PLAYS / MUSICALS
FULL LENGTH PLAYS
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. Originally written after the death of Michael Brown (August 9, 2014), this is a love letter to the black man in all his glory, vulnerability, psychosis, and heartbreak. This piece brings social issues to the stage and addresses issues within the black community that is taboo. Afro-centric rhythms and dance are the pulse of this piece and must be handled delicately.
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.
Bakari Walker is a struggling playwright trying to break into the theatre business and pay bills by teaching in public school. His career aspirations are put on hold when his mother has a stroke. When tasked with the idea of being a full-time caregiver, her older children Paula and Gene become distant, and Bakari becomes her full-time caregiver. Bakari and his mother begin to take inventory of their lives, and family ties are questioned. Feeling like his purpose is not fulfilled and starting to suffer from caregiver stress, Bakari begins to lose himself, but his mother keeps him grounded and encouraged. THE CAREGIVER is a play about patience, forgiveness, and family relationships when a loved one becomes terminally ill.
IN DEVELOPMENT
IN DEVELOPMENT
Set in the rural community of La Marque, Texas, the play chronicles the life of Jordan Michael Whitaker, the selfish, womanizing, sex/ drug enthused 20 year old, and how he uses anyone and any situation to get what he wants. The mischievousness catches up with him when he meets a psychotic pharmaceuticals sales representative that catches him in bed with her best friend. A gun is pulled- someone is left dead. Set to Romans 12:2, Hood Boy Chronicles is a modern tale of spiritual warfare that's not for the faint of heart.
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Initially written for the Alpha Psi Omega Experimental Theatre Night, No Ways Tired captivated its first audience at Sam Houston State University in the Fall of 1997.
No Way Tired is a kitchen sink drama that centers on the Johnson Family and Young Bobby, who has graduated from high school and is the first in his family to go to college. Bobby is trying to figure out if going to college out of state is the best decision or if he should stay home and attend community college. Bobby's parents are getting older, and he wants to be around to help them. His middle brother James has surfaced addicted to crack cocaine, and the family is turned upside down. Gary, the oldest sibling, is far removed from his family and believes writing a check will ease the family's pain.
Three brothers are at odds with one another, putting strain on their parents. James is in the wrong place at the wrong time and is arrested for murder. Family ties are tested, and Bobby has to decide if he will put his dreams on hold to be there for his parents or follow in his older brother's footsteps and leave the nest.
Once upon a time, there was a little gay prince in the East Village of New York City gazing out of his window, daydreaming about the black knight that would one day climb up the tower to his bedroom and save him from his crazy corrupt mother and wicked stepfather. His mother, The Queen, runs a phone sex ring and sex dungeon in the palace's basement.
Now that he is older, Merlinda believes it is time for him to know the truth about his mother and stepfather. She shows him his past, present, and future in the powerful Uno Cards, and it is then that he understands his true destiny, and that is to become a drag queen and save the Queendom. Now with his new Drag persona, he is no longer scared and builds up the confidence to approach his crush, the introverted gothic Leyartis, and face his mother in an ultimate lip sync battle.
Known as the conscience of Congress, John Robert Lewis was a true statesman with an early plight for equality and justice for all.
From humble beginnings on a farm outside of Troy, Alabama, a young John Lewis finds solace preaching to the chickens and listening to the radio. Growing up in the segregated south, Eddie and Willie Mae had no idea they were raising a member of the Big Six and instrumental figures in the Civil Rights Movement and a forefather of American History. THE BOY FROM TROY follows the life and legacy of Congressman Lewis from the age of nine years old to his final visit to Black Lives Matter Plaza. This musical features an original book by Bryan-Keyth Wilson with original music and lyrics by Constance T. Washington and Wilson.
Confessions of a Preacher's Wife is a musical that leads you into the world of a pastor's wife. It's a world full of church drama, conniving members, loose women, power-playing deacons, false accusations, and fed-up preacher's kids.
When her husband, Lance, accepts the pastorate of New Light Church in the small town of Southlake, Texas, First Lady Jacqueline Stevens thought the transition would be a cakewalk for someone with years of experience. After all, she's seen and heard it all before. Little does she know that she is about to embark on a journey of trials, self-doubt, and pain, the likes of which she's never imagined. How can God possibly get the glory out of this mess? Peek into the personal journal of this preacher's wife as she travels the road to hard-learned lessons of unwavering trust and dependence on God. Novel By Mikasenoja, Musical Book by Bryan-Keyth Wilson, Lyrics by: Bryan-Keyth Wilson, Chester DT Baldwin, and Cedrick Ford.
In the summer of 1999, Bryan-Keyth Wilson sought out the MTA in NYC to interview passengers and employees about their experiences on the subway in New York City. Many subway workers were reluctant to tell their stories, but after a few free lunches, Wilson could get them to open up about the NYC Subway line's good, bad, and ugly stories. Passengers also shared their gruesome experiences waiting on the platform and riding the train late at night.
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Kamari and Myles went to high school together and became best friends the summer of their senior year. Fast-forward 22 years and the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor has changed how some view social justice in America. After a heated discussion about the riots surrounding the death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Kamari and Myles' relationship hits a brick wall. Tragedy strikes home with Myles, and their friendship is tested.
Two employees of the Galveston Housing Authority set up a town hall meeting after Hurricane Ike. The residents are displaced and scared they will become homeless. Adam and Tammy are met with gut-wrenching stories of death and survival. In the meeting, tempers flare at the thought of gentrification, and the session turns into a proactive meeting of the minds, and the people decide to take their community back.
The play was initially written for the Galveston County Hope benefit concert. The benefit featured Bishop TD Jakes, Fred Hammond, several pastors from the Houston/Galveston area, and others who joined to encourage and uplift families after Hurricane Ike’s devastation and destruction. Fourteen years after the devastating hurricane, Bryan-Keyth Wilson decided to take at this script and rework the story.
“This was my first social justice piece and short play that I’ve ever written, and in these times we live in now, learning about gentrification and how to combat this issue is even more relevant than it was in 2008.”
--Bryan-Keyth Wilson