THE BOY WHO KISSED THE SKY

TYA Play with Music

A play with music by Idris Goodwin

Lyrics by Idris Goodwin, Divinity Roxx and Eugene H. Russell IV

Music by Divinity Roxx and Eugene H. Russell IV

Set in the heart of Seattle’s Central District to the rhythms that shaped a generation, The Boy Who Kissed the Sky, is inspired by the early life and influences of Seattle native and musical icon Jimi Hendrix. The early era of rock ‘n roll music sets the stage as a young Black boy conjures his creativity as a budding guitarist. Guided by the spirit of music itself, the boy learns to find harmony inside the challenging noises of his life. Told with vibrant music and daring imagination, this play inspires us to dream big when it matters most.

“An engrossing experience... moving and prophetic.”—The Boston Globe

“An engaging celebration of Black joy and resilience...The perfect summer excursion for young theatre audiences.” —WERS

“This highly theatrical play by Idris Goodwin celebrates all the young artists who follow their muse."

—Creative Loafing

CASTING:

3W, 4M

Production Notes:

Cast of Characters

(3W, 4M)

THE BOY— African-American. Male.

J SONIC— African-American. Male. A spirit and the bandleader of The Feedback, an acting/singing chorus, and accompanying band.

THE FEEDBACK

— The shape-shifting acting ensemble.

1 — Portrays MEL. African-American. Male. The Boy’s father, lean, confident, hard working, not without his demons. ALSO: Neighbor 1, Grandpa, Muddy Waters

2— Portrays DONNA. African-American. Female. The Boy’s mother, a free spirit, adventurous, unable to sit still, not without her demons. ALSO: Neighbor 2, Grandma

3 — Portrays MRS. NEWTON. African-American. Female. Well-intentioned nosy neighbor. ALSO: Vaudeville Performer A, Koko Taylor, Local Band member

4— Portrays PERSON WITH THE CLIPBOARD 1. White. Male. ALSO: Producer, Army Recruiter 1, Local band member, A Voice

5 — Portrays PERSON WITH THE CLIPBOARD 2. White. Female.  ALSO: Vaudeville Performer B, Army Recruiter 2, Music Professor Dr. Murphy, Voice

Setting: Seattle, WA, Late 1950s-1960

Author’s Note: This is a mythology, not a biography, heavily influenced by Seattle’s most famous son but also all the other kids who dream in static. This ain't nobody’s jukebox musical, nobody’s bio-play, this is one star out of an infinite galaxy of stories.

Music Materials: Required sheet music and performance tracks are provided digitally with all licenses to perform The Boy Who Kissed the Sky.

Author, Book, Music & Lyrics

Idris Goodwin

Idris Goodwin is an award-winning storyteller for multiple generations. An accomplished playwright, breakbeat poet, content creator and arts champion, Goodwin is recognized as a culture bearer who celebrates community values and cultivates histories with care. Idris is the author of over 60 original plays ranging from his Hip Hop inspired breakbeat series to historical dramas to works for young audiences. Titles such as And In This Corner Cassius Clay, How We Got On, Hype Man: A Break Beat Play, This is Modern Art and the ground breaking Free Play: open source scripts for an antiracist tomorrow...

[Go to FULL BIO]

Music & Lyrics

Divinity Roxx

Divinity Roxx is a multi-hyphenate Grammy nominated musician, recording artist, and composer who is celebrated for her ability to inspire others with her infectious grooves and memorable lyrics... [FULL BIO]

Eugene H. Russell IV

Eugene IV, born and raised in southwest Atlanta, is a multi-talented vocalist, musician, songwriter, and award-winning actor. It was in elementary school that he discovered his passion for music and hasn’t looked back. From these...[FULL BIO]