Cleveland Public Theatre is presenting Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation through July 11.
As part of its Summer Season Outdoor Series, the Cleveland Public Theatre [6415 Detroit Ave., 44102] is presenting Panther Women: An Army for the Liberation. Written and directed by India Nicole Pierce, it’s an imaginative, provocative, sometimes humorous, insightful exploration of the psyche of the melanated feminine within an American contextual landscape.
Part Ntozake Shange, part Dr. Mary E. Weems, Panther Women weaves an intricate web of the complexities of race, economics, politics and and culture brought to life through Pierce’s skillful script and choreography by Alexis Britford. The resplendently diverse, all-female, all-Black cast organically portrayed what it means to be female through struggles of oppression and systemic disadvantage.
It’s a 70-minute history lesson that peels back hidden layers of truth surrounding the Black Panthers, including the fact the success of the organization was largely fueled by women participating and facilitating many of the programs often forgotten.
Staged in the courtyard between the CPT and an adjoining church and parish hall, a simple set was effectively used to alternate imagined locations and scenes, resulting in an immersive experience for the viewer.
the success of the Black Panthers was largely fueled by women participating and facilitating many of the programs…
The ensemble cast delivered a powerful performance, including notables Mary-Francis Miller and Khemi Salahuddin, alumni of Karamu House stage productions. Definitely an experience for adults, it is raw in places, perhaps an indication of the realness of subject matter that defies sugar coating or soft pedaling.
In its nakedness, it exposes truths about being Black in America that should not go untold.
The play runs through July 11, including a July 9th performance at the Cleveland Cultural Gardens. For more information, visit the CPT website. This is a free series.
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