Stuck: A Broke-ology Review
Terrence Riggins, Tennis Davis, and Eric Clinton on the set of Broke-ology. Photo by Joel Callaway
Collective Consciousness Theatre presents Nathan Louis Jackson’s Broke-ology at New Haven’s Bregamos Community Theatre, under the direction of Dexter J. Singleton. The story follows two brothers—distinct in temperament and ambition—who come together with concern for their father as his health declines. Ennis King (Tenisi Davis), the eldest, works at a local wings spot, committed to providing for his wife, Tammy, and their newborn son. Malcolm King (Eric Clinton), newly armed with a second degree and professional success, returns home for an indefinite stay. Their father, William King (Terrence Riggins), living alone in the house he once shared with his wife, Sonia King (Alexis Trice), struggles with the progression of multiple sclerosis. His condition weighs heavily on his sons, who must each confront life-altering choices. Malcolm in particular feels the strain—torn between returning home to help care for his father or remaining in Connecticut to pursue his own path.
Despite their adulthood, the King brothers easily slip back into childhood rhythms within the comfort of their father’s home. William, too, seems lifted by these moments when things begin to feel as they were. His memories of Sonia echoes, surfacing both in waking moments and in the quiet recesses of his dreams. Together, the three men embody distinct archetypes, each offering a nuanced portrait that resists the familiar tropes often used to flatten representations of Black men.
Clinton’s measured performance lends Malcolm a quiet profundity; he becomes the family’s steady center, his uncertainty conveyed with gentle restraint that makes the weight of his decision deeply felt. Davis is compelling as Ennis, capturing a façade of contentment—his booming laughter and comedic energy masking the strain of a man fighting against gravity to stay afloat. His joy becomes ours—as does his pain. Riggins’ portrayal of William King is warm, grounded, and earnest—a delicately rendered performance that honors a character crafted with care and complexity.
The set—an open living room and kitchen—invites the audience into a space that feels lived-in and familiar, evoking the warmth of shared memory. The worn yet tidy furniture speaks simultaneously to “not that bad” and “the best we could do.” Scenic designers David Sepulveda and Jamie Burnett create an intimate portrait of family life, while Burnett’s lighting embraces the home with a soft, familiar glow. Tommy Rosati’s sound design, enhanced by musical selections tinged with nostalgia, heightens the production’s emotional resonance.
This production offers an intentional and compassionate examination of strength and vulnerability, triumph and struggle, heart and mind—depicting Black men in a way that confronts and rejects dehumanizing stereotypes and oversimplified narratives. The message is unmistakable: they are far more than the narrow depictions to which they are often confined.
Broke-ology runs through November 23. For tickets, visit: https://www.ticketleap.events/tickets/collectiveconsciousnesstheatre/broke-ology
