The Southern Miss Theatre Department is bringing a bold, immersive experience to campus this month with its production of “The Colored Museum,” a play that spotlights and satirizes African American heritage.
Originally premiering in 1986, George C. Wolfe’s work is known for its sharp humor and unflinching commentary. But at USM, audiences won’t just watch the show — they’ll step into it. This production places viewers onstage with the actors, guiding them through 11 “exhibits” that explore different facets of Black culture.
Director and theatre professor Hillary Scales-Lewis says audiences should be ready for an emotional journey.
“It’s like an explosion of Black culture — joyful, heartbreaking, confusing, shocking and unknown,” Scales-Lewis said. “That’s really the Black experience in a nutshell. I wanted to give the audience a taste of that.”
The exhibits examine cultural stereotypes, slavery, segregation, queer identity, generational trauma, racism and the ongoing search for self. Each scene features new characters brought to life by both undergraduate and graduate performers.
Scales-Lewis, who has acted in the play twice, is directing it for the first time. During early preparations, she found herself returning to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” drawing inspiration from the music video’s constant movement and unexpected turns.
“There are moments in this play where people will say ‘amen’ or ‘ouch,’” she said. “It’s all part of experiencing live theatre together. That’s the magic of what we do — as artists, we create something from nothing.”
The show began in a bare rehearsal hall, where chairs stood in for set pieces. Now, it has transformed into a full museum environment filled with vivid lighting, intricate designs and crowds moving from scene to scene.
Actor Dkameron Edmonson portrays four major roles — including “Guy” in the photosession exhibit, “Ms. Roge,” “Son,” and “Man.” One of his emotional scenes involves playing a frustrated son navigating a family that represents familiar Black sitcom archetypes.
“It’s a satire on the Black sitcom — it’s not always peachy,” Edmonson said. “Everyone puts on a mask, and when that mask breaks, we put on another.”
Edmonson says the play reinforced one powerful message: “Being Black is beautiful.”
“We have so many aspirations growing up,” said Edmonson. “We want to fight for so much but when we endure white America, do we still maintain our Blackness, or do we have to hide?”
Preparation for the production began in fall 2024, when faculty and students submitted proposals. After discussion and voting by the play-reading committee, designers met with Scales-Lewis to shape the visual world of the show and decide how they wanted the audience to feel as they moved through each exhibit.
“The Colored Museum” continues its run throughout the month. Upcoming performances are Nov. 21–22 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 23 at 2 p.m.
“It’s a blessing and an honor to produce theatre the way we envision it,” Scales-Lewis said. “I’m very proud of our school and our university.”