bcsintersections - Tumblr blog

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The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls

Recent conversations about Black women’s hair have even reached Hollywood, with a number of actors sharing their experiences of discriminatory and harmful hairstyling on set. What does it say about our society that even in the highest echelons of the media, with the biggest budgets and the most cultural power, Black women and their hair still aren’t being respected?

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The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls

Hair has long been a hot topic across the whole African Diaspora - including in many Latinx communities. Check out this poem by Elizabeth Acevedo for an Afro-Latinx perspective on the nuances of Black hair.

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The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls

In January, pop icon Rihanna graced the cover of Essence, in an unusual and delightful collaboration with visual artist Lorna Simpson. These collages transform Rihanna’s hair into art - highlighting the range and natural beauty of Black women’s hair. These same themes are central to the stories that make up Keli Goff’s The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls. 

Simpson isn’t new to this work. In fact, in the introduction to her published collection of collages, poet Elizabeth Alexander describes Simpson’s work as demonstrating that "Black women's heads of hair are galaxies unto themselves, solar systems, moonscapes, volcanic interiors." 

Learn more about Lorna Simpson and her work here: https://lsimpsonstudio.com/

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The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls

There's so much good music celebrate Black women's hair-- we're starting a playlist! What music reminds you of The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls? Of course, we have to start with Solange's iconic anthem...

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The Glorious World of Crown, Kinks and Curls

Did you know that it is still legal to discriminate against Black hairstyles in 42 states? That's why activists are fighting for The CROWN Act. Read more and learn how to amplify that fight here:

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The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls

BCS Intersections is back for our first show of the season... The Glorious World of Crowns, Kinks and Curls by Keli Goff! Keli's play celebrates the joys, challenges, and beauty of Black hair. Sound familiar? Maybe you've seen some of those themes explored in media like the Oscar-winning short film Hair Love. Check it out!

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Where We Stand

As Where We Stand considers what it looks like to better our community, we can’t help but think of Baltimore, and in particular, that time in 2015 when the city rose up in solidarity for Freddie Gray. Jam out to this beautiful and hopeful protest song about the uprising, written by absolute icon Prince.

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Where We Stand

This seems random, but hear us out... This popular sitcom spins complex philosophical lessons into 30-minute episodes, following a group of humans navigating the afterlife as they ultimately ask the question “what do we owe to each other”? It is that same question that lives at the heart of Donnetta Lavinia Grays’ play Where We Stand. While you’re stuck at home, watch her play then binge this show and consider our individual responsibilities as members of larger communities.

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Where We Stand

Freddie Gray’s death threw our definitions of community and accountability in Baltimore into question. Along with Where We Stand’s reflections on community, read these responses from a range of Baltimore authors. 

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Where We Stand

Grays’ play poses questions around mercy and forgiveness. How do we hold people accountable for their actions while rejecting tools of violence and moving towards collective liberation? This article from adrienne maree brown offers a framework of transformative justice.

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Where We Stand

Where We Stand asks us to consider what community means to us. This documentary, Baltimore Rising, follows activists, police officers, community leaders and gang affiliates, who struggle to hold this Baltimore community together, especially after the 2015 uprising.

Stream the whole thing here: https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/baltimore-rising

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Where We Stand

After you read the NYTimes article, check out this radio piece. How are we valuing the soul of our town? What about what Baltimore gets right? Continue the conversation.

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Where We Stand

This city has gone through a lot in recent years. But is it fair to consider it a tragedy? Does it need to be “fixed,” like the Man’s town in Where We Stand? Read this New York Times article about the challenges that this community is facing and the various forces that have kept it down. 

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Where We Stand

In the play, the Man tries to better his community, transforming his town from a “used-to-be” to a “still-could-be.” How can we think about bettering Baltimore? In this radio show, Wes Moore explores ideas for Baltimore’s future. 

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A Message to Our Community

Dear Baltimore Center Stage Community,

Amidst the innumerable emails and notifications of closures and cancellations, I’m writing with an offering of what I hope will be a bit of a respite and escape from the madness of the world today. Here at Baltimore Center Stage, our staff and artists have been—like so many of you—closely following the news, and wondering—what comes next? This question has echoed in our halls these past days as we continue to monitor the situation and make our plans. We don’t know everything, but we do know one thing—Baltimore Center Stage is Open for Storytelling. Even while we must limit our live performances in the weeks to come, we are committed to curating and creating virtual artistic experiences and learning programs and delivering them to your inboxes and social media platforms. We will continue to do what we do best: share stories. And even if you can’t come to us, we will happily bring the stories to you...starting right now.

Click here for curated digital content.

Stephanie Ybarra Artistic Director

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Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally

Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally features Sally, a deaf character who begins learning to sign against the wishes of her hearing father. Watch as James Caverly, the production’s Director of Artistic Sign Language, breaks down some of the basics of Deaf culture.

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Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally

In its world premiere, Richard & Jane & Dick & Sally is joining a long legacy of plays about families in the American Theatre. Check out this article to learn about are some of the other plays in this canon.