Word: chitlinã
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Perry operates at the margins of the theatrical community; his works are not staged on Broadway, off-Broadway, or even off-off-Broadway. The theatres that host his productions comprise the evocatively titled “chitlin?? circuit:” a collective of venues that specialize in black and religious-themed dramas...
...etymology of the phrase “chitlin?? circuit” is rich in symbolism: “chitlin??” is a slang form of “chitterling,” which is itself a euphemism for pork entrails. Chitlin??s have been a staple of black cooking since the slave era: plantation masters considered the organ meats refuse and, thus, suitable fare for human chattel. This historical promotion of junk meat into ethnic cuisine is metaphoric of Perry’s transformation of marginal black theater into a lucrative cultural...
Perry’s plays are perfect chitlin?? circuit fodder: they recreate and comment on the black experience with a deft blend of comedy and pathos. His productions often feature incarceration, addiction, adultery, and financial ruin. But these are always overcome in the end by the positive forces of family, Christianity, and good humor. Perry’s oeuvre transcends entertainment: it is a compelling dramatization of black America’s collective anxieties and hopes...
| 1 |