Dr. Della Dameron-Johnson The Role of the Black Female as Religious Leader in Black Drama ABSTRACT       Three modern dramas of the 20th century stand as examples of the way Black Female religious leaders are viewed by a sector of society. These dramas are 1) "Come Back After the Fire" by Ted Shine; the most contemporary of the three playwrights, 2) "The Amen Corner" by James Baldwin, and "Tambourines to Glory" by Langston Hughes, the oldest of the three playwrights.       "Come Back After the Fire" depicts a deposed female clergy who has returned to the community after a stint in a mental hospital in an attempt to rebuild her congregation after a tent fire killed, maimed and disfigured members of her congregation. "The Amen Corner" centers around a storefront evangelist and her struggle with an unruly congregation, a backsliding teenaged son and the appearance of an estranged husband who is dying. And finally, "Tambourines to Glory" which plainly deals with good versus evil, introduces a down and out female who is probed by an agent of the devil to start a church to make money to support him and their "relationship."       Each of the plays very creatively does its part to depict Black female clergy as phoneys, frauds and in general undesirable religious leaders. However, it is fortunate to have contemporary examples of black female clergy such as Rev. Vashti McKenzie, Rev. Annette Wilson, Rev. Gertrude Brown and many others who are living testimonies that the three examples are either a small percentage of fictitious characterizations created to entertain or a minute percentage of a sincere growing population.       The purpose of this paper is to expose the negative attitudes some share toward black female clergy, as presented by the three selected playwrights, Shine, Baldwin and Hughes. INTRODUCTION       "I was armed" he wrote, I knew, in attempting to write the play, by the fact that I was born in the church. I know that out of the ritual of the church, historically speaking, comes the act of the theater, the communion which is theater" (Hatch, 1974, p. 514). Each of the three authors selected obviously had been exposed to religious backgrounds which is evident from the excellent way they created the enthralling masterpieces that were selected for this paper. Each is vibrant, exillerating, entertaining and above all believable. The latter is one of the reasons why this paper is necessary. The believability factor, coupled with the prevailing attitude of some people who express prejudice against female clergys makes it imperative to address this point of view.       The first play, "Come Back After The Fire," opens with the arrival of Sister Sally Star who has been in a mental hospital ever since the tent fire maimed, disfigured and killed many of the former congregation. Although she wants to make a comeback and make amends for the tragedy and build a temple to help the community, they want no part of her or her dreams for a comeback in the very community where her downfall occurred.       The second play, "The Amen Corner" opens with obvious discontent of some members of the congregation who are critical of the traveling their pastor does and rumors about the private life of the pastor's young son who is also the church musician. Issues seem to come to a head when the pastor's estranged husband arrives out of the blue and it is discovered that she left him as opposed to him having left her.       The third and final play, "Tambourines To Glory" opens with a down and out female who is prompted by a lecherous street character who sees her potential as his meal ticket and encourages her to open a store front church. Sister Laura Wright Reed and her friend, Essie, get things established but the street hustler who is none other than the devil in disguise, calls the shots and Laura falls in love with him.       Each of the women ministers are able to raise a congregation. Each is successful for time although for Sister Sally Star it was before the crucial fire. However, the only happy ending occurs when Sister Laura gets a second chance and commits to be for real.       Although all three plays are well developed entertaining and different, the downfall of the lead female character in each plot is due to the same three factors: misrepresentation, alcohol and a man. Misrepresentation in "Comeback After the Fire" is due to Sally being pushed into religion and the ministry as a young child by her mother. She was used and manipulated to spite her father who left them. In "The Amen Corner" Sister Margaret was caught in a lie when her husband reveals that she left him rather than him having run out on her and their son. And in "Tambourines To Glory" we see from the beginning that Laura is down and out and not a true servant of the gospel but a desperate women in search of security and love.       One of the most frequently used demons in religious dramas is alcohol. It certainly was a factor in all three plots. In "Comeback7quot; Sister Sally Star used it as did Sister Laura in "Tambourines". However, in "The Amen Corner" it was the husband who was dying of liver disease due to his years as a jazz musician and drinker where the alcohol was incorporated into the plot.       And finally, the third factor that caused the downfall for the female lead characters was a man. In "Comeback After The Fire" it was the street hustler, Travis, who tried to hitch his wagon to Sister Sally Star's dream of a big temple and congregation. For "The Amen Corner" it was the dying husband who showed up and told a different version of the marriage separation that caused members of the congregation to loose faith in Sister Margaret. And in "Tambourines To Glory" it was Buddy, the pimp, who instigated and prompted Laura to use religion as a means of acquiring wealth.       Upon reading the three plays for yourself you may agree or disagree with my analysis of the way the female lead characters were characterized as villains and frauds. My purpose was to expose them is characters that were designed to be entertaining for the purpose of carrying the plot of the play and not necessarily as realistic people who could lead one to believe that women clergy as a whole have ulterior motives. It is my personal belief due to exposure, experience and family contact that the majority of female clergy are committed and serious about the ministry as a true vocation with an ultimate goal, the deliverance of souls for Christ. Return to Session XIII BB Program