Ain’t That a Shame? Trayvon’s Trauma Revealed Through the Theatre of TNT

Abstract

Just days after the George Zimmerman verdict, the Truth N Trauma (TNT) Theatre Ensemble, comprised entirely of African American actors, performed the devised piece The Only Way Out Is the Way Through. Wearing a hoodie and holding a package of Skittles, the ensemble’s only male actor delivered a monologue that spoke eloquently about the threats that young Black men face. By briefly embodying the figure of Trayvon Martin, this performance interrogated the perceived dangers of Black masculinity to reveal that the deadly violence levied against Black men is not an aberration, but rather is the norm. This article seeks to locate the death of Trayvon Martin historically, tracking similarities in the murders and trials of Trayvon Martin and Emmett Till. It then focuses on the monologue, interrogating its themes, its creation, and its effect in performance to discuss the multiple narratives surrounding Black masculinity that emerge through it, narratives which speak truth to the dominant discourse that normalizes the murder of Black boys. Finally, it demonstrates how theatre is an arena in which such divisive issues can be explored, deconstructed, and transformed into a vehicle for social change.

The Rhythm of Echoes and Echoes of Violence

“…For instance, the Black Lives Matter movement was organized entirely around the case of Trayvon Martin, who was shot dead by neighbourhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman (Reeves, 2015: 288-9); Martin was unarmed, concealing no more than a bag of Skittles in his black hoodie, while Zimmerman was acquitted on Florida's 'Stand Your Ground' defence. Hoodies and Skittles later became emblems of the movement (Martinson and Jackson, 2015). In 2014, Eric Garner, arrested for illegally selling individual cigarettes ('loosies'), was detained in a chokehold by a police officer after resisting arrest, gasping as he collapsed to the ground, 'I can't breathe .…”