A Kids Play About Racism
"Black is not a color. It’s a culture!” sings Jelani, a teenager of mixed race in A Kids Play About Racism. Jelani has many questions about the word “racism” and what it means in today’s world. He finds his answers in this informative, educational and entertaining video appropriate for all ages—and all races.
Based on the children’s book, A Kids Book About Racism by Jelani Memory, Director Khalia Davis adapted the story into a 30-minute primer produced by 41 Theatres for Young Audiences, including Milwaukee’s First Stage. Jelani has a white mother and black father and is dealing with just who he is based on how others perceive him and call him out. Black? Brown? Ethnically ambiguous? Jelani is surrounded by his “Team Emotion”: Delight, Grief, Love, Rage, Disgust and Panic, each played a separate actor. Working together “Team Emotion” helps Jelani in his journey as he explore aspects of racism based on his feelings and how to manage them.
Using a well-balanced mixture of song, humor and drama, A Kids Play presents the information in an easy to understand, accessible manner that artfully engages to create “meaningful conversations about race.” By having Jelani interact with his emotions works so well in jumpstarting those conversations. Take, for example, the question of being “different.” Jelani feels sad and isolated as he sings “I wanna fit in but I can’t cuz of the color of my skin.” The benefit of the streaming video allows the opportunity to pause and discuss, a plus given the resulting virtual programming in this pandemic.
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The acting ensemble—performing from all around the country,—is composed of mainly child actors. They do a great job of visually demonstrating and explaining just how racism affects feelings in a highly relatable way. As Jelani realizes that “being different is OK. Being different is good,” we see his self-acceptance come into play and how it then affects “Team Emotion.” Even Disgust and Rage have to give in to the positivity.
What’s so invaluable about A Kids Play About Racism is not an attempt to eradicate it, but to explain it and then how to then affirm one’s self in the midst of it. Jelani’s growing awareness of himself and how HE feels is what’s most important.
“I like myself. And that’s good enough,” he proudly sings toward journey’s end. For Jelani, he’s not only right. But he’s now on a new path of fitting in—with himself.
A Kids Play About Racism is streaming online. For more information, visit the streaming platform, Broadway on Demand, or: www.firststage.org
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