New Work Flourishes by Syracuse Stage

NEW WORK FLOURISHES AT SYRACUSE STAGE Though the doors are shut and the theatre dark, Syracuse Stage could well be on the verge of a significant milestone—its first transfer of a world premiere play to Broadway. The play, Thoughts of a Colored Man by Keenan Scott II and directed by Steve H. Broadnax III, opened the 2019/2020 Syracuse Stage season last fall. With commercial producers Brian Moreland and Ron Simons attached to the project, a move to Broadway was a goal from the beginning. Now, as Broadway houses look to reopen in the spring of 2021, Thoughts of a Colored Man has been included among a select group of shows, as noted by the New York Times’ Michael Paulson, considered good candidates for production. Thoughts of a Colored Man depicts a day in the interconnected lives of seven Black men in Brooklyn’s Bedford Stuyvesant. The characters range in age from 18 to 65 and have allegorical names—Wisdom, Passion, Depression, Love, Lust, Anger, and Happiness. Playwright Scott, a veteran of Washington, DC’s slam poetry scene, called on his own experiences in shaping the play. “I grew up hearing that black men don’t know how to articulate themselves. So, I wanted to create a piece, being a poet, where the Black man can express himself and articulate his emotions in a safe place. I thought about the emotions that I go through, of feeling angry, lustful,

Now, as Broadway houses look to reopen in the spring of 2021, Thoughts of a Colored Man has been included among a select group of shows, as noted by the New York Times’ Michael Paulson, considered good candidates for production. depressed, and I realized these are not thoughts and emotions that are unique to me, but something that all human beings go through and feel,” he said in an interview for the Syracuse Stage program. In the Times article (“Black Plays Knocking on Stage Doors,” August 2, 2020), Paulson considers

 THE CAST OF THOUGHTS OF A COLORED MAN IN IN THE WORLD PREMIERE PRODUCTION AT SYRACUSE STAGE. DIRECTED BY STEVE H. BROADNAX III. CHOREOGRAPHY BY MILLICENT JOHNNIE. SCENIC DESIGN BY ROBERT BRILL. COSTUME DESIGN BY TONI-LESLIE JAMES AND DEVARIO SIMMONS. LIGHTING DESIGN BY RYAN J. O'GARA. SOUND DESIGN BY MIKAAL SULAIMAN. PROJECTION DESIGN BY SVEN ORTEL. MUSIC BY TE'LA AND KAMAUU. IN ASSOCIATION WITH BALTIMORE CENTER STAGE, BRIAN MORELAND, AND RON SIMONS. PHOTO: MIKE DAVIS.

 ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR KYLE BASS.

the possibility that following the long overdue attention given racial inequities in American Theatre, especially on Broadway, by such movements as We See You White American Theatre and Black Theatre United, Broadway theatre owners may be more receptive to productions created by Black artists. Having had a successful run at Syracuse Stage followed by an equally encour-

aging engagement at Baltimore’s Center Stage, Thoughts of a Colored Man could be a contender. “I think it would kill on Broadway,” Paulson quotes Center Stage artistic director Stephanie Ybarra. Producer Moreland, while no doubt pleased and optimistic, strikes a more cautious note. “I believe that securing a Broadway

“To foster the development and production of new plays is one of the essential things a theatre can do. Without new work, theatres risk losing relevancy and vitality.” - Kyle Bass house is a very tough process. Trying to balance art, commerce, and public interest together, makes choosing a show challenging. However, I remain hopeful. When we return to our stages, I firmly believe organizations like the Shuberts and Jujamcyns [collectively own 22 of the 31 Broadway theatres] will not only be supportive but welcoming of all communities (Black and Brown) to join in conversations and stories of NOW,” Moreland wrote in a recent email. “Thoughts of a Colored Man will usher in a new Black director, Steve H. Broadnax III, and a new Black playwright named Keenan Scott II.” While a Broadway production would be a high-profile accomplishment—and especially validating and encouraging in this challenging time—even the close possibility highlights the value of Syracuse Stage’s commitment to

producing new work. Throughout its history, the company has featured world, national, and East Coast premieres, but only recently, with the advent of the Cold Read Festival of New Plays, has Syracuse Stage made developing and supporting new work an integral part of its mission, an initiative driven by artistic director Bob Hupp and associate artistic director Kyle Bass. “Kyle and I identified new work as a particular focus when we assumed our new positions four years ago,” Hupp explained. “I’m honored to have a playwright as Syracuse Stage’s associate artistic director. That’s uncommon in our field, and I believe Stage, and our audience, benefit from Kyle’s leadership and focus on new play development.” Bass also serves as curator for the Cold Read Festival. When first introduced three sea-

“Our world looks very different right now, but Syracuse Stage is constantly creating, innovating and engaging our community with meaningful programming. We are grateful for the extraordinary generosity of our patrons. Their investment in Stage makes all of this possible.” - Wendy J. Neikirk Rhodes sons ago, Cold Read featured a series of events spread over four or five evenings and was designed to encourage interest in new work and to attract talented new voices to Syracuse Stage. Quickly, the scope of Cold Read expanded to include full-length productions, so far including Thoughts of a Colored Man, Possessing Harriet, and salt/city/blues, currently scheduled to close the 2020/2021 season. Recently, Bass introduced Cold Read Shorts, featuring a diverse selection of new theatrical offerings available online. To date Cold Read Shorts has presented work by Bass, celebrated mime artist Bill Bowers, and Carrie Mae Weems, renowned visual artist, MacArthur Fellow, and a Syracuse resident. (Carrie Mae Weems’ video may be accessed through the link in this edition of StageView.) Thousands of school children have also benefited from Stage’s commitment to new work through commissioned original plays for the Backstory living history program. Commanding Space: The Rise of Annie Easley and the Centaur Rocket by Stephanie Leary and directed by Joann Yarrow, Stage’s director of education and community outreach, tells the story of the Black mathematician and computer engineer who worked to break gender and color boundaries while excelling for

34 years in a field dominated by white men. Commanding Space performed at 19 local schools during the 2018/2019 academic year and was scheduled to tour to cities around the country including Little Rock, Memphis, Cincinnati, New York City, and Miami before COVID-19 forced cancellation. A second commissioned Backstory play, So Journey to the Truth by Daniel Carlton and Nambi E. Kelley, also directed by Yarrow, and inspired by the portrait series Americans Who Tell the Truth by Robert Shetterly, performed for eight schools in 2019/2020 before the pandemic cut short its scheduled stops. Kelly has recently been engaged to write a new, Broadway bound play about Maya Angelou. Although many questions remain about the 2020/2021 season, current plans to develop two new works at Stage during the season are still on track. In the fall, Stephan Wolfert is slated to work on a new play based on Shakespeare’s Richard III. Through the fall and into the spring, artist/activist Mark Valdez will develop and present Exiled in America, an exploration of housing insecurity in Syracuse, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. Valdez, Stage, and three other partner-

ing organizations were recently awarded a Mellon Foundation grant in support of the project. This is the first Mellon grant Stage has received. “To foster the development and production of new plays is one of the essential things a theatre can do. Without new work, theatres risk losing relevancy and vitality,” Bass said. “The most exciting theatres have new play programming as part of their identity. I’m proud that through our Cold Read Festival and other Cold Read initiatives, Syracuse Stage is readily making a name for itself as a regional theatre where new plays and new playwriting voices have a home.” The ongoing development of new work, even amid the disruption of the COVID-19 crisis, speaks to the artistic strength of Syracuse Stage and the confidence and support of its patrons. “Our world looks very different right now, but Syracuse Stage is constantly creating, innovating and engaging our community with meaningful programming,” said Wendy J. Neikirk Rhodes, director of development. “We are grateful for the extraordinary generosity of our patrons. Their investment in Stage makes all of this possible.”  –Joseph Whelan