Description
Book SynopsisPenumbra Theatre Company was founded in 1976 by Lou Bellamy as a venue for African American voices within the Twin Cities theatre scene and has stood at the intersection of art, culture, politics, and local community engagement ever since. Based on interviews with actors, directors, playwrights, and critics, this book offers a multifaceted view of the theatre and its evolution.
Trade Review"Macelle Mahala’s
Penumbra deconstructs the knee-jerk assumption that African American theaters are limited rather than positively significant. The book’s rich weave places Penumbra Theatre Company at the center of a story that connects to core aspects of this country’s culture and the diverse range of mores, triumphs, and contradictions with which black people live and make theater. Analytically grounded, the book presents a wide scope of views on black theater. It’s an engrossing read." —Robbie McCauley, Emerson College
Table of ContentsContents
ForewordLou Bellamy
Introduction1. Beginnings2. Building a Repertoire and an Ensemble3. Black Nativity4. Mutual Reciprocity: August Wilson and Penumbra5. Black Feminist Performance6. Intercultural Collaborations7. Maintaining a Legacy
Production History of the Penumbra Theatre Company
AcknowledgmentsNotes
