Acting Up and Getting Down

One of the few books of its kind, Acting Up and Getting Down brings together seven African American literary voices that all have a connection to the Lone Star state. Covering Texas themes and universal ones, this collection showcases often-overlooked literary talents to bring to life inspiring facets of black theatre history. Capturing the intensity of racial violence in Texas, from the Battle of San Jacinto to a World War Iera riot at a Houston training ground, Celeste Bedford Walkers Camp Logan and Ted Shines Ancestors provide fascinating narratives through the lens of history. Thomas Meloncons Johnny B. Goode and George Hawkinss Brer Rabbit explore the cultural legacies of blues music and folktales. Three unflinching dramas (Sterling Houstons Driving Wheel, Eugene Lees Killingsworth, and Elizabeth Brown-Guillorys When the Ancestors Call) examine homosexuality, a death in the family, and child abuse, bringing to light the private tensions of intersections between the individual and the community. Supplemented by a chronology of black literary milestones as well as a playwrights canon, Acting Up and Getting Down puts the spotlight on creative achievements that have for too long been excluded from Texas letters. The resulting anthology not only provides new insight into a regional experience but also completes the American story as told onstage.