Art + Culture
Stage Play Bronzeville Gold Depicts Black Life in Great Depression
October 2, 2013·By BLAC Editorial
This local stage production, which is set in the 1930s, will have its premiere in Detroit on Oct. 10, 2013
October 2, 2013
For African-American folks to survive in the 1930s Great Depression, they had to learn how hustle the illegal street systems. Local playwright Anetria Cole's Bronzeville Gold tells how struggling Bronzeville residents turned their neighborhood into 'gold'-during the premiere showing at 8 p.m. on Oct. 10, 2013 at 1515 Broadway in Detroit.
"I combine theater, ministry and storytelling to uplift and inspire my audience without being 'preachy,'" says Cole about the mixed message of spirituality with life lessons present in her production. "I love the beauty of live theater and how actors bring words from a script to life."
On Chicago's South Side, the "Bronzeville Gold" gambling numbers wheel is an easy way to make a buck for main character, Willy. But when he uproots his family to move up north with the promise of a larger role in the gambling system, he finds his dreams of fortune may not be as valuable as he envisioned.
The production style is a mix of traditional and new interactive theater techniques with hopes to enhance the audience's experience, says Cole.
"It is my aim to build and nurture a new audience of theater lovers among younger generations, while building a bridge between traditional theater and the new."
For more information on this upcoming stage play, Bronzeville Gold, visit the BLAC Detroit calendar listing.
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