for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf: a choreopoem is a groundbreaking feminist play written and developed by Ntozake Shange in 1974.
Experimental Language and Content
In for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf, twenty linked poems tell the stories of seven unnamed women who are identified by their colors, such as “the lady in blue” or “the lady in orange.” The words are performed along with choreography. The poem titles include:
- i’m a poet who
- latent rapists’
- i used to live in the world
- a laying on of hands
Award-Winning 1970s Theater
Ntozake Shange’s “choreopoem” was first performed in California, in a Bay Area women’s bar, then produced in New York both on and off-Broadway. The play received two Tony Award nominations, with one win by actress Trazana Beverley, as well as an Obie Award for Distinguished Production.
An Important Piece of Black Feminism
for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf delves into abortion, domestic violence and abandonment. The poetic play is revered for telling the truth about the experiences of black women in the United States, although it was also seen as a controversial work.
Ntozake Shange’s intense use of language provides a provocative look at relationships between men and women. There has been criticism of the negative portrayal of black men in the play. However, many black feminists during the 1970s were concerned with the crucial issue of a lack of black women’s voices. They argued that “mainstream” women’s liberation activists focused on white women, while women in the black community faced sexism and further oppression.
Adaptations
Ntozake Shange has written dozens of books, including plays, poetry and novels. for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf was filmed in 1982 for PBS Television’s “American Playhouse.” It was made into a 2010 feature film called For Colored Girls, directed by Tyler Perry.