Brandon High School’s theater program made history last year when they performed the first ever Black History show, ‘To Be Young, Gifted, and Black.’ This show, which focused on the life of African American writer Lorraine Hansberry, adapted from her writings, had a profound impact on our community. Supported by her amazing cast, the title character, played by our very own Kaelynn Keller, told a captivating story that brought light to the hardships of African American life during slavery and the present day. This play even won the ‘People’s Choice Award’ at the Brandon High School’s inaugural Tony Awards. The impact of this show was felt not only within the walls of Brandon Theatre but also in the broader community, changing the culture of Brandon Theatre in the best way possible!
After last year’s success, Mr. Lunsford spent the summer searching for the next Black History show to keep the new tradition going. He searched for weeks until he came across the one-of-a-kind show, “A Soldier’s Play.” At first, this show seemed so far out of reach. The show was made for a mature audience and handled tough challenges faced by African American men during WWII; Mr. Lunsford knew this would be a point of contention. The content issue, coupled with an all-male cast, made it easy to see how this play would challenge Brandon Theatre.
However, when Mr. Lunsford introduced this play to his students, the pieces started falling into place. Veteran actors Eric Greene II, Anton Taylor, Tyrone Bennett, Ethan Young, and Cannon Lewis stepped up to form the cast along with Cameron McNair, Cam Short, John Broome, Hayden Muirhead, Roxroy Johnson, Konner Brown, and Ethan Page. Ethan Page and Ethan Young led the Ensemble as Captain Davenport and Captain Taylor. These students explored the tense relationship between African American soldiers and white soldiers during WWII. In this historical fiction play, Page’s Captain Davenport was a black officer investigating a serious crime committed on the grounds of Fort Neal. Young’s Captain Taylor was the white commanding officer over the all-black regiment. The connection between these two characters reflects the social dilemma of the modern day.
“A Soldier’s Play” was more than just a play for many cast members. For Tyrone Bennett, a BHS theater veteran, the play represented so much for him. “The play was life-changing for me,” Bennett explained, “it challenged you to put in a pair of glasses to look at a different time period and the struggle that African American men went through… If I had one word to describe it all, it would be brotherhood.” Tyrone understood and respected that this historic fictional piece of literature allowed these boys to tell an untold story- to bring light to issues no one is willing to advocate for. As the boys were getting ready for this production, Mr. Lunsford challenged them to strive for excellence by naming their company the Ubora Company. That charge by their director pushed them all to take ownership, just as Tyrone did, over their role in telling the story.
This production marks the second of many shows put on in honor and in advocacy for the African American community at Brandon High School and in the Brandon community. We are immensely grateful to the students who dedicated their time and effort to bring ‘A Soldier’s Play’ to life. Thank you, Brandon High School, for providing a platform for these talented individuals to showcase their skills and tell important stories.
If you want to see more from Brandon Theatre, be sure to come to the last two shows of the year! Coming up first, “The Outsiders,” based on the 80s hit novel and movie. Be sure to to come see our Theatre III class in this amazing production on May 9th and 10th. Last but certainly not least, the hit musical “Grease” is coming to the BHS stage! You don’t want to miss out on an exciting end to the school year on May 29th and 30th!
