Maplewood Thespian Opens His Own Doorway To Opportunity

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — He’s a young Maplewood thespian with big goals and the drive to back them up. But after not working for over a year as an actor, Gregory Omar Osborne began to get the feeling that a passive approach wasn't cutting the mustard.

Osborne, 28, told Patch that spurred by a limited amount of opportunities for minorities in the entertainment industry, he recently decided to take matters into his own hands and create work for himself.

“I wanted my community to hear another voice,” Osborne said.

That’s when he decided to bring a production of Clarke Peters’ “Five Guys Named Moe” to his hometown of Maplewood.

The Tony Award-nominated production follows the character arc of protagonist Nomax, a broke and lovelorn music fan who has a life-changing visit with “five guys named Moe” who sing him the songs of saxophonist Louis Jordan.

With Osborne at the helm as director and choreographer, the local production also includes key contributions from Orange resident Victor Burks, who also helps with early childhood development at the Arts Education Department of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.

The production also features a cast of six black actors: Jonathan Yearwood (Nomax), Vladimy Dorson (Little Moe),Garth West (Eat Moe), Kyle Javon (Four-Eyed Moe), Justin Phillips (Big Moe), and Jay Hanks (No Moe).

The musical runs at the Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts in Maplewood from June 29 to July 1. (Click here for more information or tickets)

The Maplewood Middle School alumni and former dance student at Montclair State University said that he chose to produce the musical in the hope of bring change to the way men of color are portrayed.

“Five Guys Named Moe is more than a musical revue,” Osborne said. “There are so many topics brought up within the narrative that need to be addressed within male circles; hyper masculinity, vulnerability, accountability, respect for women… the list goes on.”

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Main Photo: From left, Victor Burks and Gregory Omar Osborne (Manley Photography)