Ron Allen (playwright) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ron Allen
|
|
|---|---|
Ron Allen performing with Code Zero in Los Angeles, 2009
|
|
| Born |
Ronald Allen
September 13, 1947 |
| Died | August 10, 2010 (aged 62) |
| Occupation |
|
Ronald Allen (born September 13, 1947 – died August 10, 2010) was an African-American poet and playwright. He liked to describe his work as a "concert of language." Ron Allen was born in Detroit, Michigan. He used creative language, like images and metaphors, to explore new ways of expressing ideas in poetry and theater.
Ron Allen was very good at understanding how African-American language was used, especially in Detroit. He was known for trying new things with poetry, characters, and stories. His writing created special experiences with language and rhythm.
Ron Allen's Ideas About Art
In an interview from 2009, Ron Allen shared his thoughts on art. He said his work was about exploring how things really are. This included both our thoughts and the world around us.
He explained that language was the main force in his plays. It helped to shape the story, the characters, and the direction of his work. He used special language tools, like metaphors, to make familiar ideas seem new and different. This helped people think about things in a fresh way.
Ron Allen wanted to challenge how people usually think and act. He believed that our culture sometimes stops new ideas and freedom of thought. He saw himself as someone who questioned these normal ways of thinking.
He said his characters often showed how different groups of people have been seen throughout history. He wanted to find truth, even if it was hard to define. For him, truth was about understanding and asking more questions.
Ron Allen also said that the topic of race was very important in his work. He wanted to explore what it meant to be Black in a world that often felt unfair. He believed that trying to find your identity and power in such a world was a brave act.
Ron Allen's Career and Works
Ron Allen started his theater career in Detroit in 1997. He created his own acting group called "Thick Knot Rhythm Ensemble." This group helped him produce 13 plays that he wrote.
Some of his plays included Last Church of the Twentieth Century and Aborigional Treatment Center. He also wrote The Heidelberg Project: Squatting in the Circle of the Elder Mind. This play was inspired by the artist Tyree Guyton and his Heidelberg Project.
In 2007, Ron Allen moved to Los Angeles, California. There, he wrote three more plays. These were Swallow the Sun, My Eyes Are the Cage in My Head, and The Hieroglyph of the Cockatoo. His play Eye Mouth Graffiti Body Shop was also performed in Los Angeles.
Besides writing plays, Ron Allen also performed with his band. The band was called Code Zero, and they played jazz and poetry.
Ron Allen published four books of poetry that were well-received. Some of his books include I Want My Body Back and Neon Jawbone Riot. In 2008, he released another poetry book called The Inkblot Theory. He also started and directed a publishing company called Weightless Language Press.
He taught poetry and theater for 13 years in Detroit. Later, he also taught poetry and meditation in an assisted-living home in Inglewood, California.
Ron Allen passed away on August 10, 2010, in Los Angeles.
