Bold art society & the Heyward lab presents

Courageous

The Musical

Courageous is a groundbreaking original musical by Frank Bold and Damen Heyward, that blends hip-hop, gospel, and soul into a cinematic stage experience. Set in modern-day New York City, the story follows Jason, a young man torn between love, loyalty, and the lure of the streets. Through a powerful narrative and unforgettable music, Courageous explores how gang violence, gun violence, drug abuse and broken systems impact not just the individuals caught in them—but entire families and communities. It’s West Side Story meets The Wire, told through the lens of Black and Latino youth fighting for their futures.

A Harlem classroom. Two teachers. One mission: give students a stage big enough for their truth.

Courageous began as a response to what our students were living through every day. As a theater teacher and music teacher in a Harlem high school, Frank Bold and Damen Heyward saw firsthand the challenges young people carried:

Transforming Students Through Theatre-Based SEL

Courageous was designed by educators to support youth development through social-emotional learning (SEL) and culturally relevant storytelling.