The Colored Museum

The Colored Museum was recognized in 1986 as an important new work by up-and-coming playwright, George C. Wolfe. Chosen by Crossroads Theatre as the best new play in America during the CBS/FDG New Plays Program, a nationwide search for new writing talent sponsored by CBS and The Foundation for the Dramatic Guild.

The successful launching in 1986 of The Colored Museum at Crossroads led to a long-running engagement at the Public Theater where Wolfe would eventually become its artistic director. He has since expanded his horizons to become a lauded Broadway and film director (Lackawanna Blues for HBO and the recently released Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)In the early ‘90s, Crossroads’ creative team was approached by a funder of the acclaimed television program Great Performances.

They were asked, “if you could film any one Crossroads production for a national broadcast, what would it be?” The team unhesitatingly chose The Colored Museum, written by an emerging playwright named George C. Wolfe. It was a daring choice among the more traditional offerings from theaters nationwide, but their faith in their artist-in-residence was unwavering. Thirty years later, this brilliant, razor-sharp satire has earned itself an unshakeable place in the canon of Great American Theater, and is still being produced across America and throughout the world.