'Thoughts Of A Colored Man' Receives High Praise At Baltimore Center Stage
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The world premiere play "Thoughts of a Colored Man" has been so successful it's likely headed to Broadway.
Veteran actor Jerome Preston Bates plays the character "Wisdom."
"Always say wisdom comes with a lot of mistakes, a lot of falling down," Bates said. "A lot of getting back up, a lot of making the wrong decisions," Bates said.
Seven of the African-American male characters have names like Wisdom, Love, Passion, and Depression.
The audience watches the men face life and crawl inside their thoughts and experiences.
WJZ's Denise Koch: What would you say is essential about doing this play right now? About mounting this play as many places as possible?
Actor Preston Bates: Misunderstanding the African American man. The way an African American man is projected, and the way maybe most people see an African American man. But to also opens the lid to what goes on inside the life of an African American man.
Bates' roots in theater go back more than 40 years.
He played in August Wilson's "Seven Guitars" alongside Viola Davis. But with this play, written by Maryland's Keenan Scott, he feels something special.
"I'm just incredibly blessed to be part of this story and the way it's told and why it's told and why it's important to be today," Bates said.
"Thoughts of a Colored Man" closes Nov. 10.
