For colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf

for colored girls... ensemble, photo: Cylla von Tiedemann.

Words have the power to heal in for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, a vibrant new production of Ntozake Shange's award-winning play, now on stage at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Written in 1976, for coloured girls was only the second play by a black woman playwright to be produced on Broadway (the first was A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry). After more than 40 years, the story's message remains intensely fresh.

Featuring a talented seven-member cast, including Tamara Brown, Karen Glave, Ordena Stephens-Thompson, d'bi.young anitafrika, Akosua Amo-Adem, SATE and Evangelia Kambites, Shange's play weaves together stories of heartbreak, violence, love, longing and ultimately, self acceptance, in a cathartic performance that opens our hearts to the experiences of African American women from many different walks of life. Astrid Janson's brightly coloured costumes stand out brilliantly against a softly lit set. The women make great use of the space, standing, sitting, stomping in unison, dancing and walking up and down a flowing runway in the centre of the stage. It's simply a striking production.

Despite dealing with some very dark topics, the narrative reflects on moments of joy throughout, and leaves us to meditate on Shange's poignant mantra: "i found god in myself / & i loved her / I loved her fiercely."

Don't miss this limited engagement. For colored girls runs until May 31, 2017 at the Young Centre. Visit soulpepper.ca for more information and to buy tickets.