''Black Picture Show'' is a play written by Bill Gunn at the height of the

Black Arts Movement The Black Arts Movement (BAM) was an African Americans, African-American-led art movement that was active during the 1960s and 1970s. Through activism and art, BAM created new cultural institutions and conveyed a message of black pride. The mov ...

, in 1975.

Clive Barnes Clive Alexander Barnes (13 May 1927 – 19 November 2008) was an English writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977, he was the dance and theater critic for ''The New York Times'', and, from 1978 until his death, the ''New York Post''. Barnes had sign ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' described it as having "brilliant writing". The play deals with the conversations between an aging, mentally ill Black screenwriter, playwright, and poet and his son, also an artist. It was also published as a book.

Plot

Alexander, the father, is trying to create artwork that is both politically and artistically meaningful, while also being commercially successful. His son, J.D., is focused on making bold, unconventional art. The clash between the father and son's approaches drives the story of ''Black Picture Show''. The play has a poetic, absurdist style and uses techniques from film, turning a family drama into an avant-garde theatrical piece. The way Gunn's play is structured also explores the challenge Black artists face in deciding whether to make experimental or more mainstream work.

Productions

''Black Picture Show'' was originally performed at the

Vivian Beaumont Theater The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT ...

as part of the

New York Shakespeare Festival Shakespeare in the Park (or Free Shakespeare in the Park) is a theatrical program that stages productions of Shakespearean plays at the Delacorte Theater, an open-air theater in New York City's Central Park. The theater and the productions are ...

. The show was produced by

Joseph Papp Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. Papp is a pioneering figure in American theater, known for creating Shakespeare in the Park, which aimed to make classi ...

and featured music and lyrics by Sam Waymon. It ran from January 6 to February 9, 1975, with 21 previews and 41 performances. In June 2021, a staged reading of ''Black Picture Show'' was performed, directed by Awoye Timpo, in conjunction with a gallery exhibition and program series dedicated to the work of Bill Gunn at the

Artists Space Artists Space is a non-profit art gallery and arts organization first established at 155 Wooster Street in SoHo, Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1972 by Irving Sandler and Trudie Grace and funded by the New York State Council on the Arts ...

gallery. The performance was later made into a publicly available recording.

Awards and Honors

The original 1975 production received two nominations at the 29th Tony Awards: Best Featured Actor In A Play for

Dick Anthony Williams Richard Anthony Williams (August 9, 1934 – February 16, 2012) was an American actor. He was best known for his starring performances on Broadway in ''The Poison Tree'', ''What the Wine-Sellers Buy'' and ''Black Picture Show''. Williams also had ...

(also nominated for the

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...

) and Best Featured Actress In A Play for Linda Miller.

References

1975 plays Plays about writers African-American plays {{1970s-play-stub