Putting a Black-led play on Broadway is one of the most concrete steps toward a more inclusive theatrical community coming in the wake of the death of George Floyd and a summer of protests. The pandemic silenced several shows with Black-led casts, including “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” the revival of “A Soldier’s Play” and “Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptations.” Marshal Serving Eviction Order Met By Protestors, Ax-Wielding Man at CT Home It was a work that was much larger than anything I’ve ever experienced," said Moreland, whose producing credits on Broadway include “Sea Wall/A Life,” “The Lifespan of a Fact” and “The Sound Inside.” “I felt like it was something that needed to be seen. Moreland said Scott’s play was something he instantly felt belonged on Broadway. Broadway remains closed due to the coronavirus pandemic at least until June 2021. The play made its world premiere last year at Syracuse Stage and also was produced at Baltimore Center Stage. It's a predominately Black list with what will be a mostly Black cast, both rarities on Broadway. In addition to Moreland, the producing lineup includes Ron Simons, Diana DiMenna, Samira Wiley and Sheryl Lee Ralph. "They will laugh, they will cry, and they’ll be able to ask questions that they’ve never been able to ask before.” There’s so much laughter in this show, but there’s also so much revealed about the Black male experience in America," producer Brian Moreland told The Associated Press. “I think people can expect to be moved and to laugh. “Thoughts of a Colored Man” is made up of related vignettes and set over the course of a single day in Brooklyn, where seven Black men discuss gentrification, violence, racial and sexual identity and what it means to be part of a community.
Both playwright and director are Black and will be making their Broadway debuts. The play will be given a Shubert theater and will open whenever Broadway restarts. Simmons, lighting design by Ryan O’Gara, projection design by Sven Ortel and sound design by Mikaal Sulaiman.Īn exact timeline for the run has not yet been announced, but the play plans to open “in the upcoming season,” according to the press release.Playwright Keenan Scott II's play “Thoughts of a Colored Man,” a work about the outer and inner lives of Black men, is heading to the bright lights of Broadway. The creative team includes music by Te’La and Brother Kamau, set design by Robert Brill, co-costume design by Toni-Leslie James and Devario D. This will be the Broadway debut for both Scott and Broadnax. “More than ever, it is vital for Broadway and theaters across America to make room for the next generation of theater makers: to celebrate their communities, to feel their heartache, and to hear the stories they are ready to tell,” Moreland said in the press release.” The entire producing team is humbled to play a small role in bringing Keenan Scott II and Steve H.
The play, which had its world premiere at Syracuse Stage in 2019 and another run that year at Baltimore Center Stage, uses spoken word, slam poetry, and rhythm to highlight the experiences of seven Black men living in Brooklyn.
Brian Moreland, Ron Simons, Diana DiMenna, Samira Wiley and Sheryl Lee Ralph will produce. Broadnax III, who most recently directed Katori Hall’s “The Hot Wing King,” and will play at a Shubert theater. Keenan Scott II’s play “Thoughts of Colored Man” is set to premiere on Broadway when live theater resumes.
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