“I Want to Live!” A Stage Play About Black Males in Fort Worth 76104. By Pastor Kyev Tatum



“Want to Live!” A Stage Play About Black Males in Fort Worth 76104. By Pastor Kyev Tatum


One Act


Setting: A modest community center in Fort Worth, Texas, ZIP code 76104. The space is set up for a support group meeting, with chairs arranged in a circle. A banner on the wall reads: Beyond 64 Brothers – Health + Healing Hub.


Characters:

• Marcus – A 45-year-old Black man, community leader, and facilitator of the meeting.

• Tyrone – A 27-year-old Black man, struggling with unemployment and depression.

• James – A 64-year-old retired factory worker with diabetes, determined to defy the odds.

• DeAndre – A 19-year-old college student navigating racial identity and expectations.

• Pastor Elijah – A 50-year-old faith leader who runs the Health + Healing Hub at his church.

• Narrator – Provides context between scenes and shares statistics and facts.




Scene One: Reality Check


(Lights up on Marcus standing in front of the group. The men sit in a semi-circle, looking at him with mixed expressions of frustration, weariness, and curiosity.)


Marcus:

Brothers, let’s talk. We all know the stats. Here in 76104, Black men die younger than anywhere else in Texas. The average life expectancy is 67 years. For us, it’s even lower—64. That means, for many of us, time is running out. But I refuse to accept that. I want to live. Don’t y’all?


James: (nodding slowly)

You’re right, young blood. I done seen too many brothers leave this earth too soon. My best friend? Gone at 58. My cousin? Stroke at 52. And you know what the doctor told me? High blood pressure, diabetes—like that’s just normal. But it ain’t normal. And it ain’t right.


Tyrone: (visibly frustrated, voice cracking)

Man, it’s hard though. Every day, I wake up thinking, What’s the point? I can’t get a decent job. Bills stacking up. Stress got me feeling like I got bricks on my chest. My pops died at 60, and I don’t see myself making it much further than that. How do you stay motivated when everything feels like it’s against you?


DeAndre: (quietly, looking down)

I hear you, man. I’m just getting started, but I feel like I’m already behind. Like the world expects me to fail, and if I don’t, I’m still not enough. It’s like they don’t even see us unless we fit into some box. And if we don’t, then I ain’t Black enough. It’s too much pressure.


Marcus: (stepping forward with intensity)

That’s why we’re here, man. To break the cycle. To fight for our health, for our future. But it’s bigger than that. We gotta fight for each other. We can’t just sit here and accept this fate. We need to rise up. Pastor Elijah, tell ‘em about the Hub.



Scene Two: The Healing Starts Here


(Pastor Elijah steps forward, holding a small Bible in one hand and a pamphlet in the other. He exudes calm and strength, his voice steady and comforting.)


Pastor Elijah:

Brothers, God didn’t put us here to suffer alone. The Health + Healing Hub at my church—and churches all over this city—are safe places. We’ve got free health screenings, mental health support, even financial coaching. Ain’t no shame in needing help. The shame is in suffering in silence, thinking you can handle everything on your own. That’s how we fall apart. But when we come together—when we support each other—that’s when we rise.


James: (pauses, looking around)

Back in my day, we didn’t talk about health. You kept working, kept pushing through. But I’m telling y’all now, you can’t push through everything. I can’t push through diabetes anymore. It’s time to take care of myself. My grandson needs me to be here. I refuse to leave him without wisdom.


Tyrone: (looking at the floor, softly)

I just wanna feel like I matter, man. Like I’m worth something. Every day feels like a struggle, and I don’t even know what I’m fighting for anymore.


Marcus: (nodding, his voice full of conviction)

You matter, brother. We all do. And that’s why we have to make a choice. We can accept this 64-year death sentence, or we can fight back. We can change our diets, check in on each other, go to the doctor, get therapy if we need it. Every choice we make today impacts tomorrow.


DeAndre: (hesitant)

But do you really think it will make a difference? Can we actually change the way things are?


Pastor Elijah: (places a hand on DeAndre’s shoulder)

Son, faith without works is dead. But faith with action? That’s life. We don’t just talk about the change. We become it. We choose life tonight.

Scene Three: A New Beginning


(The men stand in a circle, joining hands. A moment of silence. James speaks first, his voice steady and determined.)


James:

Let’s make a pact, right here, right now. We commit to checking in on each other. To making our health a priority. To proving that we are more than a statistic. That we are more than what the world says we are. We’re not dying young. We’re living long.


Marcus: (looking each man in the eye)

I like that. And I say we end with a pledge. Repeat after me:


All: (in unison)

I want to live.


Marcus:

I will take care of my body, my mind, and my spirit.


All: (repeating)

I will take care of my body, my mind, and my spirit.


Marcus:

I will lift up my brothers and not leave them behind.


All: (repeating)

I will lift up my brothers and not leave them behind.


Marcus:

And I will not stop fighting until Black men in Fort Worth live beyond 64!


All: (repeating, raising fists in unity)

And I will not stop fighting until Black men in Fort Worth live beyond 64!

Final Scene: Hope in Action


(The Narrator steps forward as the lights dim, a spotlight on him. He speaks with deep sincerity and urgency.)


Narrator:

This is not just a play. This is real life. The struggle is real, but so is the solution. We all deserve better. We all deserve to live. The Health + Healing Hubs are here. The time to act is now. Because we all deserve to say, I want to live!


(Lights slowly fade to black. End scene.)

Notes on Expansion:

• Character Development: Each character now has more detailed internal conflicts, giving the audience a clearer view of their struggles and motivations.

• Thematic Depth: Themes of mental health, generational trauma, faith, and community support are more deeply woven into the dialogue, making the play resonate more strongly with audiences.

• Call to Action: The ending is more uplifting, emphasizing the strength of unity and action, leaving the audience with a sense of hope and empowerment.


Let me know if you’d like further changes or more dialogue!



Rev. Kyev P. Tatum, Sr., 
Pastor and Mediator 
New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church
Ministers Justice Coalition of Texas
2864 Mississippi Avenue 
Fort Worth, Texas 76104
817-966-7625, kptatum1@gmail.com
https://youtu.be/T7PeAaZkkwI
Website: www.newmountrose.com


Surprisingly, Texas has more African-Americans than any other state in the United States of America: https://blackdemographics.com/population/black-state-population/ #BlackTexans

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