Pipeline – definition – a conveyance to move a substance(s) over long distances. That’s how I understood the definition of the word, “pipeline” prior to seeing the performance at the Penumbra Theater of “Pipeline” by Dominque Morrisseau, directed by Lou Bellamy, but I understand it far differently today. Now, I would define it as, “Pipeline – the pre-determined pathway developed by dominant white supremacist culture that coerces young African Americans from productive lives to ones filled with desperation, suspicion and sometimes, death.” The dramatist, Robert Holman, says of theater, “The novel is more of a whisper, whereas the stage is a shout.” That new definition was shouted that evening by the outstanding performances and left an indelible emotional impression on me as to what it’s like for young people of color in our schools and ultimately, society. I feel those impacts are lessened somewhat when one only reads in books or watches in film and television. The impact is so immediate on a stage for you the viewer can identify more readily w/a person on a stage. Especially, when they are only 10 feet away from you. Don’t miss “Pipeline.”