On July 13th, 2013 the reaction to the jury’s decision of acquittal in the Trayvon Martin case was of utter disgust, disdain for the justice system and brought to light race relations in the here and now of 2013. Of course, there are the political ramifications that it brings about for discussion – i.e. the Stand Your Ground law in Florida, but the underlying source of it all comes down to race, how we treat each other and how young black boys are seen in the eyes of society. I will always stand my ground in saying that this is simply not an American issue, as I’ve seen stated on some of my social media outlets. I go a bit more into what I’m feeling this week on my radio show The Rhythm with AMC, but right now, I wanted to share with you a play that should definitely be a must see for you.
Here in Toronto on Saturday, July 27th, 2013 for two shows only, playwright Darren Anthony is resurrecting his phenomenal play The Secrets of a Black Boy by popular demand. The play will also be making its American debut into North Carolina for the National Black Theatre Festival in August. The Secrets of a Blackboy is a play about the insights of black male culture discussing hot topics such as interracial dating, stereotypes of men of colour and gun violence to name a few.
“Set against the backdrop of displaced poverty-stricken families in Regent Park. Five friends gather inside a community centre about to be torn down, to say goodbye one last time to the place they all called home for so long. The friends reminisce about what the community centre means to them and how the gentrification of their neighbourhood affects the lives of the young men who live there.”
It’s a play that I’m sure will give you an inside perspective as to what’s going on in the minds of our black youth today, while they continue to go up against insurmountable odds.
Press Play on the promo for The Secrets Of A Blackboy:
I will surely be in the house and will have a review for you next week.
You can purchase your tickets here and you can find The Secrets of a Blackboy at the following social spots: