By Tavon N. Thomasson
Special to the AFRO
tthomasson@afro.com
The Morgan State University theater department transformed the Carl J. Murphy Fine Arts Center on Oct. 28 into a space filled with laughter and reflection as students stepped into a story that refused to play it safe.
The moment the red curtain opened, the audience was tossed straight into the hilarious and painfully honest world of “Ain’t No Mo’,” the 2019 play written by Jordan E. Cooper. Under the direction of Mari Andrea Travis, Morgan’s rendition stayed true to the play’s purpose, using humor to say the things people were afraid to say out loud. The play pushed viewers to confront race, identity and what it meant to be Black in America.
The story played out in an alternate universe where the U.S. government offered Black Americans one-way plane tickets to Africa. Throughout the show, each scene introduced a new set of characters dealing with that choice under entirely different circumstances—from a pregnant woman haunted by her boyfriend’s ghost to a satirical “Real Housewives” reunion.
By the time the lights came up, audience members and crew walked out with their personal takeaways.
“The play passes on a message that there is freedom somewhere that we can always go and get it if we want to,” said audience member Divine Chiangeh. “Sometimes when we get into experiences where our freedom is hijacked, we kind of feel like we don’t have a choice, but we actually do.”
For costume designer Yasmeen Mahdi, the play’s message centered on the uniqueness of the Black experience and how it can look different for everyone.
“The Black experience is completely different for everybody who’s walking it,” said costume designer Yasmeen Mahdi. “Everybody lives a different life, but we all understand the same struggles. The biggest takeaway is just to be open about what other people go through.”
Despite the heavy themes, many left the theater with rave reviews.
“This one was a 10 out of 10,” Reginald Allen said. “It caught me off guard by how much comedy and how many deep points and topics were within this show. Honestly, as soon as I walked in, I was hit with a left hook and they didn’t let up at all.”
Though this run has concluded, Theatre Morgan will continue its fall lineup with “Cruise Control: Black Joy in Turbulent Waters,” set for Nov. 7–8. The department will also stage “Williams and Walker” in Spring 2026, running April 24–26 of next year.