By Mat Smart
The Agitators tells of the enduring but tempestuous friendship of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Great allies? Yes. And at times, great adversaries. Young abolitionists when they met in Rochester in the 1840s, they were full of hopes, dreams, and a common purpose. As they grew to become the cultural icons we know today, their movements collided and their friendship was severely tested. This is the story of that forty-five-year friendship – from its beginning in Rochester, through a civil war, and to the highest halls of government. They agitated the nation, they agitated each other, and, in doing so, they helped shape the Constitution and the course of American history.
"The Agitators unfolds like a scrapbook, with snippets of conversation between Douglass and Anthony during their decades-long struggles for abolition and voting rights."
Seattle Times"In Mat Smart's powerful telling, what goes down between Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass goes way beyond bio-rama. Here we see two noble seekers of equality and hear heartstrings of the history they left unfinished."
D.C. Metro Theater Arts
Previews (May 25 & 26)
Wednesday at 7:30pm
Thursday at 2:00pm and 7:30pm
Regular Performances (May 27 - June 12)
Friday at 8:00pm
Saturday at 2:00pm and 8:00pm
Sunday at 2:00pm
Tuesday at 2:00pm
Wednesday at 7:30pm
Thursday at 7:30pm
Run time: 2 hours, plus a 15-minute intermission
Talk Back with the cast after the Sunday matinee performances.
We are partnering with the River Bend Bookshop in Glastonbury; they'll have a pop-up shop in our lobby with books and gifts related to the characters in the show. See more here.
COVID-19 Policy: Vaccination card checks and masks are not required. However, masks are strongly encouraged.
Reviews
Patch, N. Sasso
CT Critics, B. Goldberg
CT Critics, T. Holehan
One Man's Opinion, T. Leininger
Production Photos by M. Longo
GABRIEL LAWRENCE* (Frederick Douglass) Playhouse On Park debut! He is an actor, educator and filmmaker based in New York. Stage credits include: Theatre for a New Audience FAIRVIEW; The Acting Company title roles in both MACBETH and JULIUS CAESAR; Arc Stages THE MOUNTAINTOP. TV credits include: FBI, Evil, Prodigal Son and recurring performances on ABC’s What Would You Do?. MFA in Theatre from UC San Diego. Mrgabriellawrence.com
SAM ROSENTRATER* (Susan B. Anthony) Playhouse on Park debut! Sam’s recent stage credits include: Theatre Horizon GRAND CONCOURSE (Barrymore Nomination); Shadowland Stages ELEMENO PEA; and Portland Stage Co. ALMOST, MAINE. On tv, she’s been seen on Orange is the New Black, FBI: Most Wanted, The Other Two, Harlem, and more. She received her MFA in Acting from Wayne State University and lives in Astoria, NY with an adorable spouse and 24-hour access to feta cheese. IG: @samrosentrater
KELLY O'DONNELL (Director) is a theatre and film director based in New York City who believes that theatre can be a powerful tool for fostering peace. She is an active participant in the collaborative process and a facilitator of genre-busting theatrical forms. She’s passionate about women’s stories, re-imagined classics, mischievous satires, and stories that examine the nuances of gender dynamics and class struggles. A co-founder of the critically acclaimed and nationally recognized Flux Theatre Ensemble, she has directed throughout New York City in downtown venues such as The New Ohio, The Sheen Center, The 4th Street Theatre, ART NY Gural, The Dramatist Guild, The Clemente, Judson Memorial Church, The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, The Tank, The Flea, Access Theatre, The Secret Theatre, LaGuardia College, and Columbia University. She has assisted Tina Landau, Anne Bogart, and John Rando. She received her MFA in Directing from Columbia University.
* The Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
