THE COLORED MUSEUM

I had the opportunity to direct a staged-reading of George C. Wolfe's essential play The Colored Museum. It was first presented at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in conversation with their 2022 production of Ain't No Mo' by Jordan E. Cooper. Additionally, the performance was presented at Howard University College of Fine, earning the project a nomination for Best Ensemble at the University's Owen Dodson Awards Ceremony, the 2022 Courageous Conversation Summit.
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A example of how my multitude of muses show up in my work is the use of music in this staged reading. I found that music is paramount to; 1) highlight the importance of music in Black culture, 2) showcase the role of music as catharsis for Black folks, and 3) create moments of joy and play throughout the piece. However, I was drawn to the idea of utilizing ensemble-generated music. For this, I posted the titles of the play’s vignettes around the our rehearsal room and asked the actors to capture their thoughts by writing them on sticky notes (i.e., themes, words, lines, statements, motifs, discoveries, etc.) and post them to the wall. Based on the ensemble's responses, I asked them what these vignettes might sound like. In conjunction with our Musical Director, we composed music with instruments, body percussion, and vocals for each scene that ranged from hip-hop to gospel. This process became a collective labor of love for the ensemble and an offering to our community, allowing everyone, including the audience, who was encouraged to be active participants, to contribute to the storytelling.

Directed by Amiah McGinty
Musical Direction by Ricky DeVon Hall
Stage Managed by Zora Allison & Chloe Gill