FERGUSON: THE MUSICAL COMING
TO CHARLOTTE, NC AND KNOXVILLE, TN
(CHARLOTTE, NC) While America is reeling from the latest rounds of African-
Americans killed by police officers in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Charlotte, North Carolina,
Ferguson: The Musical, a new stage play inspired by an incident from two years ago in
Ferguson, Missouri, is launching it's tour Friday, February 17, 2017 at 8PM at Johnson C. Smith University and Sunday, February 19, 2017 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN.
The play was inspired by the murder of Mike Brown, an unarmed black teenager
who was shot and killed August 9, 2014 by police, sparking nationwide protests and civil
unrest in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. On November 24th of that same
year, a grand jury decided not to charge Darren Wilson, the cop who killed Brown. That
news set off even more national protests.
“I was so moved by what happened in Ferguson, I had to use my talents to help tell
the story musically and try to bring healing after a devastating incident,” said NAACP
Image Award-winning playwright, Peachanda DuBose, who currently lives in Charlotte,
North Carolina, the scene of the latest police protests and unrest. “My son is seventeen
years old and I constantly worry about him,” she said as she prepares for the second
weekend of the show in Hollywood. “At some point this madness has to stop.”
That madness reached new heights with the August 28, 2016 sit-down protest by
Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, who chose not to stand
during the national anthem at his teamʼs preseason NFL game. It has been a lightning
rod of criticism and racism under the guise of “patriotism.”
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“Youʼve gotta see this play. Itʼs just what we need now,” said actor Ernest L. Tho-
mas, who played “Raj” on TVʼs “Whatʼs Happening.” He was among the sold out crowd
on opening night. “Itʼs riveting. Itʼs dramatic. Itʼs comedic. And it has a surprise ending!”
That was the sentiment of other playgoers as well.
“With the current political and racial climate going on in America, the cast and I hope
this play will make everyone think long and honestly about how they can be agents of
positive change,” says DuBose. “How many more lives will have to be lost at the hands
of those sworn to serve and protect us before America decides our lives have value?”
Brown had a troubled past growing up in Ferguson and some people thought, “He
had it coming,” said the gifted playwright. “But that still doesnʼt give law enforcement the
authority to be his judge, jury and executioner. The people are tired.”
Ferguson: The Musical is a mostly male cast of veterans actors, singers, spoken
word artists and rappers. Actress Trisha Mann Grant portrays a news reporter following
the story closely. Meanwhile, most of the other cast members serve as jurors trying to
decide the fate of the white officer who killed the black teen. Will he be found guilty? Or
will he be yet another officer exonerated after killing a black citizen?
The dialogue at times is heated and intense from the one of the courtʼs deliberation
rooms as they go over the teenʼs checkered past and the officerʼs possible future.
Noted gospel artists leads the vocalists with the stellar music, including
the song, “Glory,” which won an Academy Award from the movie “Selma.”
Ms. DuBose, who wrote, produced and directs the musical, is available for interviews
upon requests.
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