Tag Archives: In the Black

EdFringe Talk: In The Black

Posted in *EdFestivals 2026, *Written Interviews by

“I made my Fringe debut in 2025, and it completely exceeded my expectations. There’s really nothing like Edinburgh in August.”

WHO: Quaz Degraft

WHAT: “The gripping dark comedy of an ambitious Black accountant fighting for a seat at the table in the high-stakes world of Wall Street. Shortlisted for the Popcorn Writing Award, the show follows a man torn between love, family expectations, and the relentless pursuit of success, as he navigates power, class, and identity in a system never built for him. How far will he go to survive… and who will he become in the process? ‘Degraft is marked as a star of the future’ ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). ‘It’s a privilege to watch a young master at work’ ***** (TheRealChristparkle.com).”

WHERE: Daisy at Underbelly, Bristo Square (Venue 302) 

WHEN: 14:45 (60 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

No, this will actually be my second time bringing In The Black to Edinburgh. I made my Fringe debut in 2025, and it completely exceeded my expectations. There’s really nothing like Edinburgh in August. You have thousands of artists from all over the world taking huge creative risks and sharing stories they’re passionate about.

What makes Edinburgh special for me is the sense of possibility. You can perform your show in the morning, spend the afternoon seeing incredible work from artists you’ve never heard of, and end the night in a pub having conversations with creatives from across the globe. As an artist, it’s inspiring.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2025 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The biggest lesson I’ve learned over the past year is to trust the process and keep showing up. The last twelve months have been full of incredible highs, but also plenty of uncertainty. I’ve learned that making theatre is rarely a straight line. Sometimes progress looks like sold-out performances and standing ovations, and sometimes it looks like rewriting a scene for the twentieth time because you know it can be better.

I’ve also learned the importance of community. Theatre is collaborative by nature, and In The Black simply wouldn’t exist without the artists, mentors, producers, and audiences who have championed the piece along the way.

Tell us about your show.

In The Black is a dark comedy that follows a first-generation Ghanaian-American who charms his way onto Wall Street, only to discover that success comes with a cost. The show explores ambition, identity, family expectations, and what happens when the version of success you’ve been chasing begins to unravel. Think Will Smith in the Fresh Prince of Bel Air in the world of Succession.

I am the writer and performer of the piece.The show originally began during my time in the MFA Acting program at the University of Southern California, where I first started developing it in a solo performance class. Since then, it has evolved through collaboration with directors, designers, and mentors who have helped shape it into what audiences will see in Edinburgh.

The show first premiered in Los Angeles before making its Edinburgh debut in 2025. Since then, it has continued to evolve through sold-out presentations at La Jolla Playhouse’s DNA New Works series. Following this year’s Fringe, we’re exploring future life for the piece in both the UK and the United States, with hopes of continued touring and eventually an Off-Broadway run.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

They should see my fellow University of Southern California alumni Megan Tomei’s show: SpinQueen™ at Greenside at Geroge Street (Jade Studio). We had the same amazing solo performance teacher in Luis Alfaro and she is one of the most insane, charismatic and talented performers I know. To be doing our shows together at the Fringe is a dream!

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EdFringe Talk: In the Black

Posted in *Written Interviews, EdFestivals 2025 by

“Now that I’ve recently graduated, I’m ready to pour all my heart and energy into this piece and hope it resonates with audiences abroad.”

WHO: Quaz Degraft

WHAT: “Every wolf starts as a cub… some just have to claw their way up. In The Black is a gripping, dark comedy solo play about an ambitious Black accountant fighting for a seat at the table in the high-stakes world of Wall Street. Torn between love, identity and the relentless pursuit of success, he must navigate power, class and identity in a system that was never built for him. How far will he go to survive… and who will he become in the process?”

WHERE: Stephenson Theatre at theSpace @ Surgeons’ Hall (Venue 53) 

WHEN: VARIES (50 min)

MORE: Click Here!

Is this your first time to Edinburgh?

Yes, this is my first time in Edinburgh. I’m excited to take this story that I’ve been dreaming up while studying for my MFA at the University of Southern California. Now that I’ve recently graduated, I’m ready to pour all my heart and energy into this piece and hope it resonates with audiences abroad. I’m just as excited to see the plethora of other incredible shows. I keep hearing the festival is life changing and I can’t wait to experience it all.

What are the big things you’ve learned since 2024 and have you absorbed any of the lessons yet?

The biggest thing I’ve learned is not being afraid to fail. Especially during grad school, I came in thinking I had to do things “right,” but I’ve learned there’s no such thing. There’s the truth and then there is everything else. In writing this solo play, I’m searching to get as close to my truth as possible and in performing it, I’m doing the same. Letting go of the fear of looking bad or messing up has led to more honest discoveries and more interesting work.

Tell us about your show.

In The Black is a dark comedic solo show about Kofi, a first-generation Ghanaian American climbing the ladder of Wall Street. It’s loosely based on my own experiences working as an accountant before making a complete career shift into acting. As the first born in an African home, there’s this unspoken pressure to please your parents and be the model child. With money tight and 50 Cent’s “Hustler’s Ambition” playing in my ear, I grew up wanting to change my life and my family’s life by any means. So what happens when you throw all that into the mix and place it inside the greed fueled environment of Wall Street? This show also explores what it means to be Black in Corporate America and how we navigate those spaces.

I did a two-show run in Los Angeles to get the piece in front of an audience, which gave me a chance to tinker and improve it even further. Right now I’m fully focused on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, but who knows where In The Black will go next.

What should your audience see at the festivals after they’ve seen your show?

After seeing my show, the audience should definitely check out Role Play (or the Hottest Day in Belgian History) by my fellow USC Trojan alum Cameron Murphy. It’s another solo show with a distinct voice and perspective, and it’s going up at the Ivy Studio at Greenside. I think it’s exciting to see how different performers tackle solo work in their own unique way. Cameron’s show is smart, funny, and full of heart.

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