Keenan Scott II Returns to Direct His Acclaimed Play, “Thoughts of a Colored Man”

Frostburg State University and FSU’s Department of Theatre and Dance present “Thoughts of a Colored Man,” the critically acclaimed play written by alum Keenan Scott II.

Performances will take place Friday, April 14, and Saturday, April 15, and Thursday, April 20, through Saturday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance on April 15 at 2 p.m. in the Drama Theatre of FSU’s Woodward D. Pealer Performing Arts Center. Tickets can be purchased online at frostburgtix.universitytickets.com.

Scott, who wrote and produced the play in 2009 when he was an FSU student, will return to Allegany County to direct the play in collaboration with FSU students, faculty and alumni.

“Thoughts of a Colored Man” focuses on a single day in Brooklyn, where the hopes, sorrows, fears and joys of seven men are conveyed through stories. The play starts at dawn and ends at dusk, weaving spoken word, slam poetry and rhythm into the inner lives of Black men. Described as “vulnerable, vibrant, raw and live,” the show explores the men’s lives, pressures, passions, challenges and triumphs. Audience members are invited to post-show conversations with the cast and creative team following each show.

After several regional productions, “Thoughts of a Colored Man” opened the new Broadway season on Oct. 13, 2021, at the John Golden Theatre in New York City, becoming the first-ever Broadway show to be written and directed by Black men with Black men in the leading roles.

Scott is a playwright, poet, actor, director and producer of original work from Queens, New York. His work has been workshopped and produced at notable theaters such as National Black Theater, New York Theater Workshop, Arena Stage and Woolly Mammoth. Scott was chosen to be a part of the 2021 TED Fellow cohort to be among a global community of artists, inventors and scientists. His latest work, “The Migration LP,” and new original musical, “The Return of Young Boy,” are being developed at New York Stage & Film, while his other stage plays are in various stages of development. He is a part of the creative team of the miniseries “A Luv Tale” by Sidra Smith, now on BET+. He is also developing an array of projects for television and film, including a pilot with UCP of NBCUniversal, and adapting a novel by JJ Bola called “The Selfless Act of Breathing” with BRON Studios.

Cast members include FSU students Samuel Appiah (Love), Jacob Bryant (Lust), Grace Stevenson (Dancer) and Sydney Mills (Dancer), with Dr. Artie Travis (Wisdom), vice president for Student Affairs, and featured alumni Brandon Huguley (Depression), Femi Dawodu (Passion), Tekle Ghebremeschel (Happiness) and Kahri Blackman (Anger).

The creative team consists of Scott (director), Dominique Little (stage manager), Francis Sharkey (scenic design), Brendon McCabe (costume design), George Georgeson (lighting design), Ronald Breitfeller (properties design), Samuel Appiah (sound design), Grace LaCount (assistant stage manager) and Joseph Wroblewski (assistant scenic design). In addition, alum Jha’Neal (Blue) Stoute will return to direct a recorded stream of the production with Grammy-nominated cinematographer, Jimmy Powell Jr.

Tickets are $25 for the general public, $20 for FSU employees and senior citizens, and $10 for students. Online tickets can be purchased at frostburgtix.universitytickets.com.

For more information, call the Theatre and Dance box office at 301-687-7462, or visit FSU TheatreDance on Instagram or Theatre and Dance at FSU on Facebook.

In addition to public performances, there will be a free high school matinée on Wednesday, April 19, at 10 a.m. Produced in partnership with the Cultural Events Series, local high school educators interested in bringing a school group to this special performance can contact cesoutreach@frostburg.edu to make a reservation. Free tickets will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

“Thoughts of a Colored Man” is supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council (msac.org) and other generous sponsors and donors.