mammy enough agency to discover her own sexual journey? Am I saying that liberation is sexy? And why did I put sexual in parentheses (thinking about it now, probably because I didn't have an answer to the questions that I just posed, lol)?
Originally, I was going to create a minstrel show. In this minstrel show, the characters were going to "switch roles"- The "new negro" was going to go coon-ish over some watermelon, Uncle Tom was going to find his "Brute" strength, yella gal was gonna get pregnant, and mammy... she was going to become a sex-crazed, lingerie wearing hussy. Now, I can see you asking me, "Stokely- what's the point?" And I will tell you, reader, my original Div III idea was to create a minstrel show in which the caricatures (because at the end of the day, that's what they are) try to become characters through destroying their stereotypes. However, they get a little lost along the way, and end up becoming the anti-thesis of their current stereotype, leaving them stuck.
But I'm not going to do that anymore. So now, I am trying to figure out how to incorporate all of that juicy goodness into the play that I have right now. How does Adanne liberate herself (sexually or no) in the play? How does the Mammy statue? How do the other characters?
About a month ago, a friend of mine (hi Mai!) sent me a link to a video of a woman named Mollena Williams doing a burlesque performance for the Int'l Ms. Leather Fantasy Contest. Here is a video of the performance:
Now. As I told Mai, the only thing I could think of after seeing this performance was "hmmm..." I don't think I know how I feel about the performance yet, mostly because of my own feelings on bondage (but I won't get into that) but one thing is true- this performance makes you think.
Now. Kara Walker. Oh, come on, you knew I was going to bring her up eventually! It is a known fact that I absolutely hate Kara Walker. I think she uses shock just for shock's value. And I think the woman needs serious therapy. But all hate aside, I keep coming back to her work. She has had two exhibits that I keep coming back to. The first is "My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love." The second is "Narratives of a Negress." Walker portrays blacks like animals, like nightmares. In fact, many of them are seen in her artwork feeding their Ids: fucking each other, animals, themselves, shitting and killing each other, drawn with hugely distorted features- large noses, lips, butts. But- let me stop there. This post wasn't meant to be another rant about my dislike of Ms. Walker and her work. This post is about Sexual liberation.
And what are Kara Walker's characters, if not "sexual"? (And where does "love" fit into the equation? Or does it have to?) Is sex liberating for the black female body when it is on her terms? When it is for her enjoyment? If Mammy were to be sexual, would she be something (or someone) else?
My best friend also studies the ways that the black female body is sexualized, but from the "opposite" perspective. She studies how the black female body is oversexualized. But this isn't liberating, either. I have also been reading "Venus" by Suzan-Lori Parks, which is a play based on Saartjie Baartman, the famous Venus Hottentot. Her sexuality was what her captors used to enslave her. She was displayed in freak shows because of her "large buttocks and genitals." Which reminds me of a Kara Walker index card, in which she says: "I turn invisible when I turn sideways".
So, on the other hand, the black female body can lose its power when it is oversexualized.... ahhhh.
Where is the medium? Does one have to have sex in order to be sexually liberated??
Ah.. I give up for now. I tried to take a crack at it, but just talked myself in circles.. I've got way too much to think about.
Sexual liberation. Sexual... liberationn... damn. A big part of me feels like I got myself in a bit of a bind with my Div II/III title. The truth is, people, I have no idea what I originally meant by sexual liberation. I don't know what sexual liberation means. Am I talking about reconfiguring our concept of the Mammy as that of a sexual body? Am I talking about allowing Mammy enough agency to discover her own sexual journey? Am I saying that liberation is sexy? And why did I put sexual in parentheses (thinking about it now, probably because I didn't have an answer to the questions that I just posed, lol)?
Originally, I was going to create a minstrel show. In this minstrel show, the characters were going to "switch roles"- The "new negro" was going to go coon-ish over some watermelon, Uncle Tom was going to find his "Brute" strength, yella gal was gonna get pregnant, and mammy... she was going to become a sex-crazed, lingerie wearing hussy. Now, I can see you asking me, "Stokely- what's the point?" And I will tell you, reader, my original Div III idea was to create a minstrel show in which the caricatures (because at the end of the day, that's what they are) try to become characters through destroying their stereotypes. However, they get a little lost along the way, and end up becoming the anti-thesis of their current stereotype, leaving them stuck.
But I'm not going to do that anymore. So now, I am trying to figure out how to incorporate all of that juicy goodness into the play that I have right now. How does Adanne liberate herself (sexually or no) in the play? How does the Mammy statue? How do the other characters?
About a month ago, a friend of mine (hi Mai!) sent me a link to a video of a woman named Mollena Williams doing a burlesque performance for the Int'l Ms. Leather Fantasy Contest. Here is a video of the performance:
Now. As I told Mai, the only thing I could think of after seeing this performance was "hmmm..." I don't think I know how I feel about the performance yet, mostly because of my own feelings on bondage (but I won't get into that) but one thing is true- this performance makes you think.
Now. Kara Walker. Oh, come on, you knew I was going to bring her up eventually! It is a known fact that I absolutely hate Kara Walker. I think she uses shock just for shock's value. And I think the woman needs serious therapy. But all hate aside, I keep coming back to her work. She has had two exhibits that I keep coming back to. The first is "My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love." The second is "Narratives of a Negress." Walker portrays blacks like animals, like nightmares. In fact, many of them are seen in her artwork feeding their Ids: fucking each other, animals, themselves, shitting and killing each other, drawn with hugely distorted features- large noses, lips, butts. But- let me stop there. This post wasn't meant to be another rant about my dislike of Ms. Walker and her work. This post is about Sexual liberation.
And what are Kara Walker's characters, if not "sexual"? (And where does "love" fit into the equation? Or does it have to?) Is sex liberating for the black female body when it is on her terms? When it is for her enjoyment? If Mammy were to be sexual, would she be something (or someone) else?
My best friend also studies the ways that the black female body is sexualized, but from the "opposite" perspective. She studies how the black female body is oversexualized. But this isn't liberating, either. I have also been reading "Venus" by Suzan-Lori Parks, which is a play based on Saartjie Baartman, the famous Venus Hottentot. Her sexuality was what her captors used to enslave her. She was displayed in freak shows because of her "large buttocks and genitals." Which reminds me of a Kara Walker index card, in which she says: "I turn invisible when I turn sideways".
So, on the other hand, the black female body can lose its power when it is oversexualized.... ahhhh.
Where is the medium? Does one have to have sex in order to be sexually liberated??
Ah.. I give up for now. I tried to take a crack at it, but just talked myself in circles.. I've got way too much to think about.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Updates- scene 1
Hey guys
So sorry about being gone for so long! I spent this past month stressing out about passing div 2. Now that i have, its time to get back into the groove of div 3. Just to clarify some things, I am now revising the play that I wrote in the spring, rather than coming up with some new minstrel show. And boy, do I feel relieved. So.. I have been trying to make the play into a two-act, and really strengthen it. Simultaneously, I am trying to incorporate some of the ideas that I had about the other play into this one, as well as use this blog as a space for me to think out my more analytical stuffs.
Right.
So I wanted to share with you guys the first scene of my play as it was in the spring, and the revised version of the scene that I wrote about a week ago. It's not a FINAL revision, but it will give you an idea of where I want to go with the script. So, here is the original scene:
Scene 1.
Lights up, on Adanne’s bedroom. She and Claire are in bed.
ADANNE. Tell me what you like best about me.
CLAIRE. Oh god, Danney. Are you serious?
ADANNE. Yes. Sometimes it’s nice when the woman that you’re sleeping with gives you a compliment.
CLAIRE. (laughs) God…
ADANNE. Come on…
CLAIRE. I don’t feel like playing this game right now.
ADANNE. (pause. Adanne is waiting for Claire to change her mind) Ok. Fine. (mumbles) Forget I even mentioned it.
CLAIRE. Alright, I’ll play along. (pause.) My favorite thing about you is that …
ADANNE. Yeah?
CLAIRE. I don’t know.
ADANNE. You don’t know?
CLAIRE. Nope.
ADANNE. You don’t know?
CLAIRE. Danney. I don’t know. As in I need some more time to think about it. You really put me on the spot. And I’m supposed to just have some answer ready for you? I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow or something.
ADANNE. One more question. (slight pause) Claire?
CLAIRE. (A bit annoyed) Mm?
ADANNE. What am I to you?
CLAIRE. Well… that one’s a little easier to answer. You’re mine. I own you. (leans in to kiss Adanne, but Adanne pulls away)
ADANNE. What did you just say?
CLAIRE. I said you’re mine. That’s not good enough either? You want some elaborately written love poem or something- (Adanne pinches her) ouch! Hey-
ADANNE. No. You said “I own you.” That’s, like, number 3 on the list of things not to say to black people. Right after the “N” word and Yo Mama jokes. Claire, we talked about this.
CLAIRE. Why are you in such a bad mood?
ADANNE. Because my girlfriend doesn’t respect me. (Claire rolls her eyes) I just- do you even listen to yourself sometimes? I think… maybe you should go.
(long pause)
CLAIRE. You know what? Fine. I am not in the mood to take your shit. (Claire gets out of bed, begins putting on her clothes) Especially after you begged me to come over here, practically begged me to screw you. Fuck your bad attitude.
ADANNE. Who’s got an attitude? You always talk down to me when we get into these fights…
CLAIRE. Like how? Tell me what I’ve said.
ADANNE. It’s like the other day. You remember? How you said that I was...
CLAIRE. Yeah?
ADANNE. So fucking black.
CLAIRE. That's it? That's, like, a compliment. (pause) I love your skin. It’s so dark and pretty and smooth.
ADANNE. Stop it.
CLAIRE. It's true. When I first met you, I just wanted to kiss your whole body. Every pigment.
ADANNE. You're ridiculous.
CLAIRE. I’m really cold.
(slight pause)
ADANNE. Well, I guess you can come back.
CLAIRE. Good. But aren't you forgetting something?
ADANNE. Like what?
CLAIRE. Like an apology?
ADANNE. Huh? I'm sorry, Claire, but I don't see why-
CLAIRE. Ah, you're forgiven. (she climbs back into bed, clutches Adanne to her. Adanne is stiff. Claire doesn’t notice.) How could I stay mad at you? You look so cute when you're wrong.
ADANNE. ...Right.
CLAIRE. You know, when I was younger, I used to wish that I were black? Yeah. I always wanted an Afro and thick lips and dark skin. But I'm just some plain white Jewish girl from upstate. Nothing exotic about that.
Anddd.. here is the scene with my revisions:
Scene 1.
Lights up, on Adanne’s bedroom. She and Claire are in bed. On Adanne's bedside table, there is a Mammy statue. It is positioned as if it is looking at the couple. In the scene, Adanne doesn't seem to notice it, but Claire is caught staring at it a couple of times.
ADANNE. Tell me what you like best about me.
CLAIRE. Why?
ADANNE. Well... Sometimes it’s nice when the woman that you’re sleeping with gives you a compliment.
CLAIRE. (laughs)
ADANNE. Come on… (Adanne kisses her cheek. She is waiting for Claire to change her mind)
CLAIRE. I don’t feel like playing this game right now.
ADANNE. Ok. Fine. (mumbles) Forget I even mentioned it.
CLAIRE. (pause.) My favorite thing about you is that …
ADANNE. Yeah?
CLAIRE. I don’t know.
(pause)
ADANNE. You don’t know?
CLAIRE. Nope.
ADANNE. You don’t -?
CLAIRE. Danney. I’m supposed to just have some answer ready for you? I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow or something.
ADANNE. One more question. (slight pause) Claire?
CLAIRE. (A bit annoyed) Mm?
ADANNE. What am I to you?
CLAIRE. Well… that one’s a little easier to answer. You’re mine. I own you. (leans in to kiss Adanne, but Adanne pulls away)
ADANNE. What did you just say?
CLAIRE. I said you’re mine. That’s not good enough either? You want some elaborately written love poem or something-
ADANNE. No. You said “I own you.” That’s, like, number 3 on the list of things not to say to black people. Right after the “N” word and Yo Mama jokes. Claire, we talked about this-
CLAIRE. Why are you in such a bad mood?
ADANNE. Because my girlfriend doesn’t respect me. (Claire winces at the word "girlfriend") I just- do you even listen to yourself sometimes?
(long pause)
CLAIRE. You know what? Fine. I am not in the mood to take your shit. (Claire turns her back to her in bed, mumbling) Especially after you begged me to come over here, practically begged me to screw you. Fuck your bad attitude.
ADANNE. That'd be just about the only thing you're fucking these days..
CLAIRE. What?
ADANNE. We've been dating for-
CLAIRE. seeing each other. (pause)
ADANNE. We've been doing whatever the fuck we're doing for the past three months. And we've only had sex twice.
CLAIRE. So? We're taking things slow. I love that.
ADANNE. Well then what's wrong?(pause) Is it me? (pause) Oh god. You don't want to touch me.
CLAIRE. No- I didn't say that.
ADANNE. You didn't say anything.
CLAIRE. (pause) I just haven't been feeling up for it.
ADANNE. So what would get you up for it?
(pause)
CLAIRE. Are you serious? (laughs) Jesus.
(pause)
(pause)
ADANNE. Do you wanna leave?
(Claire sits up. They share a look. Claire gets her things, slowly. She stands up, out of the bed, then quickly grabs at Adanne, tries to kiss her violently.)
ADANNE. What the fuck are you doing?
CLAIRE. Isn't this what you want?
(Adanne slaps her. Claire begins to cry.)
ADANNE. Oh, shit- I'm sorry. (pulls her close) Shh. Poor baby. It's okay, it's okay.
CLAIRE. You promised to take care of me-
ADANNE. I know-
CLAIRE. You promised-
ADANNE. I'm sorry, I was wrong. Not till you're ready. Okay?
(Claire continues to cry violently, but soft laughter is also heard in the background. Lights fade)
The endings are clearly different. Here, Adanne is actually put into a mammy-like role. It helps to explain how accepting she is of taking on the mammy role later in the play. It also shows a more vulnerable side to Claire. And the lack of intimacy in their relationship allows Adanne a chance to be sexually liberated. Although, I'm really stuck on the idea of what "Sexual liberation" means. If anyone knows of any good readings, please let me know.
So sorry about being gone for so long! I spent this past month stressing out about passing div 2. Now that i have, its time to get back into the groove of div 3. Just to clarify some things, I am now revising the play that I wrote in the spring, rather than coming up with some new minstrel show. And boy, do I feel relieved. So.. I have been trying to make the play into a two-act, and really strengthen it. Simultaneously, I am trying to incorporate some of the ideas that I had about the other play into this one, as well as use this blog as a space for me to think out my more analytical stuffs.
Right.
So I wanted to share with you guys the first scene of my play as it was in the spring, and the revised version of the scene that I wrote about a week ago. It's not a FINAL revision, but it will give you an idea of where I want to go with the script. So, here is the original scene:
Scene 1.
Lights up, on Adanne’s bedroom. She and Claire are in bed.
ADANNE. Tell me what you like best about me.
CLAIRE. Oh god, Danney. Are you serious?
ADANNE. Yes. Sometimes it’s nice when the woman that you’re sleeping with gives you a compliment.
CLAIRE. (laughs) God…
ADANNE. Come on…
CLAIRE. I don’t feel like playing this game right now.
ADANNE. (pause. Adanne is waiting for Claire to change her mind) Ok. Fine. (mumbles) Forget I even mentioned it.
CLAIRE. Alright, I’ll play along. (pause.) My favorite thing about you is that …
ADANNE. Yeah?
CLAIRE. I don’t know.
ADANNE. You don’t know?
CLAIRE. Nope.
ADANNE. You don’t know?
CLAIRE. Danney. I don’t know. As in I need some more time to think about it. You really put me on the spot. And I’m supposed to just have some answer ready for you? I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow or something.
ADANNE. One more question. (slight pause) Claire?
CLAIRE. (A bit annoyed) Mm?
ADANNE. What am I to you?
CLAIRE. Well… that one’s a little easier to answer. You’re mine. I own you. (leans in to kiss Adanne, but Adanne pulls away)
ADANNE. What did you just say?
CLAIRE. I said you’re mine. That’s not good enough either? You want some elaborately written love poem or something- (Adanne pinches her) ouch! Hey-
ADANNE. No. You said “I own you.” That’s, like, number 3 on the list of things not to say to black people. Right after the “N” word and Yo Mama jokes. Claire, we talked about this.
CLAIRE. Why are you in such a bad mood?
ADANNE. Because my girlfriend doesn’t respect me. (Claire rolls her eyes) I just- do you even listen to yourself sometimes? I think… maybe you should go.
(long pause)
CLAIRE. You know what? Fine. I am not in the mood to take your shit. (Claire gets out of bed, begins putting on her clothes) Especially after you begged me to come over here, practically begged me to screw you. Fuck your bad attitude.
ADANNE. Who’s got an attitude? You always talk down to me when we get into these fights…
CLAIRE. Like how? Tell me what I’ve said.
ADANNE. It’s like the other day. You remember? How you said that I was...
CLAIRE. Yeah?
ADANNE. So fucking black.
CLAIRE. That's it? That's, like, a compliment. (pause) I love your skin. It’s so dark and pretty and smooth.
ADANNE. Stop it.
CLAIRE. It's true. When I first met you, I just wanted to kiss your whole body. Every pigment.
ADANNE. You're ridiculous.
CLAIRE. I’m really cold.
(slight pause)
ADANNE. Well, I guess you can come back.
CLAIRE. Good. But aren't you forgetting something?
ADANNE. Like what?
CLAIRE. Like an apology?
ADANNE. Huh? I'm sorry, Claire, but I don't see why-
CLAIRE. Ah, you're forgiven. (she climbs back into bed, clutches Adanne to her. Adanne is stiff. Claire doesn’t notice.) How could I stay mad at you? You look so cute when you're wrong.
ADANNE. ...Right.
CLAIRE. You know, when I was younger, I used to wish that I were black? Yeah. I always wanted an Afro and thick lips and dark skin. But I'm just some plain white Jewish girl from upstate. Nothing exotic about that.
Anddd.. here is the scene with my revisions:
Scene 1.
Lights up, on Adanne’s bedroom. She and Claire are in bed. On Adanne's bedside table, there is a Mammy statue. It is positioned as if it is looking at the couple. In the scene, Adanne doesn't seem to notice it, but Claire is caught staring at it a couple of times.
ADANNE. Tell me what you like best about me.
CLAIRE. Why?
ADANNE. Well... Sometimes it’s nice when the woman that you’re sleeping with gives you a compliment.
CLAIRE. (laughs)
ADANNE. Come on… (Adanne kisses her cheek. She is waiting for Claire to change her mind)
CLAIRE. I don’t feel like playing this game right now.
ADANNE. Ok. Fine. (mumbles) Forget I even mentioned it.
CLAIRE. (pause.) My favorite thing about you is that …
ADANNE. Yeah?
CLAIRE. I don’t know.
(pause)
ADANNE. You don’t know?
CLAIRE. Nope.
ADANNE. You don’t -?
CLAIRE. Danney. I’m supposed to just have some answer ready for you? I don’t know. Ask me tomorrow or something.
ADANNE. One more question. (slight pause) Claire?
CLAIRE. (A bit annoyed) Mm?
ADANNE. What am I to you?
CLAIRE. Well… that one’s a little easier to answer. You’re mine. I own you. (leans in to kiss Adanne, but Adanne pulls away)
ADANNE. What did you just say?
CLAIRE. I said you’re mine. That’s not good enough either? You want some elaborately written love poem or something-
ADANNE. No. You said “I own you.” That’s, like, number 3 on the list of things not to say to black people. Right after the “N” word and Yo Mama jokes. Claire, we talked about this-
CLAIRE. Why are you in such a bad mood?
ADANNE. Because my girlfriend doesn’t respect me. (Claire winces at the word "girlfriend") I just- do you even listen to yourself sometimes?
(long pause)
CLAIRE. You know what? Fine. I am not in the mood to take your shit. (Claire turns her back to her in bed, mumbling) Especially after you begged me to come over here, practically begged me to screw you. Fuck your bad attitude.
ADANNE. That'd be just about the only thing you're fucking these days..
CLAIRE. What?
ADANNE. We've been dating for-
CLAIRE. seeing each other. (pause)
ADANNE. We've been doing whatever the fuck we're doing for the past three months. And we've only had sex twice.
CLAIRE. So? We're taking things slow. I love that.
ADANNE. Well then what's wrong?(pause) Is it me? (pause) Oh god. You don't want to touch me.
CLAIRE. No- I didn't say that.
ADANNE. You didn't say anything.
CLAIRE. (pause) I just haven't been feeling up for it.
ADANNE. So what would get you up for it?
(pause)
CLAIRE. Are you serious? (laughs) Jesus.
(pause)
(pause)
ADANNE. Do you wanna leave?
(Claire sits up. They share a look. Claire gets her things, slowly. She stands up, out of the bed, then quickly grabs at Adanne, tries to kiss her violently.)
ADANNE. What the fuck are you doing?
CLAIRE. Isn't this what you want?
(Adanne slaps her. Claire begins to cry.)
ADANNE. Oh, shit- I'm sorry. (pulls her close) Shh. Poor baby. It's okay, it's okay.
CLAIRE. You promised to take care of me-
ADANNE. I know-
CLAIRE. You promised-
ADANNE. I'm sorry, I was wrong. Not till you're ready. Okay?
(Claire continues to cry violently, but soft laughter is also heard in the background. Lights fade)
The endings are clearly different. Here, Adanne is actually put into a mammy-like role. It helps to explain how accepting she is of taking on the mammy role later in the play. It also shows a more vulnerable side to Claire. And the lack of intimacy in their relationship allows Adanne a chance to be sexually liberated. Although, I'm really stuck on the idea of what "Sexual liberation" means. If anyone knows of any good readings, please let me know.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
so it's been a while...
First off, I apologize for not being as active on this blog this summer as I should have been. But now that school is around the corner, I am feeling the crunch!
I want to talk a little bit about Aunt Jemima. The lovable woman on the pancake box that we have grown to love. Many people do not know that Aunt Jemima was not a real person- the famous instant pancake recipe was created by two white men- Chris Rutt and Charles Underwood- in a scientific lab. Nancy Green, a black woman born into slavery, as hired in 1890 to play the role of Aunt Jemima. The name came from a famous minstrel song at the time. Ms Green traveled to different world fairs, playing the role of the lovable mammy character, reminding her all-white crowds of the "good-ole days" when Mammy so-and-so would make them pancakes and biscuits and scrambled eggs and fried chicken and collards and ooh-whee, gotta love that Southern livin! But surely black female slaves did not all fit this mammy stereotype- Mammy, and Aunt Jemima, is a work of fiction. She is a false creation in white America's memory, one that allows white America to justify slavery on the basis that not only did blacks like being enslaved, but that they were treated like family! Like a mother or an aunt, even!
America has a strange love affair with the black female body. It only makes sense that America soon began to "consume" the Mammy caricature. If I was at home, I would quote bell hooks' article "eating the other: desire or resistance", but unfortunately, I left my copy of Black Looks at home. But what I will say is that I came across a disturbing video on youtube that I would like to share with you. It was entitled, "Hey Aunt Jemima" and is a spoof of "Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White Tees. It seems harmless at first, if not plain stupid- a white man sings his love to a bottle of Aunt Jemima pancake syrup. But the way that he sexualizes the syrup, coupled with America's history of Mammy-lovin leaves a nasty taste in mouth. For example, one of the lyrics goes:
He also goes to say:
I don't even know where I'm going with this post anymore, so I will let you watch the video for yourselves. Imagine that he is actually singing to a black woman named Aunt Jemima. It changes the video's context a bit, doesn't it?
*EDIT: Also, I got a lot of my Aunt Jemima facts from this website:
And also the book Clinging to Mammy: The Faithful Slave in Twentieth-Century America by Micki McElya
I want to talk a little bit about Aunt Jemima. The lovable woman on the pancake box that we have grown to love. Many people do not know that Aunt Jemima was not a real person- the famous instant pancake recipe was created by two white men- Chris Rutt and Charles Underwood- in a scientific lab. Nancy Green, a black woman born into slavery, as hired in 1890 to play the role of Aunt Jemima. The name came from a famous minstrel song at the time. Ms Green traveled to different world fairs, playing the role of the lovable mammy character, reminding her all-white crowds of the "good-ole days" when Mammy so-and-so would make them pancakes and biscuits and scrambled eggs and fried chicken and collards and ooh-whee, gotta love that Southern livin! But surely black female slaves did not all fit this mammy stereotype- Mammy, and Aunt Jemima, is a work of fiction. She is a false creation in white America's memory, one that allows white America to justify slavery on the basis that not only did blacks like being enslaved, but that they were treated like family! Like a mother or an aunt, even!
America has a strange love affair with the black female body. It only makes sense that America soon began to "consume" the Mammy caricature. If I was at home, I would quote bell hooks' article "eating the other: desire or resistance", but unfortunately, I left my copy of Black Looks at home. But what I will say is that I came across a disturbing video on youtube that I would like to share with you. It was entitled, "Hey Aunt Jemima" and is a spoof of "Hey There Delilah" by the Plain White Tees. It seems harmless at first, if not plain stupid- a white man sings his love to a bottle of Aunt Jemima pancake syrup. But the way that he sexualizes the syrup, coupled with America's history of Mammy-lovin leaves a nasty taste in mouth. For example, one of the lyrics goes:
hey aunt jemima why dont i go make some pancakes or would you prefer i turn you over just give you a spanking let me know i know my wife thinks you're a ho, dont let me go
He also goes to say:
Jemima you are family, like an aunt you've been to me
I don't even know where I'm going with this post anymore, so I will let you watch the video for yourselves. Imagine that he is actually singing to a black woman named Aunt Jemima. It changes the video's context a bit, doesn't it?
*EDIT: Also, I got a lot of my Aunt Jemima facts from this website:
And also the book Clinging to Mammy: The Faithful Slave in Twentieth-Century America by Micki McElya
Friday, July 9, 2010
This is how I feel about what I study.
"Black Mother Woman"
I cannot recall you gentle
yet through your heavy love
I have become
an image of your once delicate flesh
split with deceitful longings.
When strangers come and compliment me
your aged spirit takes a bow
jingling with pride
but once you hid that secret
in the center of furies
hanging me
with deep breasts and wiry hair
with your own split flesh
and long suffering eyes
buried in myths of little worth.
But I have peeled away your anger
down to the core of love
and look mother
I Am
a dark temple where your true spirit rises
beautiful
and tough as chestnut
stanchion against your nightmare of weakness
and if my eyes conceal
a squadron of conflicting rebellions
I learned from you
to define myself
through your denials.
- Audre Lorde
I cannot recall you gentle
yet through your heavy love
I have become
an image of your once delicate flesh
split with deceitful longings.
When strangers come and compliment me
your aged spirit takes a bow
jingling with pride
but once you hid that secret
in the center of furies
hanging me
with deep breasts and wiry hair
with your own split flesh
and long suffering eyes
buried in myths of little worth.
But I have peeled away your anger
down to the core of love
and look mother
I Am
a dark temple where your true spirit rises
beautiful
and tough as chestnut
stanchion against your nightmare of weakness
and if my eyes conceal
a squadron of conflicting rebellions
I learned from you
to define myself
through your denials.
- Audre Lorde
Monday, June 21, 2010
Liberation of Aunt Jemima
Ironically enough, months after I had named my Div II " The (Sexual) Liberation of Mammy, Pt 1", I found out about artist Betye Saar. Saar was an artist whose work helped influence the Black Arts Movement in the 1970s. In 1972, she created a piece that she entitled, "The Liberation of Aunt Jemima". Her goals were similar to mine, and I have gained an immense amount of inspiration from her "liberation" pieces.
Note how she puts a gun in mammy's hand, along with the broom. There is also a black fist in the framed picture. The broom and gun in Mammy's hand are an homage to the famous picture of Huey Newton, one of the leaders of the Black Panthers Party:
Saar has done many other powerful pieces that play on black memorabilia and black liberation. This piece is entitled Sambo:
There is also a gun in the top part of the banjo case. But there are also little hanging men. It seems to be simultaneously talking about the lynching of black men and the dancing minstrel, who seems almost like a puppet here. The watermelon slice, of course, is representative of black stereotypes.
Note how she puts a gun in mammy's hand, along with the broom. There is also a black fist in the framed picture. The broom and gun in Mammy's hand are an homage to the famous picture of Huey Newton, one of the leaders of the Black Panthers Party:
Saar has done many other powerful pieces that play on black memorabilia and black liberation. This piece is entitled Sambo:
There is also a gun in the top part of the banjo case. But there are also little hanging men. It seems to be simultaneously talking about the lynching of black men and the dancing minstrel, who seems almost like a puppet here. The watermelon slice, of course, is representative of black stereotypes.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
kara walker
..deserves a much longer post. we will get back to her. but this image has stuck with me throughout my time at hampshire. i often reference this image when creating my own work.
I often question whether or not positive black image is possible. And Kara makes a point. The way that "positive black image" stands today, it is a contradiction in terms. And we didn't create the images that exist for us today. I want to remember to ask myself "what is positive black image" and more importantly, "is that my goal?" I'm not quite sure if my goal is to make something positive. I know that I want to "destroy the negative", if that's even possible. I guess I am hoping to instill a sense of urgency in the crowd, so that they can feel the need to create the positive image together.. hmm. Definitely feeling that sense of urgency. Don't wanna lose that.
I often question whether or not positive black image is possible. And Kara makes a point. The way that "positive black image" stands today, it is a contradiction in terms. And we didn't create the images that exist for us today. I want to remember to ask myself "what is positive black image" and more importantly, "is that my goal?" I'm not quite sure if my goal is to make something positive. I know that I want to "destroy the negative", if that's even possible. I guess I am hoping to instill a sense of urgency in the crowd, so that they can feel the need to create the positive image together.. hmm. Definitely feeling that sense of urgency. Don't wanna lose that.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Staging Idea
This blog post is really directed towards Najee.
So, we've been talking about a barn for the stage. But... I've been thinking. What about a TV set instead? Here's my reasoning behind it:
- This is a minstrel show, yes. But it is not just a minstrel show for comedy's sake. Instead it is a minstrel show that is making a commentary on the creation of the black image through white american media (and therefore the white american gaze- think of the people sitting in front of the tv screen, not just the people behind the scenes). That being said, it might be better to choose a set that will ultimately help us make commentary, rather than mimic the minstrel show.
- It can represent how as Black americans, we feel literally feel "boxed in" to these roles.
- Going back to the point about the audience... I feel that by putting people in front of a TV screen, I will be doing a few things. 1)putting the necessary amount of distance between the audience and the actors, in order for them to feel "comfortable" enough to buy into the world of the play while STILL engaging 2)giving them the choice to either be consumers or not to 3) setting up the fact that we eventually have to BREAK the tv, destroy media as it stands today
- This can help us tie in the cool visuals we were talking about. For example, the shadow puppet part I was talking about? We can have a scrim that comes down in between the set and the TV box for this. It can also help with the Zip Coon's "reveal". We can also have commercials!
- It will look really fucking cool. I'm thinking, when people enter the mainstage, there be a wall of TVs with old minstrel shows, the Censored Eleven, and other racist media clips on these tvs. Or on the side of the stage..?
Okay, yes! I am excited about this TV idea! I think this is the lead-in to the writing process that I wanted. More updates soon.
So, we've been talking about a barn for the stage. But... I've been thinking. What about a TV set instead? Here's my reasoning behind it:
- This is a minstrel show, yes. But it is not just a minstrel show for comedy's sake. Instead it is a minstrel show that is making a commentary on the creation of the black image through white american media (and therefore the white american gaze- think of the people sitting in front of the tv screen, not just the people behind the scenes). That being said, it might be better to choose a set that will ultimately help us make commentary, rather than mimic the minstrel show.
- It can represent how as Black americans, we feel literally feel "boxed in" to these roles.
- Going back to the point about the audience... I feel that by putting people in front of a TV screen, I will be doing a few things. 1)putting the necessary amount of distance between the audience and the actors, in order for them to feel "comfortable" enough to buy into the world of the play while STILL engaging 2)giving them the choice to either be consumers or not to 3) setting up the fact that we eventually have to BREAK the tv, destroy media as it stands today
- This can help us tie in the cool visuals we were talking about. For example, the shadow puppet part I was talking about? We can have a scrim that comes down in between the set and the TV box for this. It can also help with the Zip Coon's "reveal". We can also have commercials!
- It will look really fucking cool. I'm thinking, when people enter the mainstage, there be a wall of TVs with old minstrel shows, the Censored Eleven, and other racist media clips on these tvs. Or on the side of the stage..?
Okay, yes! I am excited about this TV idea! I think this is the lead-in to the writing process that I wanted. More updates soon.
if you've got an hour or so to spare...
...then this is a good video to watch. It's a UC Berkeley lecture on the history of blackface that I stumbled upon one day. It gives some basic history. Enjoy:
Sunday, May 30, 2010
The Mammy Project
Many people have been interested in minstrelsy, especially the caricature mammy. There is something compelling, I think, about Mammy. I don't know what it is yet- maybe we see a bit of her in ourselves. Maybe we see her in the people that we know and love. Or in media- on the television screen, in works of art, on a pancake box. But where did she come from? How did she become so popular? And what is America's deal with Mammy? These are some of the questions that The Mammy Project raises (and then some).
The Mammy Project is a one woman show, a project by a woman named Michelle Matlock. Here is the trailer of the show that is on their website:
And here's a link to the website: http://themammyproject.com/
It's pretty interesting. You should check it out. Especially the photo gallery.
The Mammy Project is a one woman show, a project by a woman named Michelle Matlock. Here is the trailer of the show that is on their website:
And here's a link to the website: http://themammyproject.com/
It's pretty interesting. You should check it out. Especially the photo gallery.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Mammy, mammy, my lil mammy.
This scene was the inspiration for the first mammy monologue I did for my play "The Mammy Statue". I will add it here just to give a writing sample for the sort of thing I'm trying to do. But first, the things that interest me about this scene:
- What role is blackface playing here? He doesn't actually look like a black man. In fact, he looks scary. Why weren't people scared of this?
- The way that he is moving his body.. very over-the-top motions. Also the gloves...
- There is a very creepy obsession with mammy that is accepted in our culture. "I'd walk a million miles for one of your smiles" this feels like the passion one would have for a lover, not a mother figure.
Also, here is a cheap rendition someone did of this song. But look how he blends in with the black background. The only things that are showing up are the whites of his eyes, around his mouth, his gloves, the red of his shirt. How can we play with that for some sort of visual/puppet-like effect? How can we scare the audience with this?
Also, here's the monologue. Keep in mind that I am playing with how frightening these caricatures are. Overall, my aim of (sexual)liberation is to get the audience comfortable. Give them a reason to laugh and get past the "proper" response towards blackface and minstrelsy in order to get into a deeper discussion about race. Right. So:
She opens one eye, then closes it. She opens the same eye again, then both, and darts her eyes back and forth, then looks forward at the audience and smiles mischievously. She puts a finger to her mouth, as to hush the audience, and then overdramatically tiptoes toward Adanne to see if she is awake. She is very aware of the audience, and is definitely “playing it up” for their sake. Once she has ensured that Adanne is sleeping, she does a little “shuffle and step” towards the living room/kitchen area, where she finds a broom. She picks up the broom, and now her steps have become a full-fledged dance. She hums while dancing, and then breaks out into song.
MAMMY. Mammy, mammy, my little mammy, my heartstrings are tangled around Alabammy.
During Mammy’s song and dance, she works her way back to downstage center, her mood changes from jovial to somber. She takes her broom, aims it at the audience like a gun. There is a beat before she begins to speak.
MAMMY. Whose mother am I? Whose mother am I? Seems like since my creation, someone decided I had to be a mother. I never got a childhood- no time to play when you’re caring after babies. And whose babies were they? I don’t remember letting any man climb up on top of me. (No man ever tried. Too obsessed with my breasts and not with my other parts.) And who loved me, loved all of me? Every tooth, every stretch mark, every pubic hair? Not you. You don’t even know me. You’ve never even heard my voice before this, didn’t even care if I had a voice. (slight pause) You don’t even know my name. Go on, try and remember my name. I dare you.
(Excerpt from "The Mammy Statue")
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Petey Wheatstraw: TheDevil's Son In Law
Check out the birth scene. Birthing a watermelon? OMG. I will come back to this in a second.
stereotypes today
so this isn't minstrelsy but is definitely a skit that plays off of stereotypes that people have abt black ppl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNbUKIkRieM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNbUKIkRieM
Pickaninies pt.1
In my searching I've found myself particularly fixated on these images. There's something particularly unsettling for me in these that I can't quite articulate.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
First Post
Hey, all.
This is the official blog for JD Stokely & Najee Haynes-Follins' Div III show, The (Sexual) Liberation of Mammy. Here, they (along with special guest members of the production team!) will post images, texts, videos, etc that have been inspiring their work with minstrelsy. It will not be a happy, uplifting sort of blog.
Stay updated.
- stokes.
This is the official blog for JD Stokely & Najee Haynes-Follins' Div III show, The (Sexual) Liberation of Mammy. Here, they (along with special guest members of the production team!) will post images, texts, videos, etc that have been inspiring their work with minstrelsy. It will not be a happy, uplifting sort of blog.
Stay updated.
- stokes.
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