November 1, 2000
These three poignant plays by Orlandersmith, a promising African American actress and playwright, include the 1995 Obie Award-winning Beauty's Daughter and two shorter plays, all of which premiered in New York and Princeton, NJ, during 1996-99. The plays, which are based upon Orlandersmith's experience growing up in New York City's East Harlem, reveal the violent, multiracial ghetto life of alcohol, drugs, and sex through the eyes of children, adolescents, and adults as their early hopes and dreams are replaced with raw anger or despair. Orlandersmith is unique in her creative use of short phrasing and references to jazz, blues, rap, and rock'n'roll as background. Reflecting the tempos, actions, and moods of each play, these techniques enhance her poetic style, which makes reading this work a memorable experience. Recommended for modern American drama collections in all academic and public libraries.--Ming-ming Shen Kuo, Ball State Univ. Libs., Muncie, IN
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