Keenan Scott II Archives - Broadway Black

Thoughts of A Colored Man Playwright Steps In To Save The Show

Broadway Black — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 16:31:31 +0000

Last night at Broadway’s new hit play, Thoughts of a Colored Man, playwright Keenan Scott II made the exceedingly rare move of going on in one of the roles, after a cast member tested positive for COVID-19 and two non-COVID related illnesses felled the cast. With the three actors out, and only two trained understudies standing by to go on, Scott asked producer Brian Moreland if he could step into the role of “Wisdom” with less than 15 minutes until curtain – not wanting the audience to be without a performance. Scott performed the role script-in-hand. He is expected to continue playing the role at least through the holiday weekend.

“It was a thrilling night for a Broadway audience to experience our play. Keenan Scott II is a bold new voice for now, and last night he exhibited the power and resilience of everyone who makes up the Broadway community.”
Brian Moreland, Producer

When Thoughts of a Colored Man opened on Oct. 13, 2021, it made history as the first Broadway show to be written, directed by, starring, and lead produced by Black men.

The Thoughts of a Colored Man ensemble cast currently features Emmy Award® winner Dyllón Burnside, Bryan Terrell Clark, Da’Vinchi, Grammy Award® nominee Luke James, Tony Award® nominee Forrest McClendon, Grammy Award nominee Tristan Mack Wilds and Esau Pritchett.

As with most Broadway productions, Thoughts of a Colored Man will continue its regularly scheduled performances through the Holiday season, including two performances today (Wednesday) at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

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Broadway-bound Thoughts of a Colored Man Attracts Audiences with “Black Inspiration” Dialogue Series

Tremaine A. Price — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 20:33:00 +0000

Ahead of its Broadway debut, Thoughts of a Colored Man, written by Keenan Scott II, will engage audiences with a new initiative sponsored by The Black Public Relations Society – New York (BPRS), Black Theatre Network (BTN), and SimonSays Entertainment (SSE). The program is entitled “Black Inspiration: An Artistic Continuum, A Dialogue,” and is a new virtual audience development series that will serve as a kickoff event for the Broadway-bound production. It is meant to foster a community of collaboration and communication between the production and potential audiences.

Photo Courtesy of thoughtsofacoloredman.com

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Photo Courtesy of thoughtsofacoloredman.com

The play will be directed by Steve H. Broadnax III and produced by Brian Moreland, Ron Simons, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Samira Wiley, Diana DiMenna, and Scott himself. The play will be making history as one of the few productions on Broadway to be written by a Black man, directed by a Black man, produced by a predominately Black team, and focusing on the narratives of the Black male experience. The event will feature a panel of the creative team reading excerpts that “will share their personal narratives, what has inspired them, and how they hope to inspire others through Thoughts of a Colored Man.

Words to dream by, from the playwright. pic.twitter.com/JvM6CDdQvW

— Thoughts Of A Colored Man (@coloredmanplay) November 24, 2020

The play, which fuses the artistic mediums of spoken word, slam poetry, and rhythm, intertwine to present a new voice in American theater. The “thoughts of a colored man” are told over the course of a single day, where seven men vulnerably retell their own stories and echo the sentiments of their friends and brothers beyond the traditional settings of basketball courts and barbershops that typically represent the Black male aesthetic. BPRS – NY President and CEO, Tracey Wood Mendelsohn said, “The lens of ‘Black Inspiration’ allows us to explore all aspects of our historic and ongoing role in contributing to society, and there is no better place to start than the arts.”

Photo Courtesy of thoughtsofacoloredman.com

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Photo Courtesy of thoughtsofacoloredman.com

The program will take place on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 7:00 pm EST. To RSVP for this free event, please go HERE

Thoughts of a Colored Man is slated for the 2021-2022 Broadway season. To learn more about the production and any updates, please visit thoughtsofacoloredman.com.

The post Broadway-bound Thoughts of a Colored Man Attracts Audiences with “Black Inspiration” Dialogue Series appeared first on Broadway Black.

Keenan Scott II’s Thoughts of a Colored Man Heads to Broadway

Natalyn — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 09:07:16 +0000

If you were longing for Broadway to return before, this will only amplify that desire.

Keenan Scott II’s Thoughts of a Colored Man will debut on Broadway for the upcoming 2021-2022 season. Broadway is currently set to reopen after May 2021.

Words to dream by, from the playwright. pic.twitter.com/JvM6CDdQvW

— Thoughts Of A Colored Man (@coloredmanplay) November 24, 2020

Described as a play “which weaves spoken word, slam poetry, and rhythm into a mosaic of the inner lives of Black men, is told over the course of a single day in the heart of Brooklyn, as the ‘hopes, sorrows, fears, and joys of seven men reverberate far beyond the barbershops and basketball courts of their community.”

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Thoughts of a Colored Man premiered worldwide in 2019 at the Syracuse Stage with direction by Steve H. Broadnax III, who will also direct the show on Broadway.

This will be a Broadway debut for both Keenan and Steve.

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