Educational Media Reviews Online

Local Color is a noble and effective attempt to enlighten audiences to the plight and importance of Black Theater companies. Focusing specifically on the St. Louis Black Repertory Theater, one of the few remaining Black companies in the country, this documentary focuses on the uniqueness of theater arts (they are “ritual reenactments of reality,” as opposed to the depictions presented on television or in film), and on the theater’s impact on Black culture, the community and on the actors and staff who keep the productions running. Featuring interviews, still shots and condensed theatrical scenes, the various theater players discuss their roles within the production and detail what the theater means to them on a personal level. The documentary is particularly interesting because it features all theater players, including the director, the lighting team, the set designers, the producer and the sound designers, and not just the onstage actors; the sense of teamwork and of family is evident when listening to the interviews. The progression of the documentary is a little disjointed, switching back and forth between personal accounts and the financial and cultural plight of the theater. Perhaps the message would have been even more effective if each segment were allowed to run in its entirety before switching to the next topic.

Despite the message of the documentary, the editing of the piece is jumpy and fragmented, although the picture and visuals are always clear. Evidently filmed with one regular video recorder, there is some screen shaking and the transition between scenes is not always smooth. There are several attempts at artistic camera shots and pans, but they are unnecessary and somewhat misplaced within the grand scheme of the documentary. The sound quality is consistent and skillful. Local Color is recommended for audiences senior high through adult, and is best suited for theater, performing arts, drama and African-American Studies collections, perhaps within an academic environment.