Theatre

Lindsey Davis

Theatre 101

Dr. Larson

April 8, 2010

Quiz #10

Question 1

The Colored Museum is a play written by George C. Wolfe. The Colored Museum was written in 1985 during the post-Vietnam war era. Each scene is a different exhibit in a museum and there are eleven exhibits. On March 26, 1986 it premiered at The Crossroads Theatre in Brunswick, New Jersey. This play is very satirical and brings attention to the many black stereotypes by making fun of them.

Question 1

George C. Wolfe was born on September 23, 1954 in Frankfort, Kentucky. Because he was part of a close black community, Wolfe didn’t really experience segregation until he was denied a ticket to see the Disney film 101 Dalmatians. Wolfe studied at New York University and got his masters in dramatic writing in 1983. He won the Dramatist’s Guild’s Elizabeth Hull-Kate Award for the best play dealing with social, religious, or political topics. He received eleven Tony nominations for his musical Jelly’s Last Jam. In 2005, his film Lackawanna Blues was featured at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2008 he directed the movie Nights in Rodanthe, based on the book by Nicholas Sparks.

Question 2

One of the exhibits that I didn’t understand was Permutations. In this exhibit, a girl named Normal Jean Reynolds explains how she got pregnant with an egg. She doesn’t know why she had an egg, only that she can hear multiple heart beats inside. After discussing this scene in class I feel that I understand it a little better. I think it is talking about culture because Normal talks about what her babies’ skin and hair will be like after the egg hatches.

Question 3

Something I found interesting was that the author, George C. Wolfe, is openly gay. After learning this I understand why the exhibit, The Gospel According to Miss Roj, was probably put in this play. This exhibit is played by a man dressed as a woman, and the woman’s name is Miss Roj. I wonder, if maybe he dressed this way and since it was a...