The CWP LAUNCHPAD READING series Presents
it gets better (monologues for melanated men)
Presented as a part of the CWP Evolution Festival
Friday, August 28, 2026 @ 7:00PM
The Parlor at St. Paul & St. Andrew
263 W 86th St., New York, NY 10024
Suggested for ages 13+
It Gets Better (Monologues for Melanated Men) is a bold and deeply human collection of solo stories exploring identity, vulnerability, race, masculinity, sexuality, family, and survival. Through unforgettable voices and intimate moments, the play invites audiences into the emotional lives of men navigating pain, hope, self-discovery, and the possibility of healing.
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It Gets Better (Monologues for Melanated Men) is a compelling and emotionally layered collection of six original monologues that explore the complexities of identity, race, masculinity, sexuality, love, family, and resilience through the voices of richly drawn characters. By turns humorous, heartbreaking, provocative, and uplifting, each piece offers an intimate glimpse into moments that shape how these men see themselves and the world around them.
From childhood vulnerability and personal awakening to complicated relationships, social expectations, grief, ambition, and survival, the play examines what it means to seek dignity, connection, and authenticity in a world that often demands silence or performance. While deeply rooted in the Black male experience, the stories speak to universal themes of humanity, belonging, fear, hope, and healing.
Blending sharp wit with emotional honesty, It Gets Better invites audiences to laugh, reflect, and empathize — ultimately reminding us that growth, understanding, and self-acceptance are possible, even after life’s most difficult moments.
About the Lead Artist
Charles Day is a multidisciplinary writer working in short fiction, poetry, and theater. His piece The Floating Violin was featured on the Guardianes de la Memoria podcast, highlighting his interest in memory, displacement, and lyrical storytelling. Charles studied playwriting at The Barrow Group, where he developed his semi-autobiographical monologue “Rise and Shine,” which premiered at the Snap First Person Arts Festival. His short play Side Effects was selected for staging at the Social Justice Shorts Festival and his poem “For Mother” was published in the inaugural issue of Tough Poets Review. His monologue “It Gets Better” was selected for The PGE Faces of America Monologue Festival and printed in The PGE Faces of America Monologue Festival #7 Anthology.