Playwright Keenan Scott II was studying theater at Frostburg State University in Maryland when it struck him that his curriculum consisted of mostly old, Eurocentric works.
"I wasn't seeing myself in the work that I was studying. I wasn't seeing my community. I wasn't reading or discovering a lot of characters that reminded me of myself and my family and my friends," he said.
The year was 2006. Scott was 19, and big into slam poetry and hip-hop. He said that's when an idea popped into his head:
"To create a show where myself and some of my Black peers would be able to have monologues for auditions, and things of that nature. Something that would feel comfortable to us, and authentically us, when we did it," he said.
The result is "Thoughts of a Colored Man." The play opened on Broadway in 2021; it debuted in Charlotte with a local cast on May 3 at Three Bone Theatre, where it runs through May 19.
The work centers on seven Black men living in Brooklyn who share their stories through a blend of poetry, dialogue and song.
Scott spoke with WFAE's Nick de la Canal about his motivation, how his work has changed over time, and why he used a style he calls "slam narrative."
Keenan Scott II: So, "slam narrative" is the use of slam poetry in a narrative form, mixed with prose, mixed with traditional scene work, and also breaking the fourth wall. As well as the use of some type of griot, which I take from my inspiration of African folklore, which always — there's some form of griot that is used in some form of a narrator, that kind of teaches a lesson.
Nick de la Canal: None of the characters are named in the show. Why not?
Scott: They have allegorical titles. Early on, being a young Black man, often being told that we don't know how to express ourselves, we don't express ourselves — I wanted to create a piece where we did exactly that.
So instead of giving them traditional names, I wanted to give them these allegorical titles like Love, Lust, Anger, Passion, Wisdom, Depression and Anger.
And, metaphorically, since this piece takes place over the course of one day, you'll be able to see what it would look like if Love had a conversation with Lust; if Wisdom was having a conversation with Anger; if Passion was having a conversation with Depression. So, metaphorically, that's what I wanted to portray in this piece.
De la Canal: I also want to ask about the title, "Thoughts of a Colored Man." Was there intention behind using the word "colored" in that title, as opposed to Black or African American?
Scott: Absolutely. I wanted it to cause a visceral response when people saw it. There was a time in this country where water fountains and restaurants and bathrooms were labeled. So, to this day, that's a history that cannot be erased. And it still causes a response when you see it.
And also to pay homage to works like "(The) Colored Museum" by George Wolfe, "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide," by Ntozake (Shange). So I also wanted to pay homage to all of my literary artists that inspired me by also using the word in the title as well.
De la Canal: You know, there are many who think that theater should be an escape from the world. You know, you go into a dark theater, you forget your troubles. And then there are people who think that it should investigate societal problems and frame them on stage. I guess I'm wondering, where do you see yourself in that dichotomy?
Scott: I see myself in both. If you actually see "Thoughts of a Colored Man" — maybe the title might lend a different assumption — but when you see it, it does both.
It's not that this piece is just serious subjects and it just talks about racism, 'cause it doesn't. It reflects society, but also it shows a lot of joy, a lot of love.
In this piece, you will see a grandfather be excited to welcome his new grandchild. You will see a man that's happily married, that's a teacher, that is also expecting a new one — a new bundle a joy. You will see many different things across the spectrum. So I see myself in both of those worlds.
De la Canal: You started writing this piece, like you said, when you were 19 years old. You're a little older than that today. I don't know your exact age now.
Scott: Yes, I'm 37 now.
De la Canal: OK. I wonder if there are any characters or lines that you look at today and see a little differently, or think about differently, now that you're older?
Scott: Absolutely. And a lot of those lines probably don't exist in the play no more (laughter). Because a lot of things — a lot of references are just not true no more. But then, unfortunately, there's a lot of things that still are true, that still remain in the play. So the play has definitely grown and evolved.
De la Canal: Can you give an example?
Scott: Yes. So the biggest change in this piece — when I first wrote it all of the characters were around 20 years old. Now, with the evolution of me wanting to show the greatest spectrum I could, the characters now range from 18 to 65 years old, because I thought it was a grand opportunity to be able to show, not only the spectrum of age, but in doing so, showing different generations, showing different thinking and ideologies between the characters. We're showing that — seven men that have different upbringings, right?
So once I experienced different things in life, and relationships and ups and downs, and all of those things, I was able to weave those into my characters a little more than I was when I was 19 years old.
"Thoughts of a Colored Man" is onstage at Three Bone Theatre through May 19. More information here.
