Pegasus Players hit home with `For Colored Girls'

For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow IsEnuf Lady in Blue Audrey Morgan Lady in Green Cherise Thurman Lady in Orange Glenda Starr Kelley Lady in Purple Lisa M. Duncan Lady in Red Janis Henri A play by Ntozake Shange, directed by Charles Finister. Live musicby Tomas de Utrera. Presented by the Pegasus Players atCrossCurrents, 3206 N. Wilton, 472-7884. Performances through Sept.7. "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow IsEnuf" is a beautiful and touching experience. It's a play aboutbeing a black woman in today's society, and it is done well by thePegasus Players.

The play, which opened to good reviews last April at theEdgewater Presbyterian Church, is currently running at CrossCurrents. The intimate atmosphere of the club suits the production. When theactresses speak, they are not reciting words to an estrangedaudience. They're so close, and they look and talk directly at you. You feel as if you're sitting in on an open confession. Somemembers of the audience even venture to talk back to the actresses.This doesn't faze them one bit.

The women are splendid in their roles. They cover subjectssuch as rape, virginity, murder and prejudice without being preachyor having chips on their shoulders. Each one sings, dances and actsher heart out. Each is differentiated from the others by the colorof the scarf she wears. Everything else, including their dresses,is black and gray.

The wardrobe reflects the mood of the play, which is somberdespite occasional bursts of laughter and song.

With little else than the accompaniment of a guitarist, thePegasus Players bring to life their tales of black women who havebeen mistreated by their men and society. Glenda Starr Kelley sumsit up when she says, "I couldn't stand being sorry and colored at thesame time. It's so redundant in the modern world."

Though the play gets off to a slow start, the momentum changesonce the poetic flow of the women's tales takes effect. Theaudience becomes mesmerized by the candor, wit and despair.

A showstopper occurs when all five women gather on stage to havea good time at the expense of their past and present lovers. Theimitations of their boyfriends range from cocky to abusive, but neverloving.

In a production such as this, where words convey more meaningthan action, the proper accompaniment is crucial. The producersmade a wise choice in Tomas de Utrera, a guitarist and flutist whoplays with subtlety.

Throughout "For Colored Girls . . ." the actresses shed realtears and laughter. Because they are so convincing, and because wecare about them so much, we find ourselves doing the same.