Thoughts of a Colored Man Played Last Broadway Performance on December 22

Keenan Scott II's Thoughts of a Colored Man has ended its Broadway run early. The new play began previews at the John Golden Theatre on October 1 and opened on October 13. This marked the Broadway debut of both Scott II and director Steven H. Broadnax III. At the time of its closing on December 22, Thoughts of a Colored Man played 13 previews and 79 regular performances.

The ensemble cast featured Dyllón Burnside, Bryan Terrell Clark, Da’Vinchi, Luke James, Forrest McClendon, Tristan Mack Wilds and Esau Pritchett.  

“While this is not the outcome we had hoped for, being part of this historic season on Broadway has been the greatest privilege of our lives," producers Brian Moreland, Ron Simons, Diana Dimenna, Kandi Burruss, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Samira Wiley said in a joint statement. "The theater industry’s great return is about so much more than the success or failure of any single production. As a community, we remain undeterred, unflinching and unstoppable. We have never been prouder to be theater makers than at this very moment.”

Thoughts of a Colored Man had its world premiere at Syracuse Stage in fall of 2019 and went on to play at Baltimore Center Stage later that year. When the production opened at the Golden Theatre, it made history as the first Broadway show to be written, directed by, starring and lead produced by Black men.