Letter to the Editors: In Praise of At the Barricades
James Clements and Sam Hood Adrain. Photo Pablo Calderón-Santiago.
To the Editors:
As a longtime supporter of VALB and ALBA—and as a 76-year-old “red diaper baby” having been brought up in a “Brigade-adjacent” family—I was excited to see the announcement for the play At the Barricades, brought to us by a younger generation of activist theater makers. The performance was so impressive that I actually saw it twice in one week. The way in which Sam and James constructed the characters and introduced a new audience to this history was nothing less than inspiring. I sincerely hope that ALBA can feature a talkback/interview about the play.
I think all supporters and folks interested in ALBA and this history would be interested in hearing about the process Sam and James followed to research and develop the play, the content and the ways in which contemporary themes are effectively woven into the history, and the response they’ve received from audiences. Also, the fact that ALBA’s online events include a national audience may open up avenues for showing the play in other venues.
In solidarity,
Elissa Krauss (New York City)
