Part theater, part history lesson, Jedidiah Blackstone: Origin Story of an Alter Ego and The Untold Tales from the Darkside of the West is a poetic excavation of the buried histories of Black Colorado. Written and performed by Jeff Campbell, along with Erica Brown, DeAndre Carroll, Merrian Johnson, Lino Dupa, Musa Bailey, and directed by Shayla Riggle, the piece unfolds as a live blend of theater, music, dance, and DJ culture that reimagines the myth of the American West through a distinctly Black lens.

Jedidiah Blackstone, Campbell's alter-ego, is a character born from grief, the weight of legacy, and the unrelenting pursuit of truth. From the ghosts of Central City to the archives of the Blair-Caldwell Library, he unearths the untold stories of Black pioneers, outlaws, cowboys, engineers, and visionaries erased from the record.

As he digs deeper, Jedidiah finds himself in dialogue with ancestors like Clara Brown, the “Angel of the Rockies,” and Jeremiah Lee, a gold rush entrepreneur who defied the racial boundaries of his time. Through them, he discovers how the Colorado frontier has been shaped and sustained by Black hands, hearts, and brilliance.

The work honors the griots, teachers, and community historians who preserved this lineage, illuminating the hidden histories of Black Colorado and carving them into stone.