Representations of Africa and Africans

I was a part of a reading this weekend of a lovely, poetic new piece by a Nigerian female playwright, Zainabu Jallo.  The title? Onions Make Us Cry.  I loved the title and the content, which was about domestic violence on the continent and empowering women.  During her talk-back, she was asked by the moderator how she felt about representations of Africans in theatre and in the media.  The moderator mentioned the new musical, Book of Mormon, and insinuated that she had some feelings about the representations.  I knew exactly what she was intimating.  I saw a rehearsal of the piece, and the representations of Africans are broad, sweeping and stereotypical, and I thought it was hilarious.  The writing is smart, the music is snappy and catchy, and when I say that the piece is funny, I mean fall on the floor....."Oooo, you are so wrong" funny! The musical does not only go after some of the extreme beliefs in remote parts of Africa, but the same extreme beliefs on this continent in religious groups.  I highly recommend Book of Mormon, but I knew where she was going.  The problem is that we have yet to have balanced representations of black folks on the stage and in media, so it can be challenging to see these satirical images, when the masses haven't seen enough images of the numerous Black Africans who are doctors, lawyers. teachers...human.  Ms. Jallo said something interesting in response to the question, there is truth in some of those representations.  She was right! Not defensive, and I thought to myself...why?  She did not feel the need to defend other representations of African-ness because perhaps she sees herself as providing some balance.  She has picked up her pen and has begun to provide the balance in her own way.  There it is again, pick up your pens! Write the stories that you think are absent in the discourse! I am inspired. I hope you are too!