Blues for an Alabama Sky

by

Pearl Cleage

Directed by Dr. Kristyl D. Tift

April 13-16, 2022

Neely Auditorium at Vanderbilt University

Program
Research Topics
“Pearl Cleage’s Blues for an Alabama Sky uses the city of Harlem in the 1930s as its backdrop. This show has been a dramaturg’s dream to work on as Cleage uses the many people and institutions that colored the Harlem Renaissance to tell the story of five complex and dynamic characters.”
— Olutobi Akisanya, co-dramaturg
Olutobi Akisanya's Research
“...Josephine Baker represents something to which all people — especially Guy — can aspire. Her career path and trajectory abroad represent freedom/an escape — something sorely missing
from the black experience within the United States. ”
— Brianna Stewart, co-dramaturg
Brianna Stewart's Research
“The Great Depression was a time of extreme economic uncertainty in the United States. [...] While this time of despair and lack was difficult for U.S. citizens of all races, the Harlem Renaissance produced art, literature, poetry, political activism, and social work that offered a bright light in the darkness. ”
— kristyl d. tift, lead dramaturg
Dr. Kristyl D. Tift's Research
Two women in vintage-style clothing standing in a room with a dark blue striped wall, sketches of costumes on the wall, and a wooden table with bottles and a silver ice bucket. One woman is seated, looking upset, while the other stands behind her with a concerned expression.

Photo by Phillip Franck

The scene depicts a theatrical play set recreating a vintage office or studio. There are four actors; one is sitting on a chair near the wall, another is seated at a desk writing, the third woman in red sitting on a chair, and a man entering through a door dressed in 1930s style. The room contains vintage furniture, a large portrait, and various sketches and clothes on the wall.

Photography (above) by Phillip N. Franck

Photography by Kristyl Dawn Tift