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49 pages 1 hour read

The Colored Museum

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1987

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Book Brief

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George C. Wolfe

The Colored Museum

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1987
Book Details
Pages

62

Format

Play • Fiction

Publication Year

1987

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

NP

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Super Short Summary

The Colored Museum by George C. Wolfe is a satirical play set in a fictional museum featuring 11 exhibits that explore African American identity through sketches performed by an ensemble of five Black actors. The play addresses themes such as slavery, stereotypes, generational trauma, and intracommunal conflict using direct audience address, monologues, short scenes, and musical elements. Topics include racialized language and outdated terms related to intellectual disability.

Humorous

Contemplative

Dark

Reviews & Readership

4.5

787 ratings

83%

Loved it

14%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

George C. Wolfe’s The Colored Museum is celebrated for its sharp satire and incisive critique of African American culture and history. Acclaimed for its bold humor and poignant social commentary, it challenges stereotypes and provokes thought. However, some critics argue it can be too confrontational for certain audiences. Overall, it’s a powerful and thought-provoking work.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Colored Museum?

A reader who relishes satirical, poignant explorations of African American culture and history will enjoy George C. Wolfe's The Colored Museum. Similar audiences appreciate the bold narratives in works like Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man or Ishmael Reed's Mumbo Jumbo due to their critical examination of racial and cultural identity.

4.5

787 ratings

83%

Loved it

14%

Mixed feelings

4%

Not a fan

Character List

Miss Pat

A character dressed as a flight attendant who introduces the audience to the world of the play, emphasizing themes of legacy and value.

A character who hosts a Down-Home Cookin' Show, performing a stereotypical narrative that comments on identity through a recipe metaphor.

Flat characters who promote products and serve as reflections of commercial worth in a photo session.

A satirical character with "magical" abilities, representing and subverting the "Magical Negro" trope.

A flamboyant transgender woman from New York who entertains and challenges audiences while contemplating social rejection.

A bald character grappling with identity due to hair loss, symbolizing the cost of conforming to beauty standards.

The Afro wig in "The Hairpiece," symbolizing the power of the "Black is Beautiful" movement.

A wig representing style aligned with white beauty conventions, highlighting irony in its critique.

A character who employs Brechtian tactics to remind the audience of the performative nature of the story.

An authority figure in "The Last Mama-on-the-Couch Play," embodying traditional conventions and middle-class values.

The protagonist of "The Last Mama-on-the-Couch Play," entangled in conflict with authority figures.

A character who draws on past literary portrayals to depict the Black female experience through performance.

A performer in Greek tragic style, adding a universal quality to her character's portrayal.

Represents the conflict between maintaining Black identity and achieving success in an urban corporate world.

Connected to his identity through cultural elements like music, he symbolizes a cultural connection to the past.

A singer who gains success abroad, representing themes of transformation and a desire for acceptance.

A character with abilities that help the protagonist face past traumas and internal struggles.

A white character with authority over Lala's career, representing complex relational dynamics.

A character who undergoes a transformative experience akin to a supernatural event causing familial conflict.

An amalgam of all the characters, embracing rhythm and past pain to drive her life forward.

Book Details
Pages

62

Format

Play • Fiction

Publication Year

1987

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

Lexile Level

NP

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