A powerful theatrical testament by Keenan Scott II, THOUGHTS OF A COLORED MAN weaves spoken word, slam poetry and rhythm into a mosaic of the inner lives of Black men, and heralds the arrival of an essential new voice to the American Theater.
Like Shange's seven all-female characters (called the Lady in Red, the Lady in Blue, etc. after the color of their costumes) who told the stories of Black women's lives through poetry, song and dance, Scott's seven all-male characters (called Anger, Lust, Happiness and other emotions or character traits) tell the stories of Black men's lives through spoken word poetry, and occasional song (sung, beautifully, by Luke James.). But like the various series in which the cast members have performed, 'Thoughts of a Colored Man' also presents credible characters in more or less straightforward scenes - watching a basketball game and bickering in a neighborhood barbershop (the best scene), working or shopping at a grocery store, discussing women while waiting endlessly for a bus, waiting at a hospital maternity ward, coaching basketball in a school gym, shooting the breeze on a line to get the latest Air Jordans.
The play's title, loose structure, and code-named characters bring to mind For Colored Girls, Ntozake Shange's landmark 1975 choreopoem that similarly explores the trials and tribulations of American people of color. That brilliant exercise in communal triumph and warmth in the face of unceasing adversity, however, hits the raw nerve of confession-of words feared to be uttered, but necessary for survival and understanding. Scott's play is not without its moments, but is otherwise a rote recitation with little at stake.
2021 | Broadway |
Broadway |
Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Music in a Play | Te'La |
2022 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Projection Design | Sven Ortel |
2022 | Outer Critics Circle Awards | John Gassner Award | Keenan Scott II |
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