Shades of Black: a thought in progress

Remembering Shades of Black: Actress Vidda Beache

2010-05-18T12:47:00.000-07:00

Vidda Beache

It's been over two years since Shades of Black debuted on stage, but the play still resonates with the actors who participated in the project. Khadijah Ali-Coleman, the producing director and writer of Shades of Black caught up with Vidda Beache, one of the actresses in the play who was also a student at Morgan State University, where the play debuted. Vidda shared her memories about being part of the cast and what she thinks Shades of Blacks did for those who participated in its production and were part of the audience.

KAC: Why did you choose to participate in the play Shades of Black: a thought in progress?

Vidda: I had alot of respect for the director/author of the play, so when I heard she was spearheading this project I didn't think twice.

KAC: Aw, thanks, Vidda. That means a lot. What were three highlights for you in participating in the production?

Vidda: Initially just getting back on stage was a big high for me, I participated in theatre alot in high school so it brought back alot of good memories. Secondly, the cast was phenomenal, I loved them all and most of us still keep in touch. Last but definitely not least, was the strong subject matter of the play, there were alot of messages embedded in the comedy of the script, and I wanted to help bring that out to my peers.

KAC: Tell us your interpretation of what the play is about.

Vidda: Shades of Black was centered on a character called Moon, and all the characters or the scenes in the play were connected to her in some way. Each scene addressed a different angle of black cultural stereotypes.

KAC: What do you think the play's valuable messages were?

Vidda: I believe it highlighted many common situations where as a people we stereotype and confine ourselves, but it encouraged us to look on our history and find motivation for improvement.

KAC: Tell us about your character? What were his/her motivations and weakenesses? What were his/her strengths? How did your character fit into the greater scheme of the play?

Vidda: My character was the stereotypical "babymama" who finds her man cheating, and instead of trying to discusss things with him, she gets into a fight with the other woman. I believe my character was motivated by love but was blinded by the pain of infidelity. In terms of strengths, she was determined to get her man, she did not shy away from confrontation. This scene was one of the dramatic final scenes that showed exactly how badly our sterotypes can play out. One of my brothers ends up shooting my child's father in the process of the altercation.

KAC: You participated in the play while a student in college, did the play impact your studies in any way? (for better or for worse)

Vidda: It definitely improved my time management skills. I admit it was challenging at times to find a balance between school, work and practice but it was definitely worth it.

KAC: Did the play or participation in the play impact your interactions with others on your campus?

Vidda: I met alot of new people, from the cast to audience members who would approach me afterwards on campus.

KAC: Were there any lessons you learned about people while participating in the production?

Vidda: Sometimes people are stuck in a situation and they just can not see it from the right perspective and it takes something or someone to shake things up for there to be any real change

KAC: Was a there a part of the play that resonated with you most of all?

Vidda: My favourite scene was the one with a bunch of black women in a salon talking about their hair and deciding what was good hair and what wasn't. I think that hair plays a big role in our identity as black women, and a lot of us are not comfortable with who we are naturally.

KAC: How do you think theater can be used as a tool for engaging students on a college campus

Vidda: I definitely think theatre can be used as a teaching tool, the messages we brought to the student body with this play were much more significant to them than anything they could have read in a classroom.

Final Show A Hit!

2008-02-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

The final show was awesome. The cast and crew did a great job bringing it home. Enough money was raised to pay for the services to record the video and have it edited for distribution. Admittance was free for all Morgan students with a valid school ID and $5 for general admission. So...the amount of money we raised was a healthy amount to pay for costs for the production and for video editing services. Yeay!

Our casting party was after the last show. Everyone in the show had up to two people present who was there to support them. The cast circled up to give thanks and give testimony of what the highlights were for them throughout the preparation of the show. It was an almost tearful moment for everyone but the mood was lightened with fun pictures and good food.

The final show was recorded and will be the show that will be on DVD. DVDs of the show will be available soon for purchase for $5. Contact us at shadesofblackplay@gmail.com

Several of the cast members and the director, Khadijah Ali-Coleman, will be performing next in the upcoming production of the Vagina Monologues to open in the MSU Student Center Theater on March 5, 2008, running until March 6. Email the director of the Vagina Monologues production, Susan O'Hara at susan_ohara_aep@yahoo.com for more information.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Day Two of Shades of Black Has Even Larger Audience!

(actors in Shades of Black: a thought in progress- (l to r) Actress Tiffany Hathorn getting her make-up done by Brittainy Bell, actor Brendan Jackson in closing scene, actress Keairra Adams smiling for pre-show shot and actress Krystal Dynasty Brown as the main character "Moon")

Over 200 audience members packed the Morgan State University Student Center Theater to catch the second day showing of Shades of Black on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008 at 7:30pm.

My lovely cast

Day Two of Shades of Black Has Even Larger Audience!

2008-02-13T19:43:00.000-08:00

Over 200 audience members packed the Morgan State University Student Center Theater to catch the second day showing of Shades of Black on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008 at 7:30pm.

Opening Night Is A Hit Despite Weather

2008-02-12T19:09:00.000-08:00

The weather was horrendous. Forecasters called for sleet. And we got sleet. The freezing rain that continued into the night was not expected though. A bus-load of youth from Covenant House Washington had reserved tickets to attend and they were stuck in two hours of traffic before making it to the play late. The weather was just that bad. That's why we were shocked to even have the 120+ people that showed up the first night. It was fabulous.

(photos of audience members on opening night)

The audience was interactive-- talking aloud to characters-- and enthusiastic, applauding after each scene. The actors had a great time. There were few technical glitches I'm responsible for (poor communication with the tech) but all in all, it was a great first day run! I was so proud.

(photos of actresses in the play Shade of Black: a thought in progress on Feb. 12, 2008)

Rehearsals Heat Up as Opening Approaches

2008-02-02T18:44:00.000-08:00

Rehearsals for Shades of Black: a thought in progress are more frequent now as the play's opening approaches. It is pretty nerve-racking. The actors are students of Morgan State University's AEP ARTist Collective, so attending rehearsals during the weekday have been maneuvering tricks as it has been challenging coordinating everyone's different schedules. But we're doing it!

It has been exciting because we are receiving calls from people from different locations who have heard about the play and are planning to attend. The cast is filled with nervous excitement.

During rehearsals, the scene that never fails to give everyone chills is the scene with the characters Contradiction and Seela, his sister. The two actors, Jerron Gerald and Devan Renee Prescott sizzle on the stage.

The set is pretty simple-- four black boxes where actors either sit or stand on. Our set manager, Dave Lewis, is also working on creating a makeshift backstage for us, since the stage we will be in will not have the traditional backstage. Everything on our end seems to be coming nicely. However, technical issues in the theater still arise and we detected a leak after a recent heavy rain. We'll see. Fingers crossed.

Shades of Black Set To Debut

2008-01-27T17:46:00.000-08:00

Educator and writer Khadijah Ali-Coleman writes original play to be produced at Morgan State University in February 2008. Baltimore, MD, November 07, 2007 --(PR.com)-- On October 24, 2007, dozens of Morgan State University (MSU) students answered a casting call for actors for the original play "Shades of Black: A Thought In Progress".

The play, written by writer and youth advocate Khadijah Ali-Coleman piqued the interest of students who had previously viewed the video intro of the play found on Facebook."I was intrigued," said one student. The video intro presents images of Black America-- inclusive of everything from Flava Flav to pictures of civil rights activists-- set to the song "A.D. 2000" by Erykah Badu. Ali-Coleman, founder of So Our Youth Aspire (SOYA), LLC, created the video to solicit those interested in participating in the play and to entice people to want to come and see the play when it comes to stage.

Ali-Coleman, a thirty-something year-old writer and community activist wrote the play in response to what she calls a pervasive assault on the senses of self-loving Black people. She incorporated her nonprofit So Our Youth Aspire (SOYA), LLC in 2005 to begin progressive work in reaching younger populations and feels her play continues that work. It aims at encouraging youth to be discriminating."This is not a play talking about why music is bad but rather looks at how allowing negativity to define you creates a domino affect on every aspect of your life. My hope is that the play will encourage people-- particulaly young people-- to critically think about all that they see, hear, believe and embrace."

Jacquelyn Thomas, an MSU student who was cast in the role of Black Shakespeare-- a spoken-word spitting sage who appears sporadically throughout the play-- believes that the play is reminiscent of George C. Wolfe's iconic play "The Colored Museum".

"The way it educates and entertains is done brilliantly," Thomas says

"Shades of Black: A Thought in Progress" will appear at MSU's Student Center Theatre on February 12, 13 and 14 in 2008. Call 443-885-3388 for ticket information. The play is produced by Morgan State University's Office of Residence Life as part of their Black History Month series.