Trouble in Mind

The production of Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress inherently has underlying characteristics of racism and prejudice simply due to the time period in which it was writen. It was created in 1955, during the introduction of the Civil Rights Movement, which explains some of the racially motivated refrences throughout the play. I found it particularly interesting to see how all of the white actors and white director interpret this play as a portrayal of the positive influence associated with racial integration and tolerance within their society. On the other hand, most of the black actors clearly disagree with the presence of a positive influence incorporated in the message sent to the audience. For example, the black actors are playing roles that could be depicted as stereotypical roles, almost subserviant ones, that clearly establish their secondary place in society. The message defining differences in racial class is illustrated by the actions of the characters in the play Trouble in Mind because we gain a "behind the scenes" look at the 1955 production of the play within the play. The character development and relationships formed throughout Trouble in Mind show the true to life racial tensions experienced during this point in time between whites and blacks.