Stage Review - For Colored Boyz (The Underground Theatre)

Stage Review - For Colored Boyz (on the verge of a nervous breakdown / when freedom ain’t enough)
Presented By: The Underground Theatre @ Base Camp Studios - Seattle, WA
Show Run: September 05 - September 21, 2025
Date Reviewed: Thursday, September 18, 2025
Run Time: 90 minutes (no intermission)
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman

With attempts to erase Black history from our textbooks and our museums, shows like Bryan-Keyth Wilson’s For Colored Boyz, produced by The Underground Theatre and performed at Base Camp Studios through September 21, become vital and required viewing. Though the play was written in 2014, the fact that it is only having its West Coast premiere now with this production brings up two questions: what took so long for it to reach Seattle, and what can we do to ensure more people see it now that it’s here? Pieces like this serve not only as art, but as educational vessels, providing vital context for how Black culture has evolved into what we see today.

The setting for The Underground Theatre production could not be more perfect. Base Camp Studios offers a raw, intimate performance space, one that mirrors the raw emotional power of the play itself. The scenic design is simple—little more than a few wooden boxes—but the space itself and the play seem to exist symbiotically. The boxes transform before our eyes: the cramped seats of a slave ship, the pedestals from which truths are shouted, the foundations upon which new stories are built. It’s a stark reminder that history is not static. The play takes us through the history of the Black male experience in America, a history fraught with systemic repression, societal injustice, and, equally, an internal struggle to reconcile the weight of ancestry with the fight for liberation and progress.

As the story unfolds through time, so does the art on stage. Jimmy Shields’s choreography is a masterpiece of evolution: it begins rooted in African rhythms and traditional movement, then transitions through the centuries, ultimately culminating in modern dance. It’s breathtaking in both scope and execution, mirroring the journey of a culture that has endured, adapted, and survived. This same sense of progression is echoed in the musical accompaniment. The soundtrack follows the historical arc, with African beats giving way to spirituals sung by slaves chained on ships or toiling in fields, before moving into contemporary selections. Delvin James shines vocally, his rich voice adding even greater depth to these emotionally charged moments.

The text of the dialogue is marked by its poetic nature. Delivered in choreopoem form, the piece flows like a living, breathing organism. Hearing this ensemble recite Wilson’s words is akin to hearing masters at work. Each performer brings passion and precision, meeting the material’s demands head-on and every performance is delivered with fervor and unfiltered emotion. The actors don’t simply speak their truths—they connect with the audience. Through direct eye contact, they invite, challenge, and at times demand that audience members not only listen, but hear—and, in turn, reflect on how each of us might act to bring about meaningful change, or at a minimum walk away with an understanding and an empathy toward the plight of the “Colored Boyz”.

Eyual Degaga as Man in Blak is particularly magnetic. His stage presence is undeniable, his gaze piercing through the fourth wall and into the hearts of those seated before him. Danny Gage provides one of the evening’s most haunting moments with his emotionally raw recollection of sexual abuse, a scene that holds the audience in stunned silence. Ejay Amor delivers a standout moment in his portrayal of life as a drag queen—this is the most confident and commanding I’ve seen Ejay on stage, and his performance here proves he belongs alongside the rest of this remarkable ensemble. This is a cast in sync, emotionally charged and united in purpose.

The play is episodic, taking us through pivotal moments in Black history and experience. Scenes grapple with the trauma of the Vietnam War, the controversy surrounding kneeling in sports led by a stunning performance from Matthew Lockett, and the painful question, “Where are the brave in the home of the brave?” There is also a gripping exploration of the N-word—its origin, its evolution, and the way it continues to shape and challenge Black identity. Among these powerful scenes, one of the most unforgettable is a monologue about police brutality. Delivered with unflinching honesty, it builds slowly, deliberately, before detonating into a visceral crescendo. It is the kind of moment that leaves the theater in complete, breathless silence, the weight of reality crashing down on everyone present.

This production refuses to let its audience remain comfortable or passive. It asks difficult questions, forces uncomfortable truths to the surface, and doesn’t allow for easy resolution. The simplicity of the staging ensures that nothing distracts from the message: the words and the bodies delivering them are enough. They are more than enough.

For Colored Boyz (on the verge of a nervous breakdown / when freedom ain’t enuff) is essential theatre. It’s unvarnished, urgent, and deeply human. It challenges both its performers and its audience, offering no easy answers but demanding that we grapple with the questions. With such artistry and conviction, The Underground Theatre has brought Seattle a production that is as educational as it is emotionally shattering. In a time when some would rather silence voices like these, this show amplifies them instead, and the result is nothing short of transformative. This is the kind of art that there’s currently a push to repress—but it’s precisely the kind of art that we must fight to give oxygen to. For Colored Boyz will haunt you, inspire you, and leave you questioning long after you’ve left the theatre.

For Colored Boyz (on the verge of a nervous breakdown / when freedom ain’t enough), produced by The Underground Theatre, runs through September 21 at the Base Camp Studios in Seattle. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://underground.theater.

Photo credit: Keith Schindler