The Fire This Time: African American Plays for the 21st Century

This major new anthology collects new work by important artists which explore the context of African American drama in 21st century America. The plays included are:In the Blood by Suzan-Lori ParksAn examination of a homeless black women and her children based on The Scarlet Letter.Civil Sex by Brian FreemanA look at the intersections of civil rights on the life of activist Bayard Rustin.The Dark Kalamazoo by Oni Faidi LampleyA tale of isolation and rediscovery as a young black co-ed comes of age during a journey to Africa.King Hedley II by August WilsonSome forty years after Wilson's 1995 play Seven Guitars, Ruby, the main character from that play, her grown son King, and his wife and best friend draw Wilson's searing portrait of the 1980s in the same backyard.Insurrection: Holding History by Robert O'HaraThe lives of a young gay college student and his 189-year-old great-great-grandfather are transported back to the time of the Nat Turner slave rebellion.Crumbs from the Table of Joy by Lynn NottageAn interracial romance threatens to divide a black family set during the Harlem Renaissance.A Preface to the Alien Garden by Robert AlexanderA study of the gangsta life style in present day Kansas City.A Rhyme Deferred by Kamilah Forbes and Hip Hop Theatre JunctionAn Afro-centric update of the Cain and Abel story.Slanguage by Steven Sapp and UniversesRhyme, roots, rhythm and storytelling to a hip hop beat.Harry Elam, Jr. is the Director of Graduate Studies for Drama at Stanford University. He has directed numerous plays, including works of August Wilson, who is the subject of his forthcoming book.Robert Alexander is the author of I Ain't Yo' Uncle, Servant of the People and The Last Orbit of Billy Mars. Mr. Alexander is currently in residence at D.C.'s Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.