The Broadway play, titled
Ain’t No Mo, written by Jordan E Cooper and produced by
Lee Daniels addresses the unpleasant reality of present day racism towards the African-American community.
The storytelling device used is a series of sketches which pose the question, “What if the US government attempted to solve racism by offering Black Americans one-way plane tickets to Africa?”
Despite receiving great reviews, the play has been a flop and the production announced late last week that it would have to end its run on December 18, only about two weeks after its official opening, due to low ticket sales.
Cooper, who also performs in the production, made an urgent appeal on
Instagram when it was announced that it would be shutting, urging followers to attend or to sponsor tickets for others this week in an effort to extend the run of Ain’t No Mo.
“We’re doing something new on Broadway, but is Broadway ready? I believe great things happen in this world when the world ain’t ready. Help us get it ready by spreading the word and showing up to support,” he wrote.
After hearing about his plea, Cooper confirms that the Smiths bought out his show for at least one performance. The details for the distribution of tickets will be revealed soon, according to Cooper. A spokesperson for Pinkett Smith confirmed the buyout.
“This is the kind of activism that is just so greatly appreciated,” Cooper said. “That’s when you put your money where your mouth is.”