Violent in Black Tickets

Violence has always been a complex subject in human society, especially to those who have faced racism and prejudice. Black Americans have historically faced not only physical and emotional violence, but also cultural and socio-economic oppression. Unfortunately, this reality reflects on the art produced by the black community, including theater.

Although theater has the potential to represent the truth of our society and provoke critical thinking and discourse, it can also be a reflection of the social norms that promote violence against marginalized people. Thus, the "violent" tendency in black theater is an important issue that must be addressed.

The origins of violent black theater date back to the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Performances such as Ntozake Shange's "For colored Girls who have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow is Enuf" and Amiri Baraka's controversial text "Dutchman," dealt with race, sexuality, and identity through violent and sometimes graphic scenes. These works were reactions to the violence and injustices suffered by the black community, as well as a metaphor for the oppressive nature of American society.

However, as the movement progressed into the 1970s and beyond, the "shock value" and emphasis on violence in black theater became a cliché. The reason behind this overindulgence in violence stems from the lack of exposure of African American stories in mainstream theatre. This lack pushes playwrights and artists to use violence as a way to get the attention of predominantly white audiences. While the goal might be to call attention to real issues facing black people, violence in theatre puts these struggles in a narrow box. It flattens characters and situations into predictable and overdone narratives. When shows become too reliant on violence, they risk giving off the impression that ‘violence’ is the sole characteristic of Black lives.

Nonetheless, there have been recent calls from the Black theatre community to move past the violence trope and create works of art that elevate Black life through all its complexities. For example, the 2019 Broadway breakout hit “Slave Play” was a play which confronted views on power, race, fetishism, and more utilizing directness rather than violence. Cycles is another example where playwright Nate Jacobs utilized dance anthems and historical video montages to showcase the vast range of black experiences.

In the end, it is not that Black theater cannot tackle issues that might be considered violent or graphic. Instead, the way those themes are framed should be done so in better ways that highlight the nuances and complexity of the Black experience. Audiences deserve more honesty and creativity in storytelling. In the renowned words of great playwright August Wilson, “Theatre is just about telling the truth of who we are.” No community should get boxed into stereotypes when seeking representation on stage that reaches a wider audience.