“Confederates,” a play from Tony Award-nominated playwright and Detroit-born Dominique Morisseau, tells a complex and layered story about the experience of being a Black woman in America. By weaving together two plot threads from the past and present, the play explores how institutional racism and gender bias continue to shape American society. 

 Set more than 160 years apart, Sarah, who is played by Rebecca Rose Mims, is an enslaved woman on a plantation seeking a path to liberation during the Civil War. In the present day, Sandra, played by Whitney Johnson, is a political science professor at a university where she is one of the only Black women on the faculty of a predominantly white campus. The two women’s stories intertwine and parallel each other following a racist incident targeting Sandra on campus. 

 The production is directed by Detroit-based playwright, poet, and professor Goldie Patrick. It runs through March 16 at Detroit Public Theatre. Morisseau is the theatre’s executive artistic producer. The play premiered off-Broadway in 2022 and has since gained critical acclaim for its bold storytelling. 

BridgeDetroit reporter Micah Walker and One Detroit’s Chris Jordan visited Detroit Public Theatre for a performance of “Confederates,” and Walker talks with Morisseau, Patrick and members of the cast about the play. Morisseau and Patrick talk about the research involved in writing and directing the play. Plus, the cast members share the personal connections they bring to the production.