FOR COLORED BOYZ on the verge of a nervous breakdown/ when freedom aint enuff

FOR COLORED BOYZ on the verge of a nervous breakdown/ when freedom ain’t enuff is an unabashed display of blackness that's unapologetic and speaks to the human heart from a black man's perspective. FOR COLORED BOYZ brings social issues to the stage and addresses issues within the black community that is silenced. FOR COLORED BOYZ’s Afro-centric rhythms are the heart of this piece.  FOR COLORED BOYZ resonates with its audiences no matter their ethnicity or demographic, there is a common thread that brings us all together when sitting in the dark watching this show; to go forth with understanding and love. 

 

FOR COLORED BOYZ on the verge of a nervous breakdown/ when freedom ain’t enuff is a collection of 34 poems telling the stories of black men from slavery to the present. This composition examines the dark realities of what it means to be a man of color in America. Wilson’s work delves into issues such as toxic masculinity, homophobia, systematic racism, mental issues, and police brutality. While there’s no linear narrative each poem is weaved together through music and dance making this piece a choreopoem. The choreopoem is performed by five nameless men only represented visually by their colors. They are The Man in Black, Man in Red, Man in Green, Man in Orange and Man in Blue. Other subjects examined in this choreopoem include colorism, racial stereotypes, the black family and politics. By the conclusion of Act II, walls are broken, and each man on stage takes a new right of passage giving reverence to the ancestors and affirming the bond of brotherhood is what they need to move forward in this world. 

Cast: 
man in red man in black man in green man in blue man in orange
Authors: 
Bryan-Keyth Wilson