LOST IN LANGUAGE AND SOUND or how i found my way to the arts: essays

The author, best known for her stage piece FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF, explains how she became involved in the arts and how she’s grown as a performer and writer. Each essay is personal and contains a great deal of information for both the casual listener and anyone looking for a more analytical view of Shange’s career. Allyson Johnson narrates with authority and confidence in a clear voice and a bright, lively tone. She’s easy to follow and is able to focus on the thematic strands the author wants to emphasize. Johnson, though, can’t help sounding like a professor sometimes, due to the material, and her attempts at re-creating Shange’s performances are strained. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2012]