BUST

What if you could dissolve into thin air, escaping a tumultuous situation that ignited a fiery storm of anger? At that moment, when your emotions are on the brink of eruption, the desire to flee overwhelms you, as if the very weight of the world is pressing down, threatening to shatter your composure. Imagine a world where you're constantly cast as an outcast, labeled a criminal, and stripped of dignity and respect. In this harsh reality, those in power perceive you not as an individual with hopes and dreams but as a mere shadow of humanity, an entity to be disregarded. What if, within such an exhausting existence, you could find a way to break free, to step into a realm where your worth is recognized, your voice is heard, and your humanity is appreciated? BUST is an Afrocurrentist play at the Goodman Theatre in association with the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta. It skillfully evokes mixed emotions, including happiness, sadness, fear, anger, and rage. The themes of police brutality and systemic racism bring these emotions to the forefront. The new play is striking, depicting a scene that resonates with current societal issues that began movements like Black Lives Matter.

Mr Wood was approached by police in his parking lot, igniting a tense confrontation. Neighbors Retta, Reggie, and their grandson Trent listen in shock as the situation intensifies. Just as they reach for their phones to capture the moment, they are stunned to watch their neighbor vanish into thin air. The neighbors and the police are left scratching their heads, perplexed by the man's sudden disappearance. Trent videoed the event but hesitated to share it, convinced his friends would think he was crazy. One day in class, tensions escalate when Krystal, who is continuously late to class, gets into an argument with the teacher, who calls a security guard named Jack to escort her out for insubordination. Witnessing his aggressive behavior toward his crush, Krystal, Trent intervenes to protect her, resulting in a heated confrontation. As Jack tries to remove her, she refuses to leave. He applies force, and Trent, seeing her in distress, ignites a fierce rage. As Trent's anger boils over, he lunges toward Jack and suddenly disappears, landing in an unknown realm where he reencounters Mr. Woods. At this juncture, the play delves into our inner fury and explores how we can navigate our emotions when moments of rage occur.

Zora Howard uses her imagination to explore other characters' experiences. Ivan Cecil Walks provided an enthralling performance as Boobie, with an equally outstanding performance by Cecil Blutcher as Trent. Caroline Stefanie Clay's character, Retta, will have you laughing as she navigates a conversation with her girlfriend and her more relaxed husband, Reggie, played by Ray Anthony Thomas. Other cast included Bernard Gilbert (Zeke), Victoria Omoregie (Paige), and Renika Wlliams-Blutcher's brilliant and defiant portrayal of Krystal, with Mark Bedard, Jorge Lunathe, Caitlin Hargraves, and Keith Randolph Smith also performing well. The story carries a powerful message about acknowledging one's rage; however, this message can become muddled, often due to the use of a single word that alters its significance. The impact of a story largely depends on the audience's perspective and whether it resonates with them. Howard masterfully weaves together the characters in her intense play, "Bust," allowing the underlying theme of rage to shine through. This production demands your full attention; otherwise, you might get lost in the frequent use of the N-word and overlook its powerful message — and this is where my issue with BUST begins: the usage of one word.

I noticed that the audience displayed a mix of emotions as they watched playwright Zora Howard's frequent use of the 'N-word' alongside other vulgar language. This derogatory racial slur, which has historically stigmatized African Americans, permeates the play, instantly changing the atmosphere in the room and ruining the magnitude of its essential poignant message. Playwright Zora Howard's spirited production started from the rage she felt after the Trayvon Martin murder. The anger she felt fuelled her desire to write Bust and display a different way blacks could use the rage they experience daily, living in a world full of hatred toward our blackness — to have a positive outcome from the negativity others view those who are black. BUST's mission is like being your own psychiatrist, where you can find your own inter-peace, a euphoria where others and the world can't harm you. And I applaud that; however, it gets lost with the profanity and the derogatory use of a word that will never change from its hateful intent, regardless of how you try to negate its meaning. When it started, I was hoping that those who experience rage and anger toward each other, be it racial, discriminatory, or prejudiced views, would find that place of peace that passes all understanding. Unfortunately, what I felt and saw from the audience leaving out was more of a division of thoughts. A divided nation of people, still seeing color over character.

The word is divisive and divides. You could hear the laughter when black actors said it, but the groaning and anger when the white police officer used it. August Wilson's usage of this word, a word that carries such painful weight, of course, is due to a history of racism. He used it 87 times in his play, Two Trains Running. Wilson received criticism from irritant black audiences, who felt its true hateful meaning and painful legacy that could never be erased. You can't erase the stain of the bloodshed by millions who suffered mentally, physically, and psychologically simply by transforming the word into a comedic gesture. This play is engaging and provides an interesting viewpoint of how we can handle our rage. Still, words can hurt, and this one word changes the dynamics of a noteworthy production.

Nevertheless, BUST employs a combination of realism and magical illusion to suggest that characters pushed to the brink of their rage can ultimately disappear, imagining themselves in a place where there is peace in their lives. It confronts discrimination head-on, boldly declaring, "Do not allow it to push you to a boiling point where your emotions erupt uncontrollably." Instead, it encourages us to seek a tranquil space within ourselves, a refuge where we can thoughtfully address our grievances before they transform into an explosive fist of rage. Howard challenges us to the proverbial "Stop, Look, and Listen," where we are encouraged to pause, observe our surroundings, and listen within for potential hazards before proceeding. Still, I wonder how powerful her message could have been if one word, one volatile connotation to provoke rage, was removed. Martin Luther King wrote, "All of the misery that stoked the flames of rage and rebellion remains undiminished."

Bust is a powerful present-day and historical flashback of the rage we felt and still feel today as blacks who want to be seen through the same lens as those who make the glasses. We have desired to break into this peaceful existence since slavery. We can't find the peace this play so poignantly mentions by speaking words that will only provoke rage and cause us to negativity Bust.

You be the judge!

⭐⭐⭐

Goodman Theatre, in Association with Alliance Theatre

BUST

By Zora Howard

Directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz

April 20 -May 18, 2025

In association with Alliance Theatre

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