February 7–14, 2002

arts picks|theater

Can We Talk?

In Dael Orlandersmith’s Yellowman, making its world premiere at the Wilma next Wednesday, Eugene and Alma, two lovers in the Deep South, find themselves fighting their own self-hatred, trapped by the sins of their parents. Yellowman exposes the untold struggles of a light-skinned man and his dark-skinned soul mate as they try to hold onto their love in a society obsessed with skin color.

Co-produced by critically acclaimed playwright Orlandersmith and Wilma artistic director, Blanka Zizka, Yellowman has also inspired a three-part symposium series at the theater, beginning with the second "Wright on Writing" symposium with playwright and Wilma artist-in-residence, Doug Wright, interviewing Orlandersmith this week.

The series continues with "Reflections on Color: Looking Through the Prism of Race & Gender," which will feature Broadway director Marion McClinton, essayist and critic Stanley Crouch and Yellowman actors Orlandersmith and Howard Overshown. The symposium closes with "Words on Broad: An Evening of Spoken Word with Dael Orlandersmith and Willie Perdomo."

—Janelle Julien

Wright on Writing with Dael Orlandersmith, Mon., Feb. 11, 7 p.m., $3-$5; Reflections on Color, Mon., Mar. 4, 6 p.m., $3-$5; Words on Broad, Mon., Mar. 11, 7 p.m., $3-$5; Yellowman, Feb. 13-March 17, $7-$39, Wilma Theater, Broad and Spruce sts., 215-546-7824.