Why I'm a Gangster and Other Plays

In the history of post civil rights American, Torrance Stephens as a playwright, displays a tall and stunning range as well as the talented ability to hold up a mirror to America and the world and reflect its shifting values in reference to both the experience and history of African Americans. This southern poet, playwright, essayist, novelist, scientist and researcher writes of the rich cultural traditions as well as the hopes and frustrations of African descendants in America. Included are seven works written from the 1980s to the 1990s, this collection contains dramatic works of history and humor that the playwright has composed with an emotional and inquisitorial zeal rarely matched currently and is a collectible treasure for fans of Stephens's story telling. There is Christmas in Jerusalem about the arrest and last days of Nat Turner and the Face of Evil about the arrest of runaway slave Anthony Burns in Boston. On the light side we had Alleykats, a play about Morehouse students learning the history of Auburn Avenue by moving there to live. This collection is an eloquent witness to his unique genius of his ability to magnificently and magically tell stories and present history that blends the joy and pain and the love of life.