the Blue Door

a play with original songs
by tanya barfield
directed by delroy lindo
thrust stage, Berkeley Repertory Theatre
april 6–may 20, 2007

When he refuses to attend the Million Man March, an African-American professor finds his personal and professional lives thrown into turmoil. Unable to sleep in the bed abandoned by his wife, Lewis is visited by his ancestors—men who fought to be free, to vote, to obtain justice. Two exceptional actors embody three generations in this powerful new play from a promising young writer. Blue Door is a searing examination of family and identity that will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to live with—or escape—the past.

A friend of mine invited me to see Blue Door last night. At the end of the evening, we were both fascinated, disappointed, confused, and frustrated. There was something a bit "off" about the play, but even after discussing it in detail, we still couldn't quite name what was wrong. We couldn't identify what it was that made us a bit uncomfortable and disappointed. I'll have to think on this some more and respond later...