For Colored Women

For Colored Women contains material relating to domestic violence, miscarriage, and racial injustice.

Lead Devisor’s Note

I wanted to create a safe space for Black women to come together to tell their stories, laugh, and be themselves, fully, without hesitation or judgment.

We created a show that felt authentic and genuine to us as Black women and what we experience in our everyday lives, which is why this show is created, written, stage-managed, and produced by us.

This senior project was the combination of everything I stand for and love to be a part of: women empowerment, social justice, and being UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK through dance, music, and poetry!

FATOU DIOUF Woman in Purple/ Lead Devisor/ Choreographer/ Producer
Fatou Diouf is a fourth-year Arts Management and Theater & Performance student at Purchase College. Fatou is a well-rounded creative, who’s expertise and passion are in dance, theater, poetry, and content creation. She was born and raised in the Bronx and is of Senegalese descent. Her work relies heavily on social justice, uplifting others, and celebrating her African heritage and culture. She was awarded the Artistry Award of 2018 at DreamYard Preparatory High school. Her past works include playing roles in “RENT”, “A Chorus Line”, “PIPELINE”, and “La Diablesse”.

Special Thanks to Astou, Aliou, Yacine, Kenlee, Katy, Khaiya, Jewel, Tony, and my entire support system.

“I am in control of my thoughts, actions, and feelings” -Fatou Diouf

DEMATRIA MUGENI Woman in Red/ Devisor
Dematria Mugeni is an international student all the way from Nairobi, Kenya, and a fourth-year Theater & Performance student, minoring in Psychology at Purchase College. She is delighted to be making her debut performance at Purchase College. Driven by her love of acting and singing, she naturally found comfort from being on stage. Her previous performances include “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and “Hairspray”, and outside of the theater, she is active in making music. In the pursuit of her dreams, she looks forward to working on more projects that highlight the beautiful stories of human nature. Dematria aims to use her talents to inspire others to believe that the power to achieve anything is in their hands. Particular appreciation to my parents, siblings, and friends.

AYERAYE HARGETT Woman in Yellow/ Devisor
With the drive and tenacity to build towards a world of harmony and equity, Ayeraye Hargett (@ayeraslay) is a fourth-year Theatre and Performance student with minors in Screenwriting, Film, and Global Black Studies at Purchase College. She’s appeared in theatre productions on campus including Palazzo Manor (Ash), My Own Eyes (Heather), Welcome America? (Fallen Angel) and some films as well: Bad Trouble (Professor Hicks), It’s All in your Head (Sarah) and STEP! The Mockumentary (Step Team Ensemble). She founded Sankofa Medias; a production company with the mission of displaying and centering Black Joy, Black Beauty, and Black Victories before writing and directing Ancestral Plane (on Youtube). Her own Senior Project, a solo performance film written by and starring Ayeraye entitled Love Thyselves coming in the Spring! She’d like to thank all her friends and family for the love and support, as well as each and every person who made it possible to bring life to her vision through her performance and to not only bring her where she is today but to propel her forward to continue to thrive.

ANNA FOFANA Woman in Orange/ Devisor
Anna Fofana is a third-year journalism and theatre and performance student, with a minor in playwriting and screenwriting. Anna was born and raised in Harlem, New York. She is someone who loves different forms of media which includes but is not limited to acting, film, music and writing. She wants to dive into those mediums in her professional career and build her own platform where all of those can coincide together. Anna wants to make work that is versatile and can cast a big enough fishline for lots of people to enjoy. Special Thanks to Papa, Mommy, Nakia, The FCW family, and my friends who have been supporting me. “I am more capable of doing things than I think I am” - Anna Fofana

AISSATA BARRY Woman in Blue/ Devisor
Aissata(Aicha) Barry is a third-year Theatre Performance major. She is very passionate when it comes to acting and so she is determined to hone her skills to inspire everyone. She was born in Boston and raised in Lynn, Massachusetts, and originated from Guinea. She started her journey to become an actress this year by attending a summer intensive Actor training at the New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts. She also fell in love with theatre after watching plays like, “The Color Purple” and “A Raisin in the Sun”. These plays gave her the desire to capture everyone’s eyes and hearts through her skills. This will be her first performance ever on stage and she is very excited about it. She is also looking forward to auditioning for more performances like this.

JEWEL VICTOR Young Woman in Yellow/ Assistant Choreographer
Jewel Victor is a native of Brooklyn, New York, is a fourth-year Playwriting and Screenwriting student, with a minor in Global Black Studies at Purchase College. She furthers her talents in dance, poetry, filmmaking, drawing, acting, and singing. After joining the PAL Acting Program and the PAL Cops and Kids Chorus, Jewel went on to perform in the Joy Dancing Beijing Festival in China, Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center, Harvard Club, Giants Stadium, Yankee Stadium, and the annual fundraiser Tony Danza and the Stars of Tomorrow, just to name a few. In addition, she is also a part-time teacher for daycare and preschool students. Her goal is to continue to make difference with her art not only for the now but for the generations to come.

KAILEE-JADE BERRIOS Woman in Green/ Devisor
Kailee-Jade Berrios is a second-year Theatre and Performance student. She puts her whole heart and soul into all her performances and is very excited to share her first performance here at Purchase College. She’s also been very passionate about Musical Theatre ever since she did her first show “Grease” as Sandy in the sixth grade. From then on she’s done “The Wiz”, “Once on This Island”, “Little Shop of Horror” and many more. Outside of Musical Theatre she’s sung the National Anthem at NYU and at City Hall for the Mayor of New York City and was part of a Choir called “City Voices” at Turtle Bay Music School. With all this musical experience throughout her years as an Afro Latina Woman, she’s very honored to share her experience with the community and with the world.

JIEJER PATRICK Woman in Yellow’s Husband/ Devisor
Jiejer Patrick is a fourth-year theater and performance student. “The one and only” he would like to say. Jiejer is an aspiring actor who has a gentle and loving personality that will bring you in and make you want to know him. He declares himself an old school at heart due to his maturity and his taste in music. JieJer loves acting with a passion. It’s something he always wanted to do even before he wanted to do it. He remembers trying to copy whatever the character was doing on tv or even sometimes create a character and incorporate it into the tv or film. JieJer’s goal isn’t to become the best actor or anything. He just wants to tell a story that can connect with audiences. Just like he got lost in the characters when he was little. He wants the same for them. JieJer wants to use his acting skills to entertain, but also use them to address social issues.

ALYSSA STANLEY Stage Manager/ Devisor/ Lighting Designer
Alyssa is a fourth year Arts Management student, with a minor in psychology. She is a self proclaimed honorary Theatre and Performance member having taken many different electives in order to keep her passion for the arts alive. This is Alyssa’s first show as a stage manager and she is honored to have been a part of it and will hold this experience close to her heart forever. Alyssa believes that art has the ability to help with healing and For Colored Women proved that to be true. After graduating in the fall, Alyssa will continue working on shows and facilitating spaces in which theatre is used as more than just a form of entertainment but as a way to help heal, learn, and grow.

In our teaching and art, the Conservatory values inclusiveness, equality, and excellence. Upholding all of our training is our aim to train and graduate citizen artists: multifaceted people with a strong sense of purpose in approaching an arts education.

What is a citizen artist? Citizen artists seek to discover how their unique voices can contribute to our world. They understand what it means to be an artist, and what they are here on earth to say and do and make.

The Conservatory trains future citizen artists in three degree programs:

+ BFA Actor Training. The BFA is an intensive professional training program offered to a highly select and diverse group of students. The professional training is anchored in four years of study in acting, voice, speech, and movement, complemented by offerings in dramatic literature and analysis, history of the theatre, stage combat, improvisation, mask work, acting for the camera, and the business of acting. As one of five schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs, Purchase is one of a handful of colleges in the world capable of training artists at this level—and of drawing a faculty from the ranks of professional theatre

+ BFA in Theatre Design/Technology. Emphasizing studio and classroom training, our professional training program in theatre design/technology gives students the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many of our alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors. Quite literally, Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all tristate venues, and with countless touring productions

+ BA program in Theatre and Performance. From traditional theatre to cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, the theatre and performance major encourages creativity, intellectual curiosity, social engagement, and critical thinking. The core requirements combine scholarship and practice to provide students with a strong foundation in theatre history and dramatic literature, with mandatory stagecraft/production courses. Theatre and Performance majors are encouraged to expand the scope of their education by studying abroad, as well as pursuing coursework in other programs of study within the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Purchase College