One is a naturalistic portrait of a community, with the characters musing on their own or interacting with one another in pairs or groups. The play operates comfortably on two levels. More specifically, it is the lives of seven Black men ranging in age from their early 20s to their 60s who live in a working-class neighborhood in Brooklyn that is starting to feel the impact of gentrification. To understand that "Black lives matter" in the context of Thoughts of a Colored Man, it is best to begin by casting eyes on actual Black lives. Scott, whose emphasis in the 90-minute work is on the first two words of what has become a political football of a statement whose meaning is abundantly clear to many and a red flag to others. Truly a shot in the vaccinated arm of the "fabulous invalid" and proof positive that jukebox musicals are not the only way to draw a youthful crowd.īlack lives matter very much to Mr. The audience at the performance I attended was pretty much evenly represented racially, and, as a bonus, most there appeared to be at least a decade or two younger than my generation of baby boomers who have filled Broadway seats for a very long time. Thoughts of a Colored Man by Keenan Scott II, opening tonight at the Golden Theatre, is exactly what is needed right now to kickstart a purposefully inclusive and diverse new era for the "Great White Way." It is a richly rewarding, thoroughly compelling work, and a decidedly positive step in response to the outcry against the overwhelmingly same old same old white power structure within the theater world that has kept plays like this from being produced on Broadway. Photo 1 Caption: Luke James, Esau Pritchett, Da'Vinchi, Dyllón Burnside, Tristan Mack Wilds, and Forrest McClendon Music by Te'La and Kamau.Ĭast: Dyllón Burnside, Bryan Terrell Clark, Esau Pritchett, Da'Vinchi, Luke James, Forrest McClendon, and Tristan Mack Wilds. Costume design by Toni-Leslie James and Devario D. Theatre Review by Howard Miller - October 13, 2021
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