(JACKSON, Miss.) — Jackson State University’s Department of Art and Theatre, in conjunction with MADDRAMA Performance Troupe, will present an admission-free virtual performance of “The Colored Museum,” at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. Viewers can watch the event on Facebook at Jackson State University Theatre.

Written by George C. Wolfe and directed by Dr. Mark G. Henderson, “The Colored Museum” is an “electrifying and discomforting” performance that redefines the ideas of what it means to be black in contemporary America. The museum’s “exhibits” undermine black stereotypes old and new and return to the facts of what being black means.

“In this time of social, economic, racial, and health-related unrest in our society, we need a release. I chose this play because it will give our viewers, if only for an hour, time to laugh, enjoy and, most importantly, reflect on the awesomeness of the African-American culture,” explains Henderson, associate professor of speech and theater. He’s also founder of MADDRAMA.

“This play is categorized as a satire. It takes real-life situations and exaggerates it in such a way that it causes one to think about the ‘What if?’ as it relates to the complexities of our culture.”

To support MADDRAMA and the theater department, donations can be made through the JSU Development Foundation at MADDRAMA.