THOUGHTS OF A COLORED MAN to open on October 31; cast announced

https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-Dylln-Burnside-Keith-David-Luke-James-More-to-Star-in-THOUGHTS-OF-A-COLORED-MAN-Opening-on-Broadway-on-October-31-20210524

Today, producers Brian Moreland, Ron Simons, Diana DiMenna, Samira Wiley, Sheryl Lee Ralph, The Shubert Organization, and The Nederlander Organization announced complete casting for Thoughts of a Colored Man, the new play by Keenan Scott II, directed by Steve H. Broadnax III. The ensemble cast will feature Dyllón Burnside (FX's "Pose,", Bryan Terrell Clark (Hamilton), Da'Vinchi (Showtime's upcoming "Black Mafia Family", Grammy Award® nominee Luke James (Showtime's "The Chi", Tony Award® nominee Forrest McClendon (The Scottsboro Boys), Grammy Award nominee Tristan "Mack" Wilds (HBO's "The Wire", and Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Keith David (Seven Guitars, OWN's "Greenleaf".

The limited engagement of Thoughts of a Colored Man will begin preview performances on Friday, October 1 making it the first new play on Broadway following the shutdown. The new play, which celebrates the vibrant and complex lives of Black men in America, will open Sunday, October 31 at Broadway's Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street) pending Broadway's anticipated return with government approval and following health and safety guidelines.

As the sun rises on a single day in the pulsing heart of Brooklyn, seven Black men are about to discover the extraordinary - together. By Keenan Scott II, one of today's boldest new voices, Thoughts of a Colored Man blends spoken word, slam poetry, rhythm, and humor into a daringly universal new play. Welcome to the vibrant inner life of being Black, proud, and thriving in the 21st century.


This richly theatrical mosaic shines brilliant light onto these men, a tight-knit brotherhood, revealing their most triumphant selves. Their vibrant and vulnerable experiences and feelings reverberate far beyond the barbershops and basketball courts of their community. They reveal the deeply human hopes, joys, sorrows, fears, and dreams of all men, all people.

The creative team for Thoughts of a Colored Man includes music by Te'La and Brother Kamau, set design by Tony Award® nominee Robert Brill, co-costume design by Tony Award nominee and Drama Desk Award® winner Toni-Leslie James and Devario D. Simmons, lighting design by Ryan O'Gara, projection design by Tony and Drama Desk Award nominee Sven Ortel, and sound design by Mikaal Sulaiman. Calleri, Jensen, & David serve as casting directors for the production.

George in DC said: "I am really fascinated to see if this show will get an audience. So many shows that I have been excited about did not."

There are a lot of "important" plays coming to Broadway, and there is rarely room for more than one or two per season. The ones I've seen/read are really damn good, but it remains to be seen how much the Broadway ticketbuying demographic has evolved in the pandemic.

Plaza Suite and Birthday Candles could clean up pretty well if traditional theatergoers want lighter fare. (After Theatre Twitter finishes beating up those plays.)

I picked up a pair of tickets, and I'm looking forward to it. My concern, though, is that after a year of seismic change in how this country thinks about race and racism, producers are rushing to fill open slots with serious Black plays, but they're launching them at perhaps the most uncertain moment Broadway has had. Certainly recently. We don't know what tourism will look like; we don't know how many people will be comfortable to sit shoulder to shoulder in a theatre; and we don't know what exactly people who do want to go out will be looking to see. I worry that great work is going to be done (I'm thinking specifically of this, Lackawanna Blues, and Trouble in Mind), but then, if people don't show up, producers might shrug it all off and say, "Well, we tried." Maybe that's cynical, but...we'll see.

Jordan Catalano said: "Well that’s a shame. He was the main reason I was looking forward to this one."

Same –– he's the only marginally recognizable "name" in the cast. But no doubt there will be tons of cheap ticket availability.

I am familiar with Keith David but him not being in it is not a deal breaker for me. I am looking forward to seeing Dyllon Burnside onstage.

Oh dear

Correct.

JSquared2 said: "If you think that Keith David is on the same level of public recognition as any of the people you mention-- you're delusional and living in a bubble."

HA! Fair. Maybe I should have said Ted Levine or George Wendt.

EITHER WAY, he is not a major name, but he was a bigger name than anyone else in that cast.