From its inception in California in 1974 to its highly acclaimed critical success at Joseph Papp's Public Theater and on Broadway, the Obie Award-winning for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf has excited, inspired, and transformed audiences all over the country. Passionate and fearless, Shange's words reveal what it is to be of color and female in the twentieth century. First published in 1975 when it was praised by The New Yorker for "encompassing...every feeling and experience a woman has ever had," for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf will be read and performed for generations to come. Here is the complete text, with stage directions, of a groundbreaking dramatic prose poem written in vivid and powerful language that resonates with unusual beauty in its fierce message to the world.

"For colored girls..." does not have a conventional "plot" or characters. The parts of the choreopoem are performed by characters described as "lady in brown," "lady in white," etc. Together, these women talk about spirituality, violence, female sexuality, music, and the discovery of one's heritage. One particularly moving part of the choreopoem is a tribute to Haitian leader Toussaint L'Ouverture.

"For colored girls..." is a stunning hybrid of poetry, drama, and feminist theology. It is both tragic and sensuous, with the healing power of ritual. The final scenes contain some of the most powerful words ever written for the theater. If you are interested in African-American literature, women's studies, or 20th century drama, I recommend you read this work.


Ouch!!!!! Fabulous, breathtaking, inspiring, can't say enuf!   September 23, 1999
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

Shange outdid herself in this peice she covered every emotion colored women feel. From fear, to joy, from hatred to love, from confusion to understanding she has captured it she is in the same category with the Alice Walkers, Gloria Naylors and Toni Morrisons of the literary world. This book was required reading but it soon turned into pleasure and inspirational reading. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this, and I am very saddened by the fact that I had to get to college before I every got the chance to. This book should be required reading for every young women in high school in the United States. The writing is simple yet breathtaking and it speaks to the very soul of the reader. I loved it and I plan to read it again. This choreopoem ranks right up there with "The Bluest Eye" as one of the most prolific writings of the twentieth century. Both of these works are the female version of Ellison's "Invisible Man" and we all know that regardless to what anyone says that is the most amazing book that has ever been written. Great job Ntozake Shange, you go girl!!!!!


NOTHING SHORT OF MIND-BLOWING   July 20, 2001
Marissa (Mount Vernon, NY USA)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Every time I read this masterpiece, it sparks a new emotion within me, and/or I see one of the pieces in a manner different from the previous times I've read it. It makes you laugh, cry, gasp, sing, reminisce, makes you mad...it'll make you feel so many different ways because as hard and rough as the book's language is, it's REAL. I guarantee that ANY woman (possibly men also) who reads this book will be able to relate to AT LEAST one of the characters here (if not, ALL of them). I also love the arrangement of the book. The detail of the stories and the dialogue, the colors, the dancing, the pain...I love it. This masterpiece has been around for over 25 years, and it's just as powerful as its very first publishing day.


It Ain't The Same If Your African American   December 11, 2006
Jon Linden (Warren, N.J. United States)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful

This incredibly precious gem of a book was produced on Broadway back in the late 70's or early 80's but I was too young to see it at the time and probably would not have been able to relate to it anyway. In this prose poem, a "choreopoem" Shange depicts the hardships of African American Women in America. The different perspective of their lives is precisely and poignantly elucidated by the incredible and fascinating prose poetry of this book.

It is stunningly shocking that things that white Americans take totally for granted are just not part of the African American milieu in this country. Rape, pregnancy, domestic violence of the highest order, living in squalor and prostitution are all common place in so many of the African American communities of the 70's, 80's, 90's and now the 00's. Shange's representation of the perspective on rape is extraordinary. If an African American girl gets raped, she better not have ever been seen in public with the rapist, or there will be no conviction. Obviously it was invited. Not so with White Americans. But common place with African Americans.

A quick example of her wondrous lyricism are the following two lines that just give a glimpse of the different perspective that African American Women have toward American life:

"... we gotta dance to keep from cryin

we gotta dance to keep from dyin ..."

While the book is surely most meaningful to African American Women, it is recommended for all Americans so that the true reality of this dilemma and this shame can be absorbed and understood by all Americans. Perhaps if we all understood the conditions of the African American Women, something would be done about it. As of now, it is just not the same for people with black skin as it is for all other ethnic minorities in the United States of America.



Amazing Stuff   November 27, 2001
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

When I was a little girl my mother was in a local acting group that traveled and put on this play. When I was about 13 years old I saw it in it entiretly for the first time. It was heartwrenching, funny, inspiring and contraversial. I loved every bit of it. Everyone especially women and men who love women should read it at least once, it provides an interesting perspective that you may be unfamiliar with. Being a black woman ain't always easy but it sure is beautiful, if you can find God in yourself.