FSU New Works Incubator Project Features Original Play by THOUGHTS OF A COLORED MAN Playwright Keenan Scott II

This November, the Department of Theatre and Dance will feature a new play by FSU Theatre alum Keenan Scott II titled Social Media Massacre. As part of the New Works Incubator Project, Scott will workshop and develop his script with six actors over a two-week period, culminating in a virtual reading for an online audience.

Social Media Massacre challenges the online experience with comedic twists by taking on the psychological effects of social media, over sensationalism, and classism. Hemsley and his best friend Jebediah are teenage prodigies who create an all too invasive app that rewards the capture of violence. The more violence a person captures, the higher their status goes up in society. Soon, people find themselves in a world where segregation is again all too present, creating new factions between ranked and unranked people. But Ocean, a recent college graduate, is on a quest to take it all down.

Keenan Scott II is a playwright, poet, actor, director, and producer of original work from Queens, New York. His work has been produced at Howard University, Gala Hispanic Theatre, National Black Theater, and the NYC Fringe Festival. Keenan's critically acclaimed piece Thoughts of a Colored Man has been workshopped and developed at The Arena Stage and the historic New York Theatre Workshop for private readings. The play had its World Premiere at Syracuse Stage for their 2019-2020 season and transferred to Baltimore Center Stage to finish its regional run and it is now on its way to Broadway when it returns in 2021. Scott has also been commissioned for several pieces including being a part of the PLAY AT HOME series curated by Baltimore Center Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, The Public Theater, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. As well as having his piece Hashtag Me Not featured in a benefit for NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. called #WhileWeBreathe. His latest work The Migration LP is currently being developed at New York Stage and Film with sights on a New York City premiere in 2021. He is also developing a series for TV entitled The New Reform. Keenan continues to work on projects in all forms of entertainment. For more information, visit his website at: www.keenanscott.com

New Works Incubator Program is an original idea brought to FSU by Scott, designed to help professional writers develop new works while giving students industry-level training in new-works development.

Featured actors in Social Media Massacre will include Zoie Collins (Ocean), Christian Scott (Jude), Brendon McCabe (Helmsley), Gershawn Mason (Jebediah), Brian Records (Fraser), Dominique Little (Debbie), Kasey Taylor (Mayah Lee), and Laura Frederick (Miss Ladi/News Anchor/Announcer). Creative team members include: Keenan Scott II (Playwright/Director), Nicole Mattis (Project Manager), George Georgeson (Lighting/Sound), Danielle Preston (Costumes), Nicholas Partonen (Stage Manager), Grace LaCount (Assistant Stage Manager/Script), Kassidy Andris (Assistant Stage Manager). The art work was designed by New York artist Samtubia Edwards, based on model Lindsay Scott.