Interview: Tosin Morohunfola of THE DRUM CLOSET at The Coterie

Today we are speaking to Tosin Morohunfola, the Playwright and Director of “The Drum Closet."

"The Drum Closet" follows two ambitious Nigerian-American brothers, Timi and Kareem, as they navigate adolescence at a predominantly white Midwestern high school. Though Timi is a freshman and Kareem is a senior, both must learn how to survive the culture of their school while facing competition, bias, and the pressures of growing up.

Desperately trying to stay out of trouble, the brothers race to become drumline section leader and make their immigrant mother proud — all while learning how to be Black boys in a white world.

About the Playwright and Director

Tosin Morohunfola is an actor, writer, and director, and the son of Nigerian immigrants. He is known for his work on television series including Run the World (STARZ), Lawmen: Bass Reeves (Paramount+), Julia (HBO Max), Everything’s Trash (Freeform), Black Lightning (The CW), and The Chi (Showtime), with additional appearances on Chicago Med, NCIS, and Stumptown.

His film credits include Black Box, Always a Bridesmaid, North of the 10, and Kevin Willmott’s The 24th. As a filmmaker, his short films include The Pulpit: Prelude, Endowed, and On Sight. He is currently producing Famous Enough and developing series centered on Nigerian identity and culture.

Morohunfola grew up in Leawood, Kansas, attended Blue Valley High School, and earned his theatre degree from the University of Kansas, where he founded the Multicultural Theatre Initiative. He began his career in Kansas City regional theatre and was a Resident Artist at The Coterie.

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In the interview below, Morohunfola discusses the personal origins of "The Drum Closet," the role of rhythm and brotherhood in shaping the play, and what he hopes young audiences carry with them long after the final beat fades.

BroadwayWorld: What was the initial spark that inspired you to write "The Drum Closet?"

Tosin Morohunfola: I think I was reminiscing on high school, and I was missing drumming. And I realized there was a whole story about the joy of music, and the power of brotherhood, and the challenges of living in two cultures that could be packaged as a coming-of-age story for everyone. It kind of hit me all at once. I think I was about 18, and I knew I wanted to write it — but I specifically wanted to write it to perform at The Coterie Theatre. That was the children’s theatre I knew most, and I knew it would play well here. It really came from reminiscing and thinking about my experiences as one of the only Black kids who went to a suburban, predominantly white school district in Kansas.

BroadwayWorld: The play follows two Nigerian-American brothers navigating a predominantly white Midwestern high school — how much of this story is drawn from your own life?

Tosin Morohunfola: A lot. A lot of it is drawn directly from my experiences. My brother and I were both drummers, and we were very competitive in an already very competitive marching band culture. Trying to be the best was a challenge and a learning experience, and it came with obstacles we didn’t expect — being two Black kids. But also, excellence is the Nigerian expectation. If we were going to do music, we needed to be very good at it. Over time, I realized that the pursuit of greatness in music became a metaphor for our lives — for what it’s like to be here as children of immigrants in a country that can sometimes be welcoming and sometimes be unwelcoming.

BroadwayWorld: Why did you choose drumming and the drumline as the heart of this story?

Tosin Morohunfola: Drumming was such a huge part of my life. When I think of high school, I don’t remember classes — I know I went to them — but I remember before-school drumline practice, and I remember after-school theatre. Those were the two things I did. I didn’t know if I wanted to be an actor or a drummer, but I knew it was one of those two. And in many ways, this play is incredibly nostalgic for me because it combines my two first loves: theatre and drumming. It also combines my cultural immersions — being both Nigerian and American — through rhythm, music, and movement.

BroadwayWorld: The title "The Drum Closet" is powerful and layered — what does it represent for you?

Tosin Morohunfola: The big metaphor of "The Drum Closet" is that yes, it’s literally a place where you put your drums, but it’s really about the things you hide away — the secrets, the parts of yourself you keep behind closed doors. Everybody negotiates what they feel comfortable sharing with others. Everybody in life negotiates that. The play doesn’t try to tell you what’s right or wrong about that — it just says that this negotiation is part of the journey.

BroadwayWorld: The play explores identity, bias, and belonging through adolescence — why was it important to tell this story through young characters?

Tosin Morohunfola: So much of children’s theatre can sometimes placate to age or just be pure entertainment, which has its place. But I’m most drawn to theatre that can educate and inform. I believe kids should be exposed to stories that show them parts of the world they don’t know and lives they haven’t lived — because that’s how empathy is created. On top of that, the play deals with themes they’re about to encounter as they enter middle school and high school: growing up, competition, making friends, advocacy, bullying, attraction, sexuality, questioning what they’re being taught. All of these things are going to be in their lives one way or another, and the sooner they learn how to deal with them, the better off they are.

BroadwayWorld: As both an actor and a filmmaker, how does writing for the stage differ from writing for the screen for you?

Tosin Morohunfola: Writing for the stage allows you to be much more verbal. You can talk in ideas more. For a story with such dense themes, it’s helpful to let characters really lay out their feelings. In this production, there are moments where characters speak directly to the audience, almost Shakespeare-style, and you can really say what’s in your mind and heart in a way that you can’t always do in ultra-realistic film dialogue. There’s power in both mediums, but theatre is very communal.

BroadwayWorld: Rhythm and movement play a major role in the piece — how did music influence the structure and emotional language of the play?

Tosin Morohunfola: Music was everything. We actually had to get the sound design and music cues created before rehearsals even began. We needed marching band-style music to tell the story of rivalry within the cadences themselves, and we needed Afrobeats and Nigerian music to tell the story of drumming in African culture and in the brothers’ home life. In many ways, we approached it like a musical — the rhythm is so integral to the story that we needed to know what those rhythms were before anything else.

BroadwayWorld: This production marks a return to Kansas City and a world premiere at The Coterie — what does that homecoming mean to you personally?

Tosin Morohunfola: Kansas City is incredibly formative for me. Seeing Aida at Starlight Theatre and Inherit the Wind at KC Rep changed my life. After college, The Coterie was one of the first places I worked professionally. I originally pitched this play here years ago, and for it to survive, to be remembered, and to finally be produced here feels incredibly meaningful. I’m grateful that it found its home.

BroadwayWorld: "The Drum Closet" is recommended for audiences ages 12 and up — why do you believe young people are ready for these conversations?

Tosin Morohunfola: Because these conversations are already happening in their lives. Theatre can give them a framework to understand things they’re already encountering — competition, bullying, advocacy, identity, and belonging. The sooner they have language for those experiences, the better equipped they are to navigate them.

BroadwayWorld: What reactions or discussions do you hope this play sparks among students, families, and educators?

Tosin Morohunfola: I hope it sparks conversations about community and belonging. I hope it encourages people to talk about identity, about what we hide, and about how we show up for one another. And I hope it reminds people that music and collaboration can be powerful ways to build connection.

BroadwayWorld: Looking back on your journey — from Kansas to Chicago to Los Angeles — how has your definition of success as an artist evolved?

Tosin Morohunfola: Honestly, it hasn’t changed. Success has always meant being able to tell stories that can change hearts and minds. It doesn’t matter to me how big or small the platform is. Theatre, especially, is so communal — watching people be affected in real time is deeply fulfilling, and nothing compares to it.

BroadwayWorld: When audiences leave the theatre, what do you hope stays with them long after the final beat fades?