Healing Through the Power of Story: Why You Can’t Miss Black Man Goes to Therapy
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By Omari Salisbury
As we navigate Mental Health Awareness Month this May, a powerful new voice is emerging from the Seattle theater scene to tackle one of our community’s most persistent and painful stigmas. Opening later this month at Acts on Stage Theater, the world premiere of Black Man Goes to Therapy is more than just a stage production—it is a communal reckoning and a courageous step toward systemic healing.
Written by playwright and actor Jeremy Rubin and directed by Isiah Anderson Jr., this production is the culmination of a six-year creative journey. I sat down with the cast and creator to discuss why this story is the mirror our community needs right now.
The Reality of the Gap: Why We Need This Show
The premiere comes at a critical time for Black mental health. Recent data from 2024–2026 underscores the immense barrier to care that still exists. According to the Office of Minority Health, Black/African American adults are 36% less likely to receive mental health treatment compared to the U.S. population overall.
The shortage of representative care is equally stark: while the need is high, only 4% of psychologists and 2% of psychiatrists in the United States identify as Black. This lack of shared lived experience often leads to a "treatment gap," where Black individuals are 20% to 50% less likely to start mental health services. For many Black men, the barriers are even higher, built on a foundation of systemic mistrust, financial inequity, and the cultural pressure to "push through" pain in silence.
From Pain to the Page: Jeremy Rubin’s Vision
Jeremy Rubin
For Jeremy Rubin, this play didn't start in a rehearsal hall; it started in a place of deep personal pain. "If I don’t have the power to do it for myself, maybe I can do it for these characters," Rubin shared.
The play follows a man named Jeremy (played by Rubin) who is searching for help during the isolating aftermath of the pandemic, only to encounter a therapist who is just as burned out as the rest of the world. To bridge the gap, Jeremy begins to share stories from his journal—vivid, subconscious realities that jump off the page and onto the stage.
Rubin, who also plays the characters Vince and Fred, emphasizes that the goal is to break the "prison" of silence.
"It is normal to feel off... it becomes a prison when you keep it to yourself. We have to be better—especially Black men—about tearing down these walls."
Meet the Characters: A Story of Many Faces
The production features an incredibly versatile cast, many of whom pull double duty to bring Jeremy’s internal world to life.
Zakiya Carter plays Nina, a woman fighting to save her marriage to Vince, and PJ, a lighthearted "jester" and best friend to the character Joseph. For Carter, a Central District native, the play is about the messy reality of growth. "Healing isn't linear," she notes. "Start the journey to healing... figure out what that looks like to you and just start."
Ariel Davis brings to life Maria, a religious wife and mother working through her own frustrations, and Miss Cat, a bold, flirtatious character with "main character energy." Davis, raised in Seattle’s South End, believes the play will resonate because of its familiarity. "This play can calm your nerves about therapy at large," she says. "Therapy is such an incredible gift to all of us."
Why This Show Matters for Seattle
Seattle is a city of stories, but some stories—particularly those concerning the internal lives of Black men—have been suppressed for far too long. Between the humorous charm of Miss Cat and the intense emotional stakes of Nina and Vince, Black Man Goes to Therapy promises a "rollercoaster of emotions" that encourages total vulnerability.
Acts on Stage has built a reputation for being a "community, not just an audience." By providing a platform for local creators like Rubin, they ensure that the art on stage actually reflects the people in the seats.
Performance Details & Tickets
Don't wait to grab your seat for this world premiere. Whether you are in therapy, considering it, or just love a deeply moving story, this is a production that will stay with you long after the curtain falls.
Dates: May 21st – May 31st, 2026
Location: Acts on Stage Theater (10806 12th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA)
Special Note: There is a $10 ticket option for the preview on May 21st (made possible by 4Culture), but these will sell out fast!
Tickets: Available at www.ActsOnStage.com or www.Our.Show/BlackManGoesToTherapy
Healing can start today. Come through, bring your family, and let’s tear down these walls together.
Jeremy Rubin also operates Act II Coaching, and cast members Zakiya Carter and Ariel Davis are active entrepreneurs in the Seattle area with Golden Touch Events and April Showers Gift Baskets and Flowers, respectively. Support local art and local business!
