'Zuri's Crown' is a new Black musical that puts a different spin on the Rapunzel fairy tale
Every woman has a hair journey.
From straight to curly to braided to a natural ‘fro, every coifed strand of a woman’s hair tells her life’s story.
A new musical production from Black Arts MKE and Bronzeville Arts Ensemble brings that journey to life in "Zuri’s Crown," a bold re-imagining of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Rapunzel.”
The musical is set to run at the Marcus Performing Arts Center April 27-29. It is part of World Premiere Wisconsin, a statewide festival celebrating new plays and musicals.
This adaptation by musical theater veterans Cynthia Cobb, Parrish Collier and Sheri Williams Pannell celebrates Black women, their hair, and the power of not only self-expression but also self-acceptance.
“It’s not the traditional Rapunzel,” said Pannell, who doubles as Bronzeville Arts Ensemble's producing artistic director and the senior artistic associate with Black Arts MKE. “Although from the African American cultural perspective, it is a journey that so many people make. It’s for anyone. It's a story for all people.”
The musical explores issues of beauty, family, community, trauma and healing all through a woman’s hair journey. But it is also an allegory of the lengths a parent would go to protect their child. In some cases, that can go too far.
"Every parent always wants to do the best we can by our children, but we always don’t make the best choices and we pay a price," Pannell said.
The idea for "Zuri’s Crown" came when Pannell was directing “Into The Woods” at UWM Peck School of the Arts last May; she leads the musical theater program there. She and Cobb were talking about fairy tales.
“We need a Black fairy tale,” Pannell recalled of their conversation. “We need to retell one of these stories, but from an African American perspective. We wrote the musical we wanted to see on stage."
Pannell, Collier and Cobb worked together in the past at Skylight Music Theatre. Their musical uses jazz, blues, gospel and hip-hop to tell each character’s story.
The trio wanted an uplifting contemporary story that breaks away from the typical slave narratives that often define Black plays. Pannell wanted the fairytale to take place in today’s Black community and have a strong female protagonist, struggling with an issue facing anyone woman regardless of race or ethnicity.
“We thought about hair,” Pannell said. “The hair journey, you can document your life based upon your hairstyle, based upon the choices you make regarding your own beauty.”
Camara Stampley, 22, who plays the title role, shares a hair journey similar to Zuri’s.
“Growing up my mom was really big on making sure I love my natural hair. And looking back I can really appreciate how much she really instilled that in me,” said Stampley, a Milwaukee native and Howard University graduate.
But she admits it was difficult. As a little girl, she noticed her hair was different from others. Her mother, she said, often dissuaded her from straightening her hair or getting braids while encouraging her to be comfortable with her hair's natural length.
“I think that is the exact story that Zuri goes through. Her hair is all she knows, and it is still not enough for her because of comparisons,” said Stampley, whose local performing credits include "Raisin" (Skylight), "The Wiz" (First Stage) and several productions of "Black Nativity."
“Even though her mother didn’t teach it in the best way, the message was the same − you have to love what comes out of you naturally,” Stampley said. “Eventually Zuri was able to appreciate that as well.”
Pannell hopes the musical becomes a conversation starter, especially for women who hadn’t had those conversations as Stampley did with her mom. She also hopes it affirms those who’ve already chosen to embrace their natural hair beauty.
“People have the right to make the choices that are right for them,” Pannell said. “We can’t judge. That’s not our place. What we want to do is to make sure whatever choice you make you feel good about it.”
Stampley agreed. She is comfortable wearing her hair straight, braided, or even a wig. But she said it is not coming from a place of self-hate.
“It is from a place of expression,” Stampley said. “I can make the choice to wear my hair however I want. But my foundation is a lot stronger because I know even if I don’t, I'm still beautiful.”
The timing of the musical comes as a cultural shift takes place in accepting Black hairstyles the since the advent of the CROWN Act. The acronym stands for Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair.
Twenty states and many municipalities now have laws, including the city of Milwaukee, banning discrimination based on hair texture and hairstyles. But the measure didn’t fare well on Capitol Hill. The bill, introduced in 2021 by U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), passed the House of Representatives but failed in the Senate.
“It’s a relevant topic right now … that goes even deeper than just the CROWN Act,” Stampley said. “(Women) should be able to feel free to operate in any space and not have to conform but exist in the way you feel best.”
Black Arts MKE is the only Black theater company participating in World Premiere Wisconsin. Being part of WPW is an opportunity to tell Black stories and expose Black theater to a wider audience, said Barbara Wanzo, Black Arts MKE’s executive director.
“Everybody does August Wilson. Everybody will do 'Dreamgirls,' but there are so many stories in our community that need to be told,” Wanzo said. “Not only told but told our way by our Black playwrights, our Black directors. That is a different paradigm.”
If you go
"Zuri’s Crown" takes place at Marcus Center’s Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, 121 E. State St, from April 27-29. For tickets, visit https://marcuscenter.org/show/zuris-crown or call (414) 273-7206.
More: While set in the 1950s, the musical 'Raisin' speaks to today, says actor Camara Stampley
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New musical 'Zuri's Crown' affirms hairstyles of Black women
