In the Red and Brown Water

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of seeing In the Red and Brown Water by Tarell McCraney.  It was a play that was put on at the Theatre on campus at The Pennsylvania State University.  It was an urban, tragic story about a girl named Oya, that was a tremendous sprinter on her track team.  She was offered a scholarship to run track for the local State University.  Eager to accept she shared the word with her ill mother, Momma Moja.  After further thought and discussion with Momma, Oya decided to turn down the scholarship so that she could take care of her sick mother.  Much to her dismay, Momma Moja passes away shortly after this decision.  One year later, the coach of the State University informs her that there is no longer a need for her, as they had found her replacement to be quite successful.  Distraught, Oya seeks comfort with the "man of her dreams", Shango.  After spending time with each other, Shango leaves for the Army.  As expected, they grew apart.  Oya then attempts to fill the void with a man named Ogun, who had loved her, his entire life.  Despite many attempts, she fails to obtain yet another goal in her life- pregnancy. 

In my opinion, the most important part of the story was the illness and later death of Momma Moja.  She was well liked in the community and was seen as a "mother-figure" to all.  So when she finally passed away, the entire neighborhood was in mourning.  She worked hard to leave her mark on everyone by spreading words of wisdom. Everyone had respected her because of this.  It was also important because this illness appeared to be genetic, as it struck down Oya, and claimed her life in the end.

I was most compelled by Oya, throughout the story.  She was selfless and based her decisions on the better of the family.  She easily could have taken the scholarship and focused on her well-being, but instead attempted to take care of her mother.  She also was compelling when she displayed her relentless acts of determination.  In life, things seem to never work out as planned.  This applied to the story as well.  Despite this, Oya was determined to accomplish her goals.  She never gave up.  To me, this is the story of life.  No matter what happens, you have to keep your head up and keep moving.  Never give up!

I don't have many critiques on the performance.  The only one that seemed to stick out to me was the clothing and apparel worn by the characters.  Most everyone was wearing simple cotton clothing, appearing to be that of a slave worker in the 1800's.  What threw me through a loop was the one character wearing a flat-brimmed baseball hat, with his attire.  The only reason (in my opinion) behind this was the utilization of an artistic approach displaying the struggles in African -American culture throughout time.  In reference to the times of the slave trade -to modern times in urban environments.

It had been a long time since seeing a live performance in a theatre. I was a child when I first saw one, so I don't remember much.  I am a huge movie buff though, so I am a great self-proclaimed critic of story-lines and theatrical performances.  With that being said, I feel that this was a great story and performance.  Additionally, the dance choreography was on point.  It definitely exceeded my expectations for an on-campus play.  I would without a doubt,  recommend this to everyone.