In 1957 after a 91-performance Off-Broadway run, a Broadway transfer was planned for Alice Childress' 'Trouble in Mind.' The transfer was halted when Childress refused to soften the themes of racism in the play. Had it premiered, it would have been the first play by an African American female. That honor eventually went to Lorraine Hansberry's 'A Raisin in the Sun.' 'Trouble in Mind' finally made its Broadway debut on November 18, 2021. Almost 18 months later, you can see the amazing play here in Des Moines as it kicks off Iowa Stage's 2023 season.
Pernell Furguson as Fredrick Douglas
Photo by G. Thomas Furgerson
What is an agitator? The New Oxford American Dictionary describes an agitator as a person who urges others to protest or rebel. In today s heated political climate, we see agitators on both sides of the aisle, some agitating for good and others not. Iowa Stage s production of The Agitators by Mat Smart takes a look at two agitators from our history and the struggles they both ensued. While this production was only available for a limited time, it left its audiences with a powerful and thought-provoking play. It left them thinking not only about the differences of the times these two agitators lived in but the similarities to the world we live in now.