Attending Performances: 7 Spools of Thread (5 Points) - Kenzie Moore (Class of 2028)

 

On February 27, 2026, I attended The 7 Spools of Thread at Spelman College in celebration of Black History Month. The play is set in Bonwire, Ghana, in a village environment where seven brothers live and work together. At the beginning, they are shown sleeping on the ground and doing field labor, which establishes a communal, agrarian setting. This setting directly informs the conflict of the play: the brothers constantly argue and compete rather than collaborate.  Their father’s final challenge—to turn silk thread into gold, reflects the values of the village and emphasizes cooperation, inheritance, and responsibility to community.  In a setting rooted in tradition and collective survival, their inability to unite threatens not only their wealth but their dignity.

Blackness in this production was central, not incidental.  These were not characters who simply “happened to be Black”; their identities were deeply tied to African heritage, cultural values, and the Nguzo Saba principles, unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.  The exploration of collective economics and unity connects directly to discussions in my classes about the importance of community-building within the African diaspora.  The brothers’ transformation, from rivalry to cooperation, mirrors broader themes in Black history about survival through unity.

The production also relied heavily on non-dialogue storytelling.  Music underscored fight scenes and marked time lapses, helping the audience feel emotional shifts without explicit explanation.  Lighting changes signaled different times of day and shifts in mood, while choreography during moments of conflict and collaboration visually represented division and harmony.  Watching this production strengthened my belief in theater as a powerful medium for Black storytelling.  It communicates cultural memory, moral lessons, and historical values in a way that feels embodied and communal rather than distant or abstract.

Bonus: While the LaTanya Richardson Jackson and Samuel L. Jackson Performing Arts Center honors distinguished Black artists, the Rockefeller name likely remains due to the original funding source and institutional donor agreements tied to the building’s construction. Financial contributions and legacy naming rights often influence these decisions at private institutions.

By: Kenzie Moore