Phillis In Boston

Written by Ade Solanke
Directed by Regge Life

This November, Revolutionary Spaces debuts Phillis in Boston, an original new play dramatizing a key moment in the life of both the nation and the celebrated poet Phillis Wheatley, enslaved author of the landmark book “Reflections on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral.” Published in London in 1773, it was the first known book of poetry by an English-speaking person of African descent and the third book published by an American woman. Wheatley's book was brought to Boston on board the Dartmouth, the same ship that carried the controversial tea that would later be thrown in the harbor on December 16, 1773—the night famously known as the Boston Tea Party.

Written by award-winning British-Nigerian playwright and screenwriter Ade Solanke and directed by Regge Life, an Emmy-nominated producer, director, and writer, Phillis in Boston explores the multiple struggles for freedom underway in Boston shortly after Wheatley returned in 1773 from a whirlwind visit to London. Emancipated shortly after her return, she rejoins the African American community in New England as they engage in the work of creating a free society:  questioning the slave-owning colonists’ true understanding of liberty, strategizing for the abolition of slavery, and debating which side to support in the ensuing revolutionary struggle.

The play celebrates friendship, love, community, and joy by centering Wheatley’s relationships with her friend and confidant Obour Tanner, her husband-to-be John Peters, and the dynamic abolitionist Prince Hall. Phillis in Boston examines slavery in New England through the lens of Wheatley’s complex relationship with her enslaver Susanna Wheatley, who supported Wheatley’s literary ambitions even as she kept her in bondage.

Phillis in Boston will be performed as a unique site-specific one-act play at the Old South Meeting House in Boston, where Wheatley and other revolutionaries were congregants. Built in 1729, Old South Meeting House was the largest indoor gathering space in colonial Boston as well as the location of raucous community meetings that took place in the run-up to the Boston Tea Party.

Phillis in Boston will run from Friday, November 3 to Sunday, December 3, 2023, with preview performances on November 1 and November 2.

Phillis In Boston is made possible through the generous support of the Cabot Family Charitable Trust, New England Women's Club Fund at The Boston Foundation, and Boston Tea Party 250th Anniversary Commemoration Transformational Partner Meet Boston. Revolutionary Spaces also thanks its travel partners JetBlue.

Details

Friday, November 3 - Sunday, December 3, 2023
Preview performances: November 1 & November 2, 2023

Old South Meeting House
Approx. Run Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Purchase Tickets

Tickets to Phillis In Boston are on sale now! Click here to purchase tickets online. Tickets can also be purchased at the door however cash and checks are not accepted.

PREMIUM SEATS
Premium ticket includes a guaranteed general admission seat in the first or second row of the center pews.

Adult Premium Ticket: $40
Youth Premium Ticket: $35
Member Premium Ticket: $30

STANDARD SEATS
Standard ticket includes a general admission seat anywhere on the main floor aside from the first or second row of the center pews.

Adult Standard Ticket: $30
Youth Standard Ticket: $25
Member Standard Ticket: $20

GROUP DISCOUNTS
Groups of 10 or more people are eligible for a 30% discount! Simply add all the tickets for your group to your cart and a 30% discount will automatically be applied at checkout.

MEMBER DISCOUNTS
Get discounted tickets as a Revolutionary Spaces member! Become a Member today!

Performance Dates & Times

Doors open 30 minutes prior to the performance start time. Please arrive at least five minutes prior to showtime. Late audience members will be seated at the discretion of the stage manager.

Preview Performance: Wednesday, November 1 at 7:00 PM
Preview Performance: Thursday, November 2 at 7:00 PM

Opening Night: Friday, November 3 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, November 4 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, November 5 at 6:00 PM

Wednesday, November 8 at 7:00 PM
Thursday, November 9 at 7:00 PM
Friday, November 10 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, November 11 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, November 12 at 6:00 PM

Wednesday, November 15 at 7:00 PM
Thursday, November 16 at 7:00 PM
Friday, November 17 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, November 18 at 7:00 PM

Friday, November 24 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, November 25 at 7:00 PM

Tuesday, November 28 at 11:00 AM
Wednesday, November 29 at 7:00 PM
Thursday, November 30 at 7:00 PM
Saturday, December 2 at 7:00 PM
Sunday, December 3 at 6:00 PM

Special Performances

Tuesday, November 28 - Weekday Matinee Performance
Join us for a daytime performance of Phillis in Boston! Tickets are available online at a special discounted rate for adults, youth, and Revolutionary Spaces members. If you are a teacher interested in bringing your students, please contact booking@RevolutionarySpaces to learn more about our group discounts for schools. Doors open at 10:30 AM and the performance begins at 11:00 AM.

Wednesday, November 29 - Talkback with Director and Cast of Phillis in Boston
Following the performance, join us for an illuminating talkback with Phillis In Boston cast members Joshua Olumide (Prince Hall) and Bobby Cius (John Peters) and Director Regge Life. Audience members will have the opportunity to hear about the creative process and participate in a Q&A. This talkback will be moderated by Julius Hobert, Visitor Experience Manager at Old North Church, who is playing the role of Prince Hall in Revolutionary Spaces' Boston Tea Party reenactment. Click here to purchase tickets to the November 29 performance of Phillis in Boston.

Thursday, November 30 - Under 30 Night
In the spirit of Phillis Wheatley—who at a young age made waves with her poetry—Revolutionary Spaces invites you to gather together with fellow young creators and activists at the Phillis in Boston "Under 30” Night.

Anyone ages 30 and under can use discount code PHILLIS30 for 30% off your ticket to the November 30 performance of Phillis in Boston, which will be followed by an engaging panel discussion. Celebrate and delve into what it means to be a young person today who, like Wheatley, uses creative expression to motivate positive change.

Panelists:

  • Arianna Diaz-Celon (they/she): Connectivity Producer at Company One, a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and organizer who uses the arts as a catalyst for community building and collective learning
  • Adael Mejia (he/him): Worcester’s current youth poet laureate, with a passion for developing youth artists and growing the community
  • Adreyanua Jean-Louis (she/her): cast member of Phillis in Boston (playing Phillis Wheatley)
  • Serenity S’rae (she/her): cast member of Phillis in Boston (playing Obour Tanner)
  • Regine Vital (she/her): Associate Producer at Actors' Shakespeare Project, a storyteller, theatre artist, administrator, and educator from Somerville, MA

This program is free and open to the public with tickets to Phillis in Boston. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided. Purchase tickets here.

Meet the Creative Team

Meet the Cast

Production Team

*MEMBER OF ACTORS’ EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA). AEA was founded in 1913 as the first of the American actor unions. AEA's mission is to advance, promote, and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Today, AEA represents more than 49,000 actors, singers, dancers, and stage managers working in hundreds of theaters across the United States. AEA members are dedicated to working in the theatre as a profession, upholding the highest artistic standards.

AEA negotiates wages and working conditions and provides a wide range of benefits including health and pension plans for its members. Through its agreement with AEA, this theatre has committed to the fair treatment of actors and stage managers employed in this production. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. For more information, visit actorsequity.org.

**The Director is a Member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national theatrical labor union.

***MEMBER OF UNITED SCENIC ARTISTS, LOCAL USA-829.

Boston Tea Party 250th Anniversary

Revolutionary Spaces thanks our Boston Tea Party 250th Anniversary Commemoration Transformational Partner Meet Boston Foundation for supporting transformational experiences in this critical anniversary year.