Supporting the Arts in Western Massachusetts and Beyond

May 31, 2022

Preview: Playhouse on Park, The Agitators

Playhouse on Park, West Hartford, CT
May 25 - June 12, 2022

Photo by Meredith Longo
The contemporary play "The Agitators," by Mat Smart 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 45 year friendship – from its beginning in Rochester, through a civil war, and to the highest halls of government. Anthony and Douglass agitated the nation, they agitated each other, and, in doing so, they helped shape the Constitution and the course of American history.

According to the Seattle Times, "The Agitators unfolds like a scrapbook, with snippets of conversation between Douglass and Anthony during their decades-long struggles for abolition and voting rights."

For tickets and information about Covid 19 safety rules, check Playhouse on Park's website at www.playhouseonpark.org.