Brothers of Affliction at Greenfinch Theatre and Dive

A DRAMA ABOUT BLACK BROTHERHOOD AND MENTAL HEALTH COMES TO GREENFINCH THEATRE NOVEMBER 5TH–8TH

St. Louis native Paris Crayton III brings his play Brothers of Affliction to Greenfinch Theatre for five performances November 5th–8th, 2026. Presented by PC3 Productions and Nia B. Smith, the production is written and directed by Crayton and features O’Bryan A. Neely, Elijah Rashad Reed, and Phillip McNair. Set in St. Louis, Brothers of Affliction follows three brothers whose love for one another is tested by the pain they carry. The eldest is hurting. The middle brother is running. The youngest is loving. Inside a home marked by turmoil, their struggle to protect each other exposes wounds that family loyalty alone cannot heal. The play confronts mental health, trauma, and the pressures surrounding Black masculinity. It asks what happens when men are expected to be strong while struggling to speak about their pain, and what that silence can cost the people closest to them.

“I wrote this piece when I was 28 years old. It wasn’t until I started going to therapy ten years later that I truly realized what I had,” says Crayton. “Theatre saved me at a young age, so I’ve committed my life to using this art form for healing.” Each performance will be followed by a talkback with a mental health therapist, giving audiences an opportunity to discuss the themes explored in the play. Following productions in Atlanta and Los Angeles, the St. Louis engagement brings the story to the city where it is set and where its playwright was born and raised. For Crayton, the subject is personal: he began therapy between the Atlanta and Los Angeles productions and has become an advocate for seeking mental health support.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION Greenfinch Theatre • 2525 S. Jefferson Ave., St. Louis, MO 63104

Thursday, November 5th and Friday, November 6th at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 7th at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 8th at 3:00 p.m.

Tickets: $35 in advance; $40 at the door. Ticket link: purplepass.com/brothersofaffliction

Content advisory: Strong language, violence, and mature themes.

The production includes one 10-minute intermission.

Paris Crayton III is a playwright and director, founder of PC3 Productions, and co-founder of the UnErasable Solo Festival in Los Angeles.

MEDIA CONTACT Paris Crayton III • BrothersofAfflictionla@gmail.com