Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Commissions Play About Ferguson

The Rep is commissioning Dael Orlandersmith to compose and perform a solo performance about Ferguson, Missouri. Orlandersmith is in the very early stages of writing the work now. Currently untitled, the play will tell the story of an 85-year old woman who has lived her entire life in Ferguson, Missouri, witnessing the various physical, demographic and social changes, culminating with the recent events that have made the town the subject of a national conversation.

Orlandersmith is well known for her work in both authoring and performing one-person plays. She was the winner of the Susan Smith Blackburn Award for Yellowman in 2002, a play that The Rep produced during The Rep's 2005-2006 Studio Theatre series. Yellowman also garnered Orlandersmith a nomination for the Drama Desk Award and was a Pulitzer Prize Award finalist.

"It is an honor to work with The Rep on this play," said Orlandersmith. "The main challenge for me will be making this a story, not the story, of Ferguson. I hope the story will delineate the fairness and harshness of the human condition, which is ultimately always beautiful, no matter what."

The Rep's Associate Artistic Director, Seth Gordon, said, "When I considered who would be best to write a play about Ferguson, Dael came to mind immediately. She is among the finest at what she does in this country, and has written many celebrated plays about the hard and beautiful truths of being of color in this country. She will add so much to Ignite! The Rep's New Play Festival, to The Rep, and to the national conversation."

Gordon said the plan is to have Orlandersmith's play be a part of Ignite! 2016, with a possible eye toward production in a future season.

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