Brooklyn Ascend High School Theater Makes Its Debut with a Sold-Out Inaugural Production

Brooklyn Ascend High School celebrated a major milestone this past Friday and Saturday with BAHS Theater’s inaugural production of In the Red and Brown Water, a powerful play by Tarell Alvin McCraney, the Academy Award-winning writer of Moonlight.

The production was staged at The Mark O’Donnell Theater at the Entertainment Community Fund Arts Center, a black box performance venue and rehearsal space located at the lobby level of The Schermerhorn in Downtown Brooklyn. The show was sold out weeks in advance, a clear reflection of the excitement and pride surrounding this first-ever BAHS Theater performance.

In the Red and Brown Water tells the story of Oya, a young woman navigating family, fate, love, loss, and the desire to be seen. Blending contemporary hip-hop culture with ancient West African Yoruba mythology, the play invited audiences into a visceral, rhythmic, and deeply moving journey set in the San Pere projects of Louisiana.

Theater as Part of the High School Experience

At Ascend, the arts are an important part of a well-rounded high school education. Brooklyn Ascend High School’s course trajectory includes electives such as theater, music, dance, journalism, and AP Drawing, giving students opportunities to explore creative disciplines alongside core academic coursework.

The high school model also ensures students engage deeply in English across all four years, from English I through English IV, with opportunities for AP English Language and AP English Literature. A production like In the Red and Brown Water brings that learning to life, connecting literary analysis, performance, history, culture, and voice.

A Powerful First Step

For our BAHS scholars, this inaugural production was more than a performance. It was an opportunity to interpret complex text, embody character, collaborate as an ensemble, and share a meaningful story with their school community.

The sold-out run marks an exciting beginning for BAHS Theater and a proud moment for Brooklyn Ascend High School. Congratulations to all of our students involved, both on stage and behind the scenes, for bringing this powerful production to life with creativity, courage, and dedication.