"Confederates" by Dominique Morisseau is my second play of this season at Mosaic Theatre at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street NE in DC, and the second play I've seen written by Ms. Morisseau. It's a win win. Two stories are told side by side instigated by a prank involving a doctored photograph of an enslaved woman breast feeding a white baby. Presented side by side, one tells the story of the African American English professor how is the recipient of the mockery. The other is of an enslaved Black woman who's mother is the subject of the photograph. Just 160 years separates them. Three other actors play different versions of similar personas within the context of each story. The structure is quite clever, and the writing fresh and lucid so as to not allow any of the twisting threads to break or get lost.
The set was beautiful and the work of Nadir Bey who's talents I've seen multiple times since his arrival in the DMV. Most recently in Monsters of the American Cinema, and The Chosen and The Rainmaker both at 1st Stage. The Designer even got a two page spread in the program featuring his illustration of the final version. Pretty cool.
Photo from my seat in the middle third row back from the stage.
The acting was very strong. Each member of the cast brought their A-game which is particularly important when Caro Dubberly is in the ensemble. Caro is scary intense. If you haven't come to play, get off the stage, because they takes no prisoners. To that end I have seen three other cast members (Deidre Staples, Joel Ashur, and Tamieka Chavis) in significant roles in other plays over the course of the past year. The intensity of their performances was as if they had grown exponentially in their skills and talent. I'm certain that the material and the camaraderie elevated the experience from that of a performance to something more akin to church.
And I have a non-acting connection to the final cast member, Nikkole Salter directed the production of "Lady Day at the Emerson Bar & Grill" that I recently saw at Baltimore's Center Stage. I have had the privilege of seeing plays that have been directed by people who's acting the region I am familiar with; this, however, is the first time I've seen their talents as a director first.
There was an after show discussion on the themes in the play. I didn't stay mostly because the performance started 20 minutes late and I was concerned with catching a trolley back to Union Station before dark settled in. The reason it was delayed is a testament to my earlier assertion that the play holds a special place in the hearts of the actors. Joel Ashur had been in an auto accident on his way to the theatre. They were prepared to cancel the performance when he showed up around 2:45--curtain was supposed to be 3:00. On stage, he never skipped a beat.
Abner (Joel Ashur) getting a self-inflicted would sewn up by his sister, Sara (Deidre Staples)--it is a metaphor for what his character, Malik, does in the alternate timeline.
Sara longing to engage the enemy and obtain her freedom demands that Abner teacher her how to shoot his rifle.
Grad assistant, Candice (Caro Dubberly) with Professor Sandra (Nikkole Salter)
Sandra confronted by her colleague and the only "other" Black woman in the English Department, Dr. Jade Banks (Tamieka Chavis).
In the final scene, Sandra transforms herself, and Candice is flooded with the guilt of a conspiracy soon to be revealed.
At the very end, Sara and Sandra "meet".
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