It’s evening, and Sandra (Monique Marshaun) is alone in her office. She pulls out a bottle of wine and is set to unwind until co-worker and assistant professor Jade (Toccara Castleman) walks into the room. At first, the conversation is fairly casual. Sandra offers Jade a glass of wine as the two begin to chat about their experiences teaching at the university. Being the only two Black female professors in the department, there is a lot of pressure, but both seem to have their own way of approaching the work and students.
However, when the subject of Jade’s tenure comes up, things take a dramatic turn. It becomes clear that Sandra’s vote could mean a great deal for Jade’s outcome, and she has heard rumors that Sandra may not entirely be on her side. For Jade, this is about more than her ability to teach. This is a question of loyalty.
Marshaun and Castleman fill the scene with heated tension, embracing moments of silence that left members of this particular audience shifting in their seats. Dominique Morisseau’s play raises challenging questions around race and privilege, and this scene gets at the root of those very themes. What does it mean to use one’s voice, and who gets to dictate how?
Directed by Aaron Reese Boseman, Confederates follows Sandra, a celebrated Ivy League professor. When she finds a racist cartoon nailed to her door, she suddenly feels a lot less comfortable in her position and starts to question the relationships that she had always trusted. During the Civil War, Sara (Sheise Danyél) is a slave in the Deep South. She finds her world turned upside down when she is pulled into becoming a spy for the Union, never quite sure of who to trust but understanding that her work could make a big difference for those she cares about. Morisseau’s play moves between the two timelines and the women both navigate how to speak up against the powers that try to hold them back—and the many dangers that could come with it. Not much has changed in that 160-some years of history
Boseman’s ensemble as a whole is quite strong. Danyél and Marshaun both carry their stories with a certain gravitas but still find ways to uplift the pockets of much-needed humor. Makari Robinson-McNeese, Madelyn Loehr, and Toccara Castleman each play multiple roles, one per timeline. Each finds their own unique way into the distinct characters, and the constant switch between stories adds to the theatricality of the event as a whole.
Boseman’s artistic team enhances that theatricality through their meshing of the timelines in their designs. Scenic designer Kevin M. Rolf cleverly utilizes a sliding door at the back of the space that allows the characters to move between locations, revealing both Sara’s home and Sandra’s office depending on where the door is situated. Sound designer Dee Etti-Williams fills each transition with contemporary music, allowing the time periods to bleed into each other. Especially with the space being so intimate, the design smartly thrusts the audience right into the story, inviting them to connect the themes and challenges between timelines as Sandra's and Sara’s stories grow increasingly closer.
The script is what truly pushes this production over the top. Morisseau does not shy away from the highly nuanced and intriguing questions around privilege. Particularly in Sandra’s story—it is not always easy to pick a side. However, in creating the very clear parallels between the 1800s and today, Morisseau plants the seeds that can hopefully start the much-needed conversations around how we can begin to change.
With a thought-provoking script and standout cast, Confederates is a story that will stick with you for days. Morisseau’s play offers a challenging but honest mirror to our current day, making it deeply relevant.
Confederates runs through March 8 at Redtwist Theatre, 1044 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Run time is 100 minutes without intermission. For tickets and information, see the Redtwist Theatre website.
For more information on this and other productions, see theatreinchicago.com.
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