Last week I had the opportunity to attend press night for Platanos and Collard Greens with my friend Chris. To be completely honest, I think this review may be slightly biased due to the fact this was my first New York Play. I honestly don’t have anything negative to say, lollll.
I found the actors to be great in this production! I am curious as to if each of them have played their individual roles since the play first opened back in 2003. Everyone gave what appeared to be an effortless performance. It’s as if this the characters in the play mirrored their normal lives outside and we got to see what it was like to be them.
Press Release Blurb: Platanos and Collard Greens is a sweetly enacted love story about two Hunter College students, brought together due to a mishap at the pizza parlor. Can you imagine two strangers, from two different cultures…attracted at first sight.
*thinking* for some strange reason I don’t remember a pizza parlor incident. I think I need to call Chris up to see if he remembers…
*thinking* this is what I get for waiting 5 days to write a review, lolll.
Press Release Blurb: Platanos and Collard Greens is a Black and Latino story of love, life and real politics that takes us through a hilarious journey from Latin Boogaloo to David Dinkins to Barack Obama and Sonia Sotomayor. This is not just a love story but a story of history, politics and education.
*thinking* Am I the only one who didn’t know it was so hard to date outside of your race?! My friend Chris is Dominican, and he explained to me after the play the taboos of dating outside of his race, and how a lot of times it is frowned upon.
Platanos and Collard Greens is a window for dialogue between races; an opportunity to shed ignorance. Like, I am not trying to appear more intelligent then what I truly am on the subject. In my naive-ness, I feel if you love someone you should be with them. Who cares what race they are.
Do people realize how hard it is to find someone who gives a damn about you?
Shoot, you can be with someone for a year and a half of your same damn race and then all of a sudden they decide they want to treat you like shit *hmph*! Frankly, I am open to a Spanish dude or anyone who will love me for that matter.
Anyways, I recommend you go see this play. I think this play is perfect to bring someone on a date to. This play will definitely give you something to talk about over dinner, and give you an opportunity to see how one thinks.
Platanos & Collard Greens at Florence Gould Hall Theater, 55 E. 59th Street (between Park and Madison), New York, NY.
Ticket Prices: All Seats at Florence Gould Hall Theater are Reserved. All seats during June and July are $47.50 plus a $1 per tix Facility Fee (except for Sunday June 21st and Sunday July 26th at 7:00pm which tix are $37.50 plus a $1 per tix Facility Fee). Starting August 2009 all seats are $52.50 plus a $1 per tix Facility fee (except Sunday August 30th at 7:00pm which tix are $42.50 plus a $1 per tix Facility fee).
Click here to purchase tickets.
www.ticketmaster.com 212-307-4100
Axel Foley July 6, 2009
It is a fantastic play and its is a topic that though diminishing is still a object of discussion between many African Americans and latino couples particularly AA men and Latino women ( I think its a little less of an issue in reverse. Now if you factor in skin tone and it definitely touch some raw nerves.
The cast is incredible and they have a touring company that play college campuses throughout the country so contact them via the website.
Special Shout out to the Author David Lamb and the show’s Producer and his better half Jamillah Lamb for keeping this play going strong for six years ad counting.
Cleopatra_J July 6, 2009
I saw this play about 2 years ago and thought it was good. It’s nice to hear they’ve added some new material with recent events, like Obama & Sotomayer into the dialogue. Because they do things like that, I’d definitely see it again.