The White Problem
Jon Tuttle
Hooded, Or Being Black for Dummies
by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm
Highlights
105 mins Present Day Role(s) for Black Actor(s) Unit Set/Multiple Settings Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes Comedy
Awards & Recognition
KCACTF: Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival New Play
Synopsis
Marquis and Tru are both fourteen-year-old black boys, but they exist in two totally different worlds.
Marquis is a booksmart prep-schooler living in the affluent suburb of Achievement Heights, while Tru is a street-savvy kid from deep within the inner city of Baltimore.
Their worlds overlap one day in a holding cell.
Tru decides that Marquis has lost his “blackness” and pens a how-to manual entitled “Being Black for Dummies.”
He assumes the role of professor, but Marquis proves to be a reluctant pupil.
They butt heads, debate, wrestle and ultimately prove that Nietzsche and 2pac were basically saying the same thing.
Press Reviews
"Undeniably compelling… unravels layers upon layers of intersectionality between race, age and identity, bouncing from comedy to tragedy."
— MD Theatre Guide
"The bracingly timely show… frequently bursts with the kind of laughs that have a ‘wow’ underneath as the characters stride onto dangerous turf. Chisholm has written the kind of idea-rich play that makes you want to hear lots of reactions afterward."
— Washington Post
"A constant fluctuation of subtle comedy, clarity, political commentary, tragedy, and biting wit... Hooded, Or Being Black for Dummies is a comedy for sure, but it is also an awakening… The show deserves every accolade it has earned."
— DC Metro Theater Arts
"Hilarious, sobering and most of all, uncomfortable… Chisholm skillfully weaves together a host of stereotypes and misunderstandings in a way that’s laugh-out-loud funny but also deeply tragic."
— Chicago Theater Beat
"Brilliant’ is barely adequate to describe Hooded, or Being Black for Dummies, which blurs the line between comedy and drama with the infinite precision, speed, and flash of a polished penny spinning on end. It’s funny, poignant, and remarkable in the way it marries pop culture, culture, and art to elevate a conversation to a place it should have reached long ago."
— DC Theatre Scene
Characters
| Character |
|---|
| THE CHILDREN |
| MARQUIS 14, M, Black |
| TRU 14, M, Black |
| HUNTER 14, M, White |
| FIELDER 14, M, White |
| CLEMENTINE 14, F, White |
| PRAIRIE 14, F, White |
| MEADOW 14, F, White |
| NEW BLACK KID 14, M, Black |
| THE ADULTS |
| OFFICER BORZOI M, Black |
| DEBRA Marquis’ Mother, F, White |
| HEADMASTER BURNS M, White |
| APOLLO M, Black |
| DIONYSUS M, White |
| CONCERNED CITIZEN M, White |
| MARQUIS / NEW BLACK KID TRU |
| OFFICER BORZOI / APOLLO |
| CLEMENTINE |
| MEADOW |
| PRAIRIE / DEBRA |
| HUNTER / HEADMASTER BURNS |
| FIELDER / DIONYSUS / CONCERNED CITIZEN |
Publication
Hooded, Or Being Black for Dummies is a comedy play written by Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm and published by Samuel French .
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Performance Rights
Available for Licensing
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