NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TN Tribune)– On Friday and Saturday, March 11 & 12, Brown Boy Mad, a play by Sékou Writes, enjoyed its debut as a fully directed play at Fisk University. Best described as a choreopoem, Brown Boy Mad incorporates elements of film, song, poetry and even the perspectives of the student actors themselves in an attempt to describe some of the author’s real-life interactions with race and microaggressions in “post-racial” America.
The performance which featured students from Fisk University’s theatre appreciation class garnered a great turnout. This full production version of the play was directed by veteran actress, director and Fisk drama professor, Persephone Felder-Fentress.
The play was written by award-winning blogger, journalist, author, and jewelry designer Sékou Writes, who splits his time between New York and Nashville.
The performance utilized the talents of nine Fisk students on stage plus several more behind the scenes. The event was free and open to the public –100% of the donations collected were donated back to the Fisk Stagecrafters. One of Sekou’s Morehouse brothers, Konson Patton, donated his time to create music for a song in the play entitled “Blessed” that was co-created by Regina Calloway and Sekou Writes.
“I’m amazed at how much the play has evolved,” said Sekou about the new performance. “It’s so much bigger– and better– than I ever imagined.”
Sekou Writes technically lives in New York City but frequently travels to Nashville to visit his mom and aunt who are both Fiskites. Sekou has written for a wide range of publications including Essence, Ebony, Uptown, and Upscale amongst others. He has also edited three books (When Butterflies Kiss, Stories of Survival & Beyond, and The Sound of Silk at Midnight), been featured in several anthologies, performed in the NYC Fringe Festival, and earned an MFA in Creative Writing from New School University. He has been featured as a guest on many podcasts, radio shows and TV shows including Nightline, The Today Show and WGBH’s Basic Black.
For more information about the play and the playwright please visit www.sekouwrites.com.
