SYNOPSIS
CRECIE (1961)
Told entirely through verse and song, "CRECIE" is a poignant and powerful piece of American theater that explores the complexities of love, humanity, and injustice.
Set in the Deep South of 1830, the musical resonates with the soul of a nation grappling with its darkest realities. Written in iambic pentameter verse (rhymed quatrains) and structured in two acts, "CRECIE" centers on the love between Crecie and Cato, enslaved individuals on Colonel Stacey Talbot's large cotton plantation in South Carolina. Their simple act of falling in love ignites a conflict with America's "peculiar institution," the system of slavery.
The ensuing narrative, involving characters of both Black and white heritage, is both powerful and poignant, complemented by a strong and evocative musical score. "CRECIE" premiered at Malcolm X College in Chicago and was later staged at Howard University in Washington, D.C., with an additional "little theater" presentation in New York City.
CHARACTERS
Roles with Descriptions and Traits
Roles
Protagonists
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Crecie and Cato are the central figures in the love story, facing challenges within the system of slavery.
Neutral/Unspecified Roles
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Du Ville, Martin, Jarrette, Maude, and Lucy Mae. Their roles require further details.
Authority Figure
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Stacy (Colonel Stacey Talbot) represents the power structure of the plantation and the institution of slavery.
Antagonist (explicit & implied)
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The system of slavery itself acts as the primary antagonist.
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Rudd acts as an antagonist towards Cato.
Supporting Roles
Peterson
A sympathetic figure who opposes slavery.
Dinah
A maternal figure within the enslaved community.
Rudd
An antagonistic figure due to jealousy.
Josh and Jericho
Provide comic relief.
MUSICAL NUMBER
Music of CRECIE
BID EM IN
WHAT BES A MAN
CRY NO MO
GENTLEMEN GENTLEMEN
CRABS IN A BARREL
JUMP OBER DE BROOM
PULLIN AND HUALIN
CRAB DANCE
HEART OB GOLD
CATO DE STUD
I B’LONGS TO YOU
EFFEIN I WAS GOD
CRECIES LAMENT
SUCH SWEET SU’PRISE
OSCAR BROWN JR.
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