Playwright Keenan Scott II with the cast of his Broadway play, "Thoughts of a Colored Man" performed at Mizzou Theatre on September 20-24.
Keenan Scott II is a playwright, poet, actor, director and producer of original work who visited Mizzou's Theatre Department on Friday, September 15 for a Q&A session with theatre students, as well as a post-show discussion after the opening night performance of "Thoughts of a Colored Man" on Sept. 20. All performances of the show were sold out.
Originally from Queens, New York, Scott's work has been workshopped and produced at notable theaters such as National Black Theater, New York Theater Workshop, Arena Stage and Woolly Mammoth.
After years of readings, workshops, and independent shows, "Thoughts of a Colored Man" made its commercial world premiere at Syracuse Stage during their 2019-20 season and transferred to Baltimore Center Stage to finish its regional run, before settling at the Golden Theater during the 2021-22 Broadway season, where he made his writing and unconventional acting debut.
Through the storytelling style of SLAM Narrative, “Thoughts of a Colored Man” celebrates the hopes, ambitions, joys and triumphs of Black men in a world that often refuses to hear them.
"The week I spent as a Resident Artist at Mizzou University was truly amazing. Being able to immerse myself in the community and discuss the artistic process with faculty and students was an experience like no other," shares Scott.
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 Ted Talk can be seen here.
His new original musical "The Return of Young Boy" is currently being developed at New York Stage and Film and he has been commissioned by Broadway Theater Second Stage for his new play "Heaven is Full," while his other stage plays are in various stages of development. He is also developing an array of projects for television and film, including a pilot with Universal Content Productions of NBC Universal and a feature film with Netflix/Chernin Entertainment.
“Financial assistance for this project has been provided by MU’s Artist in Residence program.”