Pretty Fire

by Charlayne Woodard

A play for one actress, taking each of the parts in turn, portrays stages in the life of an African American girl, including her premature birth into a strong and loving family, her first encounters with racism in the North and the Klan in the South, sexual assault, and a religious experience through the power of gospel music

Genres: Plays, Drama

51 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Persephone (Sarah) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Checked this audiobook out on a whim, it turned out to be her full performance. I couldn’t stop listening. Equal measures of beauty, laughter, tears, and everything in between. Powerful, gorgeous performance and storytelling.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic play!! I know that it was originally written with one voice, but the playwright has decided to break it into a few different characters, I can definitely see in the writing how it was meant to be a one person show, but I love the introduction of different voices as well.

This is one of my favorite exchanges in the entire play , and I feel like it’s so representative of the Grandma‘s character as a whole

ALLIE. Is Grandmama gonna die now?

CHARLAYNE. "I don't know, Allie, but if she does, she'll die happy." A few Sundays passed, and again we were out at Grandmama's for that wonderful Sunday dinner. This time she was standing at the stove, frying some chicken, when Grandmama just hauled off GRANDMAMA. Lord... before I die ... I sure would love to hear one of my grands sing... a solo ... with that Wilborn's Temple Church of God in Christ Junior Church Choir.

CHARLAYNE. Now how could Grandmama stand there at that stove, on a Sunday afternoon, and come up with a SECOND dying wish?! This was way out of our control!!”

[Caroline Brassard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the play but preferred “the night watcher”. Her delivery is so rich in characters, her pace just right. I wish I could be in the theater to get the full visuals as I heard the crowd so many times because of her body language. She sang a little bit more and it was a joy. Will listen to more plays from her. Thankfully I realise that this is the first of a trilogy. Next comes Neat, then, In Real Life. Yay!

[Talia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Riot Read Harder 2020: A play by an author of color

This play is an autobiographical one-woman show of Woodard's birth and childhood growing up in upstate New York, and Georgia. Separated into 5 different stories, all of them are poignant and powerful. I listened to this performed by Charlayne Woodard on audio, and she is fantastic, almost performing like slam-poetry.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw Ms Woodard on the LitUp Webinar earlier this summer, and really liked her. This sweet play/book will warm your ❤

[Celeste · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was entertaining. It felt as if it was IV with a line that goes straight to the heart.

[behsforensics]

Cutting is for Bonsey
By Charlayne Woodard

Another cuttings is for Nigger
By Charlayne Woodard

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlayne Woodard has a way of telling a story that brings back memories of summers in the south and fast life in the north. Her reminiscing about childhood experiences will make you smile and cry as you listen to the stories told by the author in her one woman plays. As with my previous rating of "Neat", I tell all that you must experience the audio version of this play. I laughed, I remembered and I loved it. I have since purchased anything I can find by the author. You will read it and recommend it.

[Shazia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an astonishingly good book. It is a set of vignettes about a young black woman growing up in New York. Each story both captures the very individual experiences of the author, and the way in which her story reflects the stories of others. Easiest to say that it rang true. It was completely compelling. I did listen to the audiobook version of this, a performance reading, and I suspect that added considerably to my enjoyment.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a wonderful autobiography. rich with emotion, colorful and deep. I truly enjoyed this listen.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another series of monologues by Charlayne Woodard. Here she talks about her African-American family, her premature birth, life in New York, and Ku Klux Klan. Breathtaking and heartfelt stories!