The flyer depicted black revolutionaries dressed in Black Panther attire comprised of black leather jackets, black shades and fists held high in the air.
The name of the performance is “The Black Panther Suite: All Power to the People.” As most of the audience stood outside, they had no idea what to expect until they entered Blackman Auditorium. Once the lights were dimmed and the audience was in place, they were greeted by a small orchestra. Each member played a different instrument ranging from the saxophone to the bass. Standing in front of the onlookers was a man dressed in cutoff shorts beating a tambourine and singing African tunes. This introduction took the crowd into a history lesson through the eyes of African-Americans. Throughout the performance, historical images such as the incarceration of famed Black Panther Hewey Newton and speeches by civil rights activists Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. flashed before the audience’s eyes. The orchestra provided the soundtrack while the actors depicted scenes from enslavement to freedom. This multimedia approach presented a certain amount of chaos.
The presentation of historical factiods in this innovative way was a fascinating alternative to otherwise force-fed textbook information.
“The Black Panther Suite” was brought to the university by revolutionary composer Fred Ho. Ho envisioned the experience, which infused martial arts and capoera. According to the press notes, this performance was “intended to be viewed as a ‘revolutionary vision quest’ that showed the issues and struggles of the late 60s and 70s with the on-going issues and struggles of today.”
The audience may not have known this, because most came out of the auditorium in what appeared to be a state of confusion. They probably expected a play, and came out having seen something totally different.
The choreography was slightly disorganized, the dancers were never on the same beat. One thing that was definitely perfect was the music. With a little more practice, the Black Panther Suite will be a hit.
