Purchase College Students Produce And Perform In Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom August 28, 2009

Purchase College Theatre and Design Technology students present a production of “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” August Wilson’s award-winning play about race, art, religion, music, and the battle that still rages for the soul of America’s black community. The production’s cast and crew are made up entirely of students from Purchase College’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts & Film, and the budget was raised through independent means.
"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" is a song by Ma Rainey, which makes obvious allusions rather than being dance music. The title “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” was used for a 1982 play by August Wilson, showing the exploits and experiences of African-Americans. “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” is set in Chicago, March of 1927. In two acts, the play tells the story of legendary blues singer Ma Rainey and her band, addressing race, religion, art, and the sometimes soul-crushing search for identity in 1920s America. The title of the play, derived from a phenomenally popular flapper-era dance and the title of one of Ma Rainey's actual songs, is in itself a statement about the exploitation of African-American performers by white producers, which becomes one of the play's central conflicts.