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Trouble in Mind
“A masterpiece . . . Trouble in Mind still contains astonishing power; it could have been written yesterday.� � Vulture Ahead of its time, Trouble in Mind , written in 1955, follows the rehearsal process of an anti-lynching play preparing for its Broadway debut. When Wiletta, a Black actress and veteran of the stage, challenges the play’s stereotypical portrayal of the Black characters, unsettling biases come to the forefront and reveal the ways so-called progressive art can be used to uphold racist attitudes. Scheduled to open on Broadway in 1957, Childress objected to the requested changes in the script that would “sanitize� the play for mainstream audiences, and the production was canceled as a result. Childress’s final script is published here with an essay by playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins , editor of TCG Illuminations.
104 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1955
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About the author
Alice Childress
33books62followersAlice Childress (October 12, 1916 � August 14, 1994) was an American playwright, actor, and author.
She took odd jobs to pay for herself, including domestic worker, photo retoucher, assistant machinist, saleslady, and insurance agent. In 1939, she studied Drama in the American Negro Theatre (ANT), and performed there for 11 years. She acted in Abram Hill and John Silvera's On Strivers Row (1940), Theodore Brown's Natural Man (1941), and Philip Yordan's Anna Lucasta (1944). There she won acclaim as an actress in numerous other productions, and moved to Broadway with the transfer of ANT's hit comedy Anna Lucasta, which became the longest-running all-black play in Broadway history. Alice also became involved in social causes. She formed an off-broadway union for actors. Her first play, Florence, was produced off-Broadway in 1950.
Her next play, Just a Little Simple (1950), was adapted from the Langston Hughes' novel Simple Speaks His Mind. It was produced in Harlem at the Club Baron Theatre. Her next play, Gold Through the Trees (1952), gave her the distinction of being one of the first African-American women to have work professionally produced on the New York stage. Her next work, Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White, was completed in 1962. The setting of the show is South Carolina during World War I and deals with a forbidden interracial love affair. Due to the scandalous nature of the show and the stark realism it presented, it was impossible for Childress to get any theatre in New York to put it up. The show premiered at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and later in Chicago. It was not until 1972 that it played in New York at the New York Shakespeare Festival. It was later filmed and shown on TV, but many stations refused to play it.
In 1965, she was featured in the BBC presentation The Negro in the American Theatre. From 1966 to 1968, she was awarded as a scholar-in-residence by Harvard University at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
Alice Childress is also known for her literary works. Among these are Those Other People (1989) and A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich (1973). Also, she wrote a screenplay for the 1978 film based on A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich. Her 1979 novel A Short Walk was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Childress described her writing as trying to portray the have-nots in a have society. In conjunction with her composer husband, Nathan Woodard, she wrote a number of musical plays, including Sea Island Song and Young Martin Luther King.
(from Wikipedia)
She took odd jobs to pay for herself, including domestic worker, photo retoucher, assistant machinist, saleslady, and insurance agent. In 1939, she studied Drama in the American Negro Theatre (ANT), and performed there for 11 years. She acted in Abram Hill and John Silvera's On Strivers Row (1940), Theodore Brown's Natural Man (1941), and Philip Yordan's Anna Lucasta (1944). There she won acclaim as an actress in numerous other productions, and moved to Broadway with the transfer of ANT's hit comedy Anna Lucasta, which became the longest-running all-black play in Broadway history. Alice also became involved in social causes. She formed an off-broadway union for actors. Her first play, Florence, was produced off-Broadway in 1950.
Her next play, Just a Little Simple (1950), was adapted from the Langston Hughes' novel Simple Speaks His Mind. It was produced in Harlem at the Club Baron Theatre. Her next play, Gold Through the Trees (1952), gave her the distinction of being one of the first African-American women to have work professionally produced on the New York stage. Her next work, Wedding Band: A Love/Hate Story in Black and White, was completed in 1962. The setting of the show is South Carolina during World War I and deals with a forbidden interracial love affair. Due to the scandalous nature of the show and the stark realism it presented, it was impossible for Childress to get any theatre in New York to put it up. The show premiered at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and later in Chicago. It was not until 1972 that it played in New York at the New York Shakespeare Festival. It was later filmed and shown on TV, but many stations refused to play it.
In 1965, she was featured in the BBC presentation The Negro in the American Theatre. From 1966 to 1968, she was awarded as a scholar-in-residence by Harvard University at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
Alice Childress is also known for her literary works. Among these are Those Other People (1989) and A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich (1973). Also, she wrote a screenplay for the 1978 film based on A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich. Her 1979 novel A Short Walk was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Childress described her writing as trying to portray the have-nots in a have society. In conjunction with her composer husband, Nathan Woodard, she wrote a number of musical plays, including Sea Island Song and Young Martin Luther King.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 17, 2024
This book is a play. Even though the play was written in 1955, the story is relevant for today's society. My wife and I always read the play we are going to attend beforehand to get a better understanding of the play. The play is about how black actors especially in the 1950's had difficulty in being hired for "meaty" roles. Also, the aspect of lynching is prevalent in the story. There are times in the reading where the actors begin in character then go reflect the realities of the theater for themselves. The play is being performed at SUNY-New Paltz through their theater department. For those who did not live through the Civil Rights movement please read.
May 16, 2022
This beautiful, unexpected, complex, humane play is, unbelievably, almost 70 years old, but nearly everything in it resonates with today. Childress' backstage comedy of manners (or is it a tragedy?) rings with truth but manages to do it without devolving into preaching or stereotypes, and while each of her nine characters represents a point of view on the same guiding theme, none of them feel any less than fully-fleshed, complex humans with whom you can both empathize and examine at the same time. There's so much to unpack here, and not all of it will be readily relatable to every person who encounters it, but the ending is so heartbreaking and satisfying, the arc of the heroine's story so perfectly realized, that the lasting impression of the play pulls you back to consider it more, deeper and deeper, again and again.
April 26, 2025
incredible play from 1955. As a group of black and white actors rehearse an anti-lynching play, Wiletta, the middle-aged actress at the heart of it, raises objections to the stereotypical nature of the black characters. While at the beginning of the play, Wiletta advises the younger black actors to go along to get along, she is increasingly frustrated in the limitations of roles and in her career. The indignities of the hacky and stereotypical play mount, culimating in a stunning, searing soliloquy on the tightly-circumscribed and caricature roles allowed for black actresses. There is a shameful meta element beyond the play within the play, which is that originally producers wanted Childress to tone *this* play down in its first run. It was finally revived again in 2021. I wish I could see it performed. very rarely has a play moved me so much in text.
February 7, 2023
Satire on racism in the theatre. Mainly thoughtful and funny. Sometimes labored and melodramatic.
February 9, 2025
Scary how this holds up
February 6, 2025
i think a lot of messages in this went over my head until i talked about this in class, it makes me want to re-read it. besides me struggling reading plays, this was pretty good. i think it would be 5 stars if i saw it performed insted.
February 7, 2021
This is the first Childress that I've read and I'm now eager for more!
This was such a thought provoking meta-commentary on the presentation of black lives in theater/film. Presenting a broad spectrum of approach to the experience of black performers in films and plays about race relations in America which are written, directed, and produced by white men and calibrated for the white gaze.
I found the white perspective very realistically articulated by the (white) director who, in a defensive fit at being called racist, declares "Here's the bitter news, since you're livin' off truth....The American public is not ready to see you the way you want to be seen because, one, they don't believe it, two they don't want to believe it, and three, they're convinced they're superior---and that, my friend, is why [the white characters] have to carry the ball! Get it? Now you wise up and aim for the soft spot in that American heart, let 'em pity you, make 'em weep buckets, be helpless, make 'em feel so damned sorry for you that they'll lend a hand in easing up the pressure."
It just rang so true to the stories I saw portrayed in my youth. I'm optimistic that we are on the cusp of change-I see more work written and produced by writers of color and I'm so here for it. But it was startling for me to realize that this play (written and set in 1955) so clearly depicted the "civil rights" productions I grew up feeling inspired by in the 80s and 90s.
And of course, here I go in my review, centering my own white perspective again. The play more importantly centers the experience and feelings of the black actors trying to balance their needs to make a living, their desires to shift social sentiments, and the cognitive dissonance of realizing that the production they are a part of does not depict the lived experience of black people in America.
Very very interesting piece.
This was such a thought provoking meta-commentary on the presentation of black lives in theater/film. Presenting a broad spectrum of approach to the experience of black performers in films and plays about race relations in America which are written, directed, and produced by white men and calibrated for the white gaze.
I found the white perspective very realistically articulated by the (white) director who, in a defensive fit at being called racist, declares "Here's the bitter news, since you're livin' off truth....The American public is not ready to see you the way you want to be seen because, one, they don't believe it, two they don't want to believe it, and three, they're convinced they're superior---and that, my friend, is why [the white characters] have to carry the ball! Get it? Now you wise up and aim for the soft spot in that American heart, let 'em pity you, make 'em weep buckets, be helpless, make 'em feel so damned sorry for you that they'll lend a hand in easing up the pressure."
It just rang so true to the stories I saw portrayed in my youth. I'm optimistic that we are on the cusp of change-I see more work written and produced by writers of color and I'm so here for it. But it was startling for me to realize that this play (written and set in 1955) so clearly depicted the "civil rights" productions I grew up feeling inspired by in the 80s and 90s.
And of course, here I go in my review, centering my own white perspective again. The play more importantly centers the experience and feelings of the black actors trying to balance their needs to make a living, their desires to shift social sentiments, and the cognitive dissonance of realizing that the production they are a part of does not depict the lived experience of black people in America.
Very very interesting piece.
June 24, 2022
A brilliantly written piece that is so relevant to today-unfortunately, it was written almost 70 years ago-which is an extremely sad statement. A play within a play, Trouble in Mind delves into the same issues that actors of color are still dealing with today; issues which they shouldn't be dealing with, us white folks should be! This was an especially moving read today in light of the horrific decision that have been handing down by the SCOTUS this week. READ THIS PLAY!
June 27, 2022
A breathtakingly brilliant! It is tragic that not one word needs to be changed after all of these years.
October 20, 2024
I thought that this was a great read! I loved that Childress addressed racism in theatre, IN a theater. I thought that was so clever and the story was really solid. The writing was confusing at times to where I was confused on who was talking to who, and that frustrated me. But I would really love to see this performed. I think it’s so timely, even today!
Want to read
October 9, 2015انا من العراق واحتاج لهذا الكتاب في دراستي ارجو ارسال نسخة كي اقرأه
January 10, 2016
Task: Read a play - 4/5 stars
June 12, 2016
Theatre, through the eyes of a black female playwright.
February 12, 2024
I was taken on an emotional journey reading this play, oscillating at times between a soft understanding, having been in similar experiences myself; to an overwhelming experience of just� bittersweet
If Alice Childress’s goal was to ‘paint a realistic portrait of what it was to be Black in the theater industry�, she achieved this at a distinction grade level.
Trouble in mind is a fantastic portrayal of the struggles that black people experienced, and in some cases still experience, navigating the world in that time period. Alice does a remarkable job of imbuing each character with a very clear sense of self and attitude, creating beautiful and dynamic scenes when these contrasting personalities interact with eachother.
There are also wonderful moments that challenge long held, and often negative narratives, that black people have held - the idea of being a ‘Yes Man� versus ‘An Uncle Tom� and where the line is, the idea that you should be happy because even though your position is bad, it could still be worse and at least you’re better than some, of playing to expectation to appease others; it has a tinge of everything.
Wonderful book, definitely recommend
If Alice Childress’s goal was to ‘paint a realistic portrait of what it was to be Black in the theater industry�, she achieved this at a distinction grade level.
Trouble in mind is a fantastic portrayal of the struggles that black people experienced, and in some cases still experience, navigating the world in that time period. Alice does a remarkable job of imbuing each character with a very clear sense of self and attitude, creating beautiful and dynamic scenes when these contrasting personalities interact with eachother.
There are also wonderful moments that challenge long held, and often negative narratives, that black people have held - the idea of being a ‘Yes Man� versus ‘An Uncle Tom� and where the line is, the idea that you should be happy because even though your position is bad, it could still be worse and at least you’re better than some, of playing to expectation to appease others; it has a tinge of everything.
Wonderful book, definitely recommend
September 5, 2024
Struggled through this more than I would have liked considering how much I revere Childress' other plays; I think this one meandered at the start and felt very much like a first play, albeit one by an extremely talented and subtle writer. Although racism is certainly a large element of this play, my expectations may have been tempered by exaggerated plot descriptions which made it seem more a parable and less a study of a situation, one which has many more laughs than you might expect. I would love to see it on stage, as the comedic and ensemble elements could really come alive under a skilled director; on a first read, though, the 2nd act was where I felt fully immersed, as you finally start to understand where Childress is going and the full vision of the story. Her subtlety has made a play from the 50s still relevant, and her smart sense of character makes for a wonderful ensemble. I just wish I felt more invested in the plot elements earlier on, but a production or a reread could probably change my mind.
February 16, 2023
Fascinating play. There are interesting parallels between the action of the play and the play within the play, artfully explored by changes in speech patterns as well as other shifts in perspective. Although this was written in the middle of the twentieth century, and there are assumptions and slights that are offensive today, the play is also heart-rending in its modernity. So little has changed. Outrageously funny but also tragic in its implications.
February 13, 2023
Loved the meta nature of this play. Its premise as a backstage farce gives it a clear skeleton to play within and break the rules of. Every detail is calculated and you can tell that Childress is not only a playwright but an author as this play has hidden meaning when read as a text opposed to seeing a staged production.
January 20, 2022
This play is replete with intelligent humour that subtly exposes the racial inequalities affecting dramaturgy and the contemporary theatre. I found the ending slightly dull in comparison to the serrated middle.
October 9, 2022
I’m so glad I got to see this on Broadway (in 2021) and I knew then that was really important and essential theater viewing. But now reading it (and reliving it a bit in my mind) plus the afterword essay also makes it essential theater reading.
August 28, 2023
This was the first writing that I've read from Childress, and I look forward to reading more of her work. This play could have been written in 2023 and still felt timely. What a powerful vision and clear voice Childress had!
July 13, 2020
One of my faves, fresh as the day it was written 65 years ago.
March 30, 2021
This was a reading "performed" by SF ACT. Perfect. Can't wait for the behind the scenes.
January 24, 2023
National Theater Live subscription 15: Plays about plays! Sometimes masturbatory, but in this case completely justified.
Read
July 26, 2023Stellar, witty, complex. A great play by a great playwright who is understandably (and belatedly) being fully appreciated.
September 2, 2024
Sort of a slow Act I with lots of exposition. The fireworks happen in Act II and leaves the reader with important points to reflect on. I look forward to reading reviews of its recent revival.
September 23, 2024
Very good play and an impactful read! Read it for Script Analysis and have also seen live!
December 28, 2024
very interesting play!
loved the layers of plays/theater/acting
loved the layers of plays/theater/acting
February 4, 2025
better than the first time.
March 25, 2022
Sixty seven years later Trouble in Mind is timely, relevant, and able to bring an entire theater to silence. Through a modern lens small details feel sanitized for a white audience which only drives the piece home in an unexpected manner. Authentic truth nailed with almost every line makes this account timeless.
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