"OH HAPPY DAY!" Puts Joy in Reach, If We Free Our Minds—at The Public
Latrice Pace, Sheléa Melody McDonald, and Tiffany Mann. Photos by Joan Marcus.
Jordan E. Cooper Writes, Acts, & Embraces the Divine
by Andrea Libresco
There is no curtain; when we take our seats, we are in a modest backyard with a folding aluminum lawn chair, listening to the local Mississippi radio station, awaiting a barbecue.
A trio of women (extraordinarily talented Tiffany Mann, Sheléa Melody McDonald, and Latrice Pace) enter, moving through the audience in silvery, flamboyant outfits, singing “It’s a Good Day to be Happy,” involving us in call and response. Their rich gospel voices blend divinely, since they represent “The Divines,” “doulas of the afterlife.” As a Greek chorus, they guide us and estranged son Keyshawn (playwright Jordan E. Cooper) through a journey of redemption.
At the backyard cookout, prodigal son Keyshawn returns to his family, the Johnsons, who threw him out years ago. If he follows God’s instructions and reconciles with his church-going family, he can save them from an impending flood. He has a chance at happiness.
Donovan Louis Bazemore and Tamika Lawrence
But acceptance is not foreordained; he is dealing with a flawed Church. Indeed, I wonder whether devout Christians are comfortable with the play, given that, all too often, the Church has not been a safe space for queer folk.
Many obstacles stand in Keyshawn’s way: He is queer, a drug user, and a sex worker. He is also dead, murdered just that morning. Keyshawn struggles to make amends in “the bardo,” the state between death and a potential afterlife.
God speaks to Keyshawn, first in the person of nephew Kevin (strong Donovan Louis Bazemore), ordering him to build a boat. The prodigal becomes Noah, who, lacking other materials, uses pieces of the house, tearing apart the home that was not a home to him.
God then speaks through Keyshawn’s sister, Niecy (empathetic Tamika Lawrence) whose pipes rival the Divines. And through his father, Lewis (excellent Brian D. Coats), reminding us that God is in every person.
Confession time: I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been in a church. I am probably not the ideal audience for this play. But “OH HAPPY DAY!” tells a modern story of identity, family, and forgiveness. Cooper conjures the ability to see goodness in a rarely welcoming world.
Jordan E. Cooper and Tamika Lawrence
The Divines sing: “Can you find the grace to save the place that hurt you most?” While their Christian faith exalts grace, organized religion does not have a monopoly on forgiveness.
Keyshawn reveals his childhood secrets about the family’s pastor, who set the tragic events in motion. His father Lewis, finally hearing this tale, moves emotionally from homophobe, ashamed of his son, to fiercely protective father, ready to avenge his son. Thankfully, Keyshawn’s sister Niecy helps end the cycle of violence.
Helped along by the doulas of the afterlife and their advice to “Free your mind” (original gospel songs composed by Donald Lawrence), Keyshawn is free to choose happiness. So is his family. So are we.
“OH HAPPY DAY!” by Jordan E. Cooper, original songs by Donald Lawrence, directed by Stevie Walker-Webb, scenic design by Luciana Stecconi, costumes by Qween Jean, lighting by Adam Honoré at The Public Theater, New York.
Info: publictheater.org – to November 2, 2025.
Cast: Donovan Louis Bazemore, Brian D. Coats, Jordan E. Cooper, Jayna Elise, Tamika Lawrence, Tiffany Mann, Sheléa Melody McDonald, Latrice Pace, and Cole Taylor.
