A Small Oak Tree Runs Red

See it if Topic could be interesting but not with this play

Don't see it if Just skip it ...

See it if You're interested in the early 20th Century South.

Don't see it if You lose patience with not understanding what's going on.

See it if You want a surrealistic retelling of an infamous event not often told by brilliant actors in great staging deftly directed.

Don't see it if You want a straightforward history lesson.

See it if You are interested in a story about lynching in America. Difficult but worthwhile and moving. Great acting.

Don't see it if You are triggered by portrayals of violence, or are not interested in intense stories of black history.

See it if you want a powerful exploration if how little race relations have changed in the last 100 tears.

Don't see it if you're looking for a light-hearted production

See it if You are ready to confront the ugly racist truth of Jim Crow so as to make change You want to see an intense & disturbing performance

Don't see it if You want something light or if you are in denial about the nation's racist history and continued systems of racial oppression

Also The plot centers on the horrific lynching of Mary Turner. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Turner

It is set in a purgatory that represents our country's inability to overcome it's racist past because of our inability to confront the cruel facts of white supremacy and it's consequences for the soul of America

The staging is eerie and beautiful.

The actors were magnificent! - They each gave deeply felt performances that displayed a full range of emotion & the male parts required tremendous physical endurance and agility.

The play is just a bit over-written & the direction was a bit too loud - there were points where either less dialogue or a quieter agony and anger would have been more effective

I appreciated the direct call for reconciliation if not reparations as I am tired of the "polite subtlety" of many works of art that let the viewer off the hook.

So privileged to have been there as the actors and playwright acknowledged some of Mary Turner's family was in the audience... Read more Read less

See it if Very difficult to review this play as it was about a horrific topic.I found the characters somewhat difficult to understand at times but you

Don't see it if if you like a large cast and predictable endings.It was neither.Also stories about lynching which it is about.About America's history.

Also get the drift of the play as it goes on.Very different than most plays that i see,however,if you want to know about real things happening to African people than this play will enlighten you.For Black History Month,this is definitely appropriate.... Read more Read less

See it if You are interested in Black history and are not disturbed with dialogue that describes violent lynching that actually took place

Don't see it if You are not interested in Black history and are disturbed by hearing about lynching

See it if You like historical play and dramatic pieces, moves between reality and the afterlife.

Don't see it if You are bothered by lynching and the negative language of that time.

See it if you're into historical truths

Don't see it if the topic of slavery and lynchings makes you cringe.

See it if you want an in-depth exploration of the generational and moral wounds left by America's racist history.

Don't see it if you don't like another purgatory morality play or don't like being confronted with uncomfortable facts about your country.

See it if You are woke. You understand the problems of racism today exist because black voices have been violently silenced for so long.

Don't see it if You aren't ready for the tears to flow over all the innocent lives murdered in our history. Ties in strongly to today's systemic violence.

Also Very glad we went to see this play because it is so, so important to make the connections between the past and present, especially in the current political climate. Staging was beyond impactful (over 4,000 names of lynching victims written on slips of paper) and actors were solid.... Read more Read less

See it if You have an interest in the history of slavery in America.

Don't see it if You are squeamish, as it involves lynching and other disturbing teams surrounding this country’s history of slavery.

See it if you enjoy discussions about a difficult topic and how culture deals with it. great to talk about history its impact and how to not repeat it

Don't see it if you are confused with alternate or dual placements of a story. the history of the moment were absorbing, but

Also the afterlife/purgatory a bit difficult to follow the purpose and resonance... Read more Read less

See it if you want to be moved in so many directions. The acting and the writing.

Don't see it if You don't want to be reminded of our horrible past in the treatment of black Americans.

Also All the actors are wonderful and riveting. In the beginning one of the actors was difficult to understand because of the speed of his speech but after a few minutes I began to understand the prose and poetry of his words and had no further difficulty. The staging was so unique and smart and heartbreaking all at the same time. I didn't want it to end, but I was grateful for the intermission to catch my breath. Amazing theatre that will sit with you for a long time... Read more Read less

See it if You like black theater, historical theater, thought provoking theater, & aren’t averse to being shown the shameful parts of American history

Don't see it if You want to feel completely comfortable with your theater, or if you dont like historical theater.

See it if you are a fan of thought provocative, timely, emotional theater that forces the audience to think. Great staging and set.

Don't see it if you expect simplistic writing that spoon-feeds meaning to the audience.

Also I wasn't familiar with this company. I look forward to seeing more of their work. I wish there were more people, in the audience. This work deserves to be seen. And I particularly wish there were more white people in the audience. We need to make more of an effort to see work that depicts the African American experience. This was not an easy piece to watch. But it was powerful and I appreciated the artistry and unflinching commentary on the senseless brutality of lynch mobs.... Read more Read less

See it if want to see an A+ performance by Yusef Miller. An important story, that starts off puzzling, lends an eerie poeticism,keeps you captivated.

Don't see it if you cant handle tough racial subject matter.

See it if You want to know truth

Don't see it if You can't handle the truth

See it if You're interested in true stories of the history of African-Americans and their lives having no meaning in the early 1900's.

Don't see it if If you are very sensitive to the harsh treatment and hanging death of African-American families including women and babies.

See it if Historical, painful, fantastic acting and a must see for young people in particular.

Don't see it if The painful history of race relations in this country is immaterial to you...