Variety states that Lionsgate has acquired the feature rights to the stage play 'For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf' and signed music-video director Nzingha Stewart to helm the screenplay adaptation.
The play, which was written by Ntozake Shange, was first performed in 1975. It was made into a 1982 telepic with Shange, Laurie Carlos, Trazana Beverly, Alfre Woodard and Lynn Whitfield for PBS American Playhouse banner.
The play is a series of 20 poems telling stories of love, abandonment, domestic abuse and other issues faced by black women.
Lionsgate made the announcement Wednesday and touted its "leadership role in producing and distributing a diverse roster of motion pictures about black characters."
Stewart has directed music videos for Jagged Edge, Joss Stone, Keyshia Cole and Mary Mary. Other music video directors who have made the transition to the film world include F. Gary Gray, Antoine Fuqua and, most recently, Benny Boon, whose feature debut, 'Next Day Air,' opens in May.
Comments: (11)
Add a comment
By: Fox on 3/30/2009 8:49PM
Please do NOT cast Beyonce, Will Smith or other generic representations of Black America as ordained by White America. Please have real actresses and actors in these roles to enrichen the experience. Otherwise, I'm skipping it.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: hanifah on 3/31/2009 11:35AM
I agree with the previous comment. If they need to have a "money" person, India.Arie would be very believable if cast in a role... Phyllis Yvonne Stickney (where has she been???) also would be a wonderful addition. Another suggestion is to have an open casting call held around the country to give unknowns the opportunity. Hollywood tends to cast the same actresses: Halle Berry (no way), Gabrielle Union (too known), Sanaa Latham (could pull it off but too familiar), Jada Pinkett Smith (same as Gabrielle). Also, hopefully they will stay true with the casting...if I remember correctly it was all African American.
Report This
By: djw on 3/31/2009 12:00AM
I feel that Beyounce will do an excellant job - black folk need to stop sweating the small stuff - not long ago Beyounce or any other actor or actress could get a job in hollywood. Please be thankful. Will Smith, Tyler Perry, & Ice Cube have really set the bar high for the next generation of African American producers
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: bbfresh on 3/31/2009 2:55AM
Problem is black movies rarely get made unless there's a will smith or a beyonce. they may have to use famous people just to get it made period. please don't skip it because of that. support black film and soon we'll be able to cast who we want...
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: dre on 3/31/2009 10:08AM
go ahead - "enrichen" my experience. The story that is being told is not about any generic actor, but about the experience of colored girls. if you would like to "enrichen" the experience by using other actors, then make your directorial debut. I'm sure your experience at casting and managing a film would undoubtedly "enrichen" our collective experiencss as the movie viewing public.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Anita on 3/31/2009 11:07AM
I agree with Fox, I hope that they choose actors who are real and authentic,not the "usual suspects" such as Beyonce, Halle Berry etc., all of the ones that whitewashed Hollywood love and deem "safe." I think that India Arie would be a good choice since she was in the play that was produced, or even Jennifer Hudson. Besides, Beyonce probably doesn't consider herself "colored" anyway, with her wishing she was latina and all. Who wants some self-hating sister, who doesn't even want to be black, which is obvious in the stupid crap that she says and the way that she carries herself, being in such as movie anyway that talks about the struggles that "everyday" black women go through anyway. What does Beyonce know about struggles, when she and her parents have stole and lied to help her get to the top.
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: Cobbo on 3/31/2009 10:29PM
Wow sis,sounds real personal. Has Beyonce got under your skin so deeply, that you have to get worked up to the point that you're ready to start moving furniture? It's just not that serious. The sister appears to be very proud to be black. That statement about wishing to be latin, was taken out of context. Wayyyy out of context. Stop hating!
Report This
By: monique bailey on 4/01/2009 10:59AM
Beyonce not the write pick angie stone and neo soul singers and average joe's best pick
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: doris on 4/02/2009 8:17AM
I agree with the first writer as well. Hollywood gets on the one trick black pony and that is all we see. I am sooo tired of Halle, Beyonce, Jada, Latifa, the wonderful thing about Slumdog, was that I didn't know any of the actors, fresh faces all of them. The Jews in LA think that the only folk we want to see is these folks. I saw a production in Baltimore years ago that was so fierce. George Faison directed it using older women and younger women played them in the day. they won't use India bacause she is dark and pretty, they love big fat black sistas, and really not so attractive side kicks, like they have on most shows.
Don't hate I just call it like I see it.
Peace
Reply to this Comment | Report This
By: T.C. Wright on 5/01/2009 9:39PM
I could see...Kerry Washington who play the wife in Ray...Taraji P. Henderson for Benjamin Button...Anika Rose from Dream Girls and The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency on HBO...Mahlinda Williams from SoulFood...Aunjanue Ellis from Ray and Disappearing Acts(2000)...Taral Hicks from Belly...Chandra Wilson from Gray's Anatomy
That would be my cast...lol! like i got some pull
Anyway, I just hope they true to the storyline and character's situation.
Reply to this Comment | Report This