Can “Tyson’s Song” inspire new “conversations amongst Black men”?

April 26, 2024April 26, 2024 Arpita Ghosal

Peter N. Bailey (photo courtesy of the artist)

Actor, playwright and voice and dialect coach Peter N. Bailey is more than a performer. He is a powerful voice in storytelling and playwriting, and his play Tyson’s Song is readying for its world premiere on April 26, 2024 at Factory Theatre, where it will be presented by Pleiades Theatre.

Born and raised in Toronto, Bailey is a graduate of the Humber College Theatre Performance program. He embarked on his artistic journey thanks to one pivotal moment in his final year of high school. “My drama teacher Marla Percy pulled me aside one day in the hall, and earnestly asked me to think about going to theatre school. She told me I had the talent to do it,” he recalls. This encouragement led him to apply to George Brown Theatre School. One of the questions on the application was “Name the last play you saw”. Having seen exactly none, Bailey quickly scanned the newspaper for a play to see. He settled on a play called Heaven by George F. Walker that was running at the Canadian Stage Berkeley Street Theatre: “Seeing that play convinced me that theatre was what I needed to do.”

Tyson’s Song has a complex origin story. “Originally, the play was called An Odyssey In Black,” because, having recently read The Odyssey by Homer, Bailey identified with main character Odysseus, who is “returning from brutal battles; struggling to get home; to feel grounded; to be seen; to return to a place where there was love”. This connection with Odysseus’ epic struggles shaped the initial play, which he developed while a part of the Obsidian Theatre Play Development program in 2012.

By 2015, however, he decided to focus more on two other characters – Tyson and Bryan – and their relationship. He saw Tyson and Bryan as young men going through their own battles and trying to make their way “home”. This shift opened up a way to address specific life challenges that Bailey was facing, which reflected broader challenges of being a black man in Toronto. At its core, the play reflects Bailey’s deep-seated desire to “speak honestly about the lives, spirit, pain, and joys of the black men I’ve known.”

Kyle Brown & Jamar Adams-Thompson, Tyson’s Song, Pleiades Theatre (photo by Cylla von Tiedemann)

Thus, the plot of Tyson’s Song centres on Bryan and Tyson, who are two best friends out on their last “boys’ night out”. When the evening goes awry, these two Black men are compelled to examine their pasts and the true bonds of their friendship. Tyson’s Song explores resonant, of-the-moment themes of friendship, mental health, and identity – particularly in the context of the experience of Black men. Bailey aspires for the play to act as “a catalyst for conversations amongst Black men that are born out of compassion for each other’s well being”. And he hopes “that we learn the value of creating physical, mental, and spiritual spaces where our struggles, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities can be shared, or expressed – free of shame or the threat of weaponizing our pain against each other.”

He envisions audience members recognizing themselves – or their acquaintances – in the various characters, and being prompted by the story to “reach out to those who might be struggling, or to reach out themselves, if they are struggling”.

Under the direction of Ash Knight, the world premiere of Tyson’s Song features Kyle Brown as Tyson and Jamar Adams-Thompson as Bryan. And the larger world of the play is brought to life by set designer Anahita Dehbonehie, costume designer Des’ree Gray, and sound designer Stephon Smith. And with a pay-what-you-choose ticket system starting at just $5, Bailey’s play is accessible to a wide audience, which directly reflects his inclusive vision for theatre and community engagement.

With the opening imminent, the prospect of sharing his play with audiences offers Bailey profound joy – especially because it highlights his hometown: “I love sharing a story that is about Toronto! Being a big Hip-Hop fan, I loved learning about famous neighbourhoods, like Bedford–Stuyvesant, Decatur, Staten Island, or Queens Bridge. I felt how much pride and joy people got from being where they were from. And I have always felt the same thing about Toronto, and Canada at large. I also love recognizing my Jamaican background, as well as the influence of Caribbean culture on Toronto as a whole!”

Tyson’s Song is on stage from April 26 – May 19, 2024 at the Factory Theatre Studio Space. Reserve tickets on PleiadesTheatre.org or FactoryTheatre.com.