Interview With a Playwright: Keenan Scott II and “Thoughts of a Colored Man”
When you think of Broadway in New York City, what do you picture? The bright neon signage of NYC time square, spectacular dances, star-quality vocals, and theatrical acting? On the surface, this is typically correct; however, beyond the blinding lights and the red curtains, there are writers, directors, tech crew, stage managers, budgets, audio, ticketing, advertising, and so much more put into creating the final product- a memorable show.
Most importantly, these shows have meaning. The best shows that I’ve seen have been eye-opening and ones of resonance; this is precisely what Thoughts of a Colored Man achieves. It doesn’t take flashy outfits and over-the-top dance numbers to grab the audience’s attention; it is about genuine portrayal, raw emotion, humanity, and the complexities of life. It’s a much-needed display on the stages of Broadway.
FSU alumni Keenan Scott II, the creative mind behind Thoughts of a Colored Man, is a playwright, director, producer, poet, and actor from Queens, New York. He was kind enough to answer a few questions on which I wanted to hear his thoughts, regarding himself, his show, and his future:
The Writer:
Q: Have you always wanted to be a playwright? Did you ever have something else in mind?
Scott: “No not at all. I never thought I would be known for or make a career out of being a playwright. My first love in life was drawing and painting so I always thought I would do something in the field of fine arts. Growing up I wanted to be a computer animator. After seeing Toy Story when I was seven years old, I knew I wanted to work for Pixar. I started writing poetry at the age of thirteen which led me to the art of performance poetry which then led me to going to Frostburg to study Theatre with a concentration in acting. Then all those paths led me to becoming a playwright. So, I never envisioned it.”
Q: Do you have any piece of advice or something you wish you had known that would have helped you when rough times came about?
Scott: “I would definitely tell my younger self to stress way less. I’ve always taken things very seriously which caused me to stress a lot of things throughout my journey. But now I have found out most things will handle itself and not to stress things you can’t control.”
The Play:
Q: Was there a particular moment and/or current event that inspired you to write this story?
Scott: “I didn’t grow up a theater or play kid, so I wasn’t really well versed in the art form. During undergrad while studying the craft of acting I started to read a lot of the great American Dramas, but I didn’t see myself or my communities in any of them. That’s not to say those plays don’t exist, but at that time I wasn’t reading them. So, I told myself I wanted to write a piece that represented me and my community and what I come from. At the end of the day, I just wanted to see myself on the stage. I wanted that for my peers as well.”
Q: Tell me how the opportunity came about to have your play debut on Broadway?
Scott: “I started writing this play in 2006 while I was a sophomore at Frostburg. So, it has been a long journey. From 2009 to 2017 I developed and workshopped Thoughts of a Colored Man independently. During another developmental workshop in early 2017 I met who is now my lead producer Brian Moreland. We both decided together if we created a plan, we had a good chance to make it to Broadway. That included doing more development at Arena Stage and New York Theatre Workshop then having a regional theatre run starting with our world premiere at Syracuse Stage then a transfer to Baltimore Center Stage. That put us in position to be able to secure a Broadway House. Now that’s the simple response. In between all of that Brian and I had to knock on every single door in New York, two to three times. Literally blood, sweat and many many tears went into this process, and a lot of prayer. But all and all we willed our way there. No days off. We pushed every day.”
Q: Did you look to any other playwrights as inspiration?
Scott: “The playwrights I looked to most for inspiration was August Wilson and Katori Hall. Wilson is one of the most successful playwrights of all time and having wrote ten plays and to have them all produced on Broadway is such a feat and extremely hard to do. That is a testament to not only his writing but the person he was. And Hall is my favorite contemporary playwright. After reading her play Hurt Village it changed my life. It showed me that my authentic voice could be commercial and that there is power in my true voice and the stories of my community are important.”
The Future:
Q: What are some of your upcoming projects? Any that you are particularly excited for?
Scott: “I’m always working on something. I’m already developing my next stage play The Migration LP. I’ve also transitioned into TV and Film and currently developing a pilot for Universal.”
Q: For those who want to follow in your footsteps in this industry, do you have any suggestions as to how they can make the first steps to making that dream possible?
Scott: “There really isn’t a book to follow. Everyone’s journey is different. I would tell anyone you will have to multi-task. Work on your craft at the same you’re auditioning or submitting scripts, etc. Don’t wait for opportunity to fall in your lap, at all costs try to create it for yourself because the right people will take notice. When all fails, bet on yourself. Put just as much energy into learning the business as you do your craft because to be honest working hard isn’t enough. You have to couple a work ethic with strategic planning.”
While I had to keep the interview brief, I do strongly encourage FSU students, staff/faculty, and the casual readers of The Bottom Line to further read his story regarding this project that can be found on his website as well as interact with other aspects of the site, such as his bio and other projects (past, current, and future ones).
Again, I want to thank Mr. Scott for taking part in this interview [via email]. It truly was a pleasure to speak with someone with such sincere advice and valuable insights.
Website: https://www.keenanscott.com/
The Author
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