"When it comes to emotional intensity in a play ‘W.E.B. Du Bois: A Man for All Times’ is second to none…Much of the power of the piece is the relationship that Richardson, as Du Bois, establishes with the audience…As directed by Alexa Kelly, this piece clocks in at 75 minutes, with no dead spots in any scene. This is an ideal opportunity to learn about this civil rights activist and the lasting contributions he made to the twentieth century."
Read more

"A lesson in American history as much as it is a study in character development...Heavily researched...This bounty of information will not deter the engaged audience member...One could be forgiven for having some trouble immersing completely in the experience. Powerful, humbling anecdotes can shift abruptly into new scenes that take place many years later...What is remarkable about 'A Man for All Times' is that Kelly’s play handily describes a man for our times as well."
Read more

"It’s one of the accomplishment of this solo show that it makes accessible both the man himself and some of his ideas. The creative team works to make the pioneering scholar and uncompromising activist come off as somebody you might want to have a drink with—without sanding smooth the edges of his anger or his intellect…It’s hard to pack 95 years into 75 minutes...But 'W.E.B. Du Bois' manages to get at the highlights, and Richardson’s protean performance helps us get at the man."
Read more

"Richardson’s electrifying portrayal of William Edward Berghardt DuBois is a privilege to experience. Richardson is able to tell DuBois’ story with conviction and style. He understands who DuBois was, how he spoke, how he moved, how he used every rhetorical device to persuade his listeners of the importance of social justice…Alexa Kelly’s well-written script is compelling. But it is Brian Richardson’s understanding of rhetoric that moves the script to dazzling success."
Read more

"This one-man restaging of the life of American author and activist W.E.B. DuBois, a less well-known international figurehead of the civil rights movement, is most enjoyable for the dignified and commanding title performance from Brian Richardson, lending DuBois the expected air of intellectual gravitas and quietly commanding statesmanship...All this, Richardson brings to life in a way that’s never any less than compelling, even as he offers many of us a welcome education."
Read more

"Richardson plays DuBois with commitment and intensity...This is a respectful performance, lovingly portrayed...What does constrain the show, however, is the timing. This is clearly an edited version of a much lengthier piece...There is no time to let the enormity of these events sink in...This is a wonderful tale that deserves to be told to a wider audience...As a snapshot of a great man told by a performer at the top of his game, this is certainly an hour well spent."
Read more