The FAMU Essential Theatre department hosted Hollywood producer Mark Swinton and The Storytelling Lab for a premiere of his new Paramount+ series, ‘Route 187.’
The event featured a two-episode premiere of the pilot and a talkback with students about the story of ‘Route 187,’ as well as inspiration and insights into working with executive producer Tyler Perry. Swinton is credited with producing over 1,200 episodes of television and is the writer, composer, and executive producer of ‘Route 187,’ his first solo television project.
‘Route 187’ is a gritty urban drama set in South Winslow, a fictional ghetto, that follows a bus route, 87, notorious for crime and dangerous activity. Swinton says he was inspired to create ‘Route 187’ after traveling the road as an actor and performer, during which he would see tragic news stories that often left him with questions.
“In creating ‘Route 187’ after seeing so many horrible headlines and news reporters standing in front of abandoned, decrepit buildings,” Swinton shared. “I wanted to know what it would be like to go home with these people.”
The FAMU premiere was hosted by rapper and influencer Eazy the Block Captain and moderated by Chazriq ‘Chazam’ Clarke, two-time FAMU alum and writer of ‘Him+’, which debuted at FAMU this February.
“I actually would say it was full circle … during my time at FAMU in the Essential Theatre, I had always dreamed and believed that I could be in spaces like this, but I never knew if it would be possible because I know there’s always a debate or kind of doubt of access being available to us,” Clarke said. “Having the opportunity to work with The Storytellers Lab put me into the space to be able to give back to my university and show up.”
The FAMU premiere was stop four of the five -stop HBCU tour, which started at the African American Film Festival at Martha’s Vineyard and continued on to Johnson C. Smith University, Savannah State University, FAMU, and ended at the AUC: Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Clark Atlanta University. The Storytellers Lab, founded by Ti-shea Meadows, works with Paramount Content for Change, Showtime, and MTV Entertainment Studios and aims to connect creatives to tangible opportunities in film, media, and marketing activations.
“It [Storytellers Lab] was created to create a pipeline and access mentorship for our future creators, especially focusing on HBCUs … I saw that vision of access, of mentorship, and of the opportunity to help with grassroots marketing,” said Meadows.
The first four pilot episodes of ‘Route 187’ are now available on Paramount+, and with high viewership, Swinton hopes to receive the green light to produce the full series.
