New Play About Sojourner Truth, DUST OF EGYPT, is Coming to the New York Theater Festival

The play explores tangled race relations, the ongoing toll of injustice and one woman's courageous vision of a better future.

By: Nov. 03, 2022
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New Play About Sojourner Truth, DUST OF EGYPT, is Coming to the New York Theater Festival

Dust of Egypt, a new play, illuminates Sojourner Truth's unrelenting fight to rescue her son after he is abducted and taken down South. The play explores tangled race relations, the ongoing toll of injustice and one woman's courageous vision of a better future.

"Dust of Egypt is one of the greatest plays I've ever read," says Reg E Gaines, the two-time Tony nominated playwright. "This is a story about Sojourner Truth, but also about what's happening today. It's compelling and passionate."

A legendary activist and orator who fought for women's rights alongside Susan B. Anthony, and who is perhaps best known for her iconic "Ain't I A Woman" speech, Sojourner Truth is a powerful and widely-celebrated Black woman. Yet, one of her most profound achievements is still relatively unknown: She was the first Black woman to successfully win a legal case through the court system. Coming on the heels of the recent discovery of 1828 court documents about the case - previously thought to be lost forever - the time has never been better to put Sojourner Truth in the spotlight.

"Dust of Egypt has been years in the making," says playwright Karin Abarbanel. "As the mother of a son myself, I was deeply touched by her relentless fight to find her boy and bring him home. This story deserves to be told."

Helmed by acclaimed director Rhonda Passion Hansome, Dust of Egypt features a talented cast, including: Jade Cayne, Austin Iredale, Daniel Martin, Eliott Johnson, Eric Ruffin, Jeanna Schweppe and Desi Waters. The creative team also includes Dr. Jaye Austin Williams (dramaturge) and Domani Productions (producers).

For more information, including ticket sales, visit https://www.dustofegypt.com/.

Performance Details:

What: Dust of Egypt at the New York Theater Festival

When: Tuesday, November 15th, 6:15pm; Friday, November 18th, 4:00pm; Saturday, November 19th, 9:00pm

Where: Theater Latea, 107 Suffolk Street, New York, NY 10002



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