InterAct Theatre Company To Present PLANTATION BLACK World Premiere
The production begins its run in February, offering a timely opportunity to engage with Black history through a contemporary theatrical lens.
By: A.A. Cristi Jan. 07, 2026
InterAct Theatre Company will present the world premiere of PLANTATION BLACK, directed by Kimille Howard, a bold new play that collides past and present to ask urgent questions about inheritance, power, and justice. The production begins its run in February, offering a timely opportunity to engage with Black history through a contemporary theatrical lens.
Two centuries after a murky agreement binds a Civil War–era plantation family to the enslaved people working the land, the white and Black Prioleau descendants must finally confront the past and determine who is the rightful heir. As legally and morally questionable events from 1864–65 resurface, both families are forced to reckon with the legacy they've inherited and consider what an equitable path forward might truly look like.
A cast of six actors plays characters across both timelines, embodying the Civil War–era figures and their present-day descendants. Each night, the story unfolds differently: before every performance, a cast member spins a drum bearing the names of all the scenes in the play, and the production begins at a randomly selected point in the timeline. Come 20-minutes before each showtime to see the draw!
“This form is inspired by how history, especially family history, is often learned,” says playwright Phaedra Michelle Scott. “Sometimes, we get information in the wrong order, which forever changes our perception. Or sometimes, parts of our history are locked away, never to be uncovered. PLANTATION BLACK is a story about how messy and beautiful it is to be in a family, how miraculously strange it is to be American, and how difficult it can be to do the right thing. Depending on the version you see, your allegiances may shift. And honestly, that's what makes it fun."
PLANTATION BLACK's innovative structure evokes the way history repeats itself—and the often fragmented, unpredictable ways we encounter our national and personal histories. With six possible starting points, no two performances are exactly alike.
Audience members who wish to return for the chance to experience the play starting at a different point (no guarantees) may purchase a return ticket for just $12.
PERFORMANCE DETAILS
Dates: February 6 - March 1, 2026 (Opening Night (Press Opening): February 12)
Location: The Proscenium Theatre at The Drake, 302 S. Hicks Street, Philadelphia PA
Tickets: https://ci.ovationtix.com/35072/production/1232768
SPECIAL EVENTS
Free Ice Cream Previews:
February 6–11, 2026
Young Friends Night:
February 6, 2026
Use code YOUNG at checkout for $20 off tickets (includes two free concessions)
Black Affinity Night:
February 13, 2026
Use code AFFINITYBLAQ38 at checkout for $20 off tickets (includes two free concessions)
Artist Q&A Sessions:
February 14, 21, and 28, 2026
Expert Q&A with Seth:
February 15, 22, and March 1, 2026
Videos