It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one's soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. In this important first step toward a theoretical foundation and focus for self expressive Negro stage image, Du Bois proclaimed:Īfter the Egyptian and Indian, the Greek and Roman, the Teuton and Mongolian, the Negro is sort of seventh son, born with a veil, and gifted with second-sight in this American world, - a world which yields him no true self-consciousness, but only lets him see himself through the revelation of the other world. In the Spring of 1903, the tone and dilemma of African-Americans' attempts to project their own images in a universe that had been hostile toward such an endeavor was clearly articulated in the publication of W. But such an endeavor stands in need of a look back at the foundations and development of both the music and the culture from which these artistic expressions have been collected - to help explain an aesthetic framework that supports a respect and deeper understanding of these works. The works of African-American playwrights of the past were resurrected and joined by current writers to illuminate a shared artistic sensibility rooted in the sorrow, pain and joy of blues music and a literary blues aesthetic. Yet, beyond such a few well known aforementioned playwrights, these presumptions have continued to be held primarily by a majority of white Euro-centric critics and reviewers as well as by audiences, both white and black, and maybe saddest of all by theatre teachers and students of all types.Īpproaching the dawn of a new age of spiritual awareness (post 2012), the eta Creative Arts Foundation of Chicago devoted its 2012-2013 mainstage theatre season to the revival of plays from the black theatre canon that are reflective of an African-American blues aesthetic. Neither of these assumptions is true, at least certainly not since the successes of award winning black dramatists like Lorraine Hansberry, Charles Gordone, August Wilson, Suzan-Lori Parks and Lynn Nottage. The prevailing belief had been that most theatre created by African-American artists within the scope of their own perspectives and experiences has been either an imitation of European forms and structures (primarily realism), oddly abstracted and imitative African ritualistic stylings or creations based on not much more than emotional and melodramatic rants or simplistic comedic-musical entertainments. However, such “other” writers have used Negros/ blacks/ African-American as objects for their own purposes rather than as truly authentic subjects. Theatre about black Americans has been attempted by many, including white writers of note. Too often and for far too long there has been a main stream belief that Negro theatre, black theatre and theatre created by and for African Americans has not been founded on clearly defined independently derived aesthetic principles. It is not always easy to understand the worlds of others, but then again, we must constantly cross borders to understand each other, even those closest to us.Īesthetics Across the Color Line: Why Nietzsche (Sometimes) Can’t Sing the Blues. If we want to understand Bessie Smith’s music, then we must devote ourselves to learning about not only her art but also the social worlds out of which her life and her art were formed. I believe that cross-cultural understanding of art is possible, but it requires us to study the worlds out of which that art comes. A hoped for outcome is that readers may also gain an awareness and respectful understanding of cross cultural art and aesthetics. The essay includes brief background information and definition of African-American dramatic theory and explains blues aesthetics as a legitimate literary critical theory. The essay was placed on the theatre’s online webpage to assist company members, audiences and patrons to understand how the six selected plays related to the overall theme, “Shades of the Blues.” Another important intent was to provide information for Chicago theatre reviewers and critics with a frame and background by which to evaluate plays from the black theatre canon. The major goal of the essay was to assist in explaining the particular theoretical concept of blues aesthetics in relation to the theatre’s 2012-2013 season of revived plays and one emerging artist ( The Amen Corner, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, Florence & Wine in the Wilderness, Jar the Floor, Hoodoo Love). This essay was originally written at the request of, Kemati Porter, Executive Director of Chicago’s eta Creative Arts Foundation. SHADES OF BLUES: A Season of Resurrected Writers and Reclaimed Music-the Blues
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