An epic story that moves from America to Africa and back again, imagining the ghosts of war, political corruption and personal betrayal that might lie behind the recent anti-Gay legislation in the nation of Uganda, passed into law in February of this year and overturned on July 31! One of the co-winners of the 2014 Essential Theatre Playwriting Award.

This summer’s powerful cast includes Olubajo Sonubi, Brody Wellmaker, Jennifer Alice Acker, Tiffany Denise Mitchenor, Portia Cue, Blaire Hillman, Kevin Stillwell, Alex Van and Sedonia Monet.   Theroun Patterson won the 2011 Essential Award for his family drama A Thousand Circlets, which was a big hit in that year’s Essential Festival. In 2013 it went on to a successful production at the Detroit Repertory Theatre. That Uganda Play has been workshopped by Working Title Playwrights as well as appearing in last summer’s Bare Essentials Play Reading Series, and we are proud to be producing the World Premiere production in our Festival this summer! Click here to read Bang!Arts’ recent interview with Theroun. Amber Bradshaw is a dramaturg/director who has collaborated with playwrights for the Essential Theatre’s Bare Essentials Play Reading Series for several years, and acted as coordinator of the readings last year. Amber has been working with Theroun on the development of That Uganda Play for more than a year and is very proud to be a part of the journey of such an incredible and relevant play.

That Uganda Play performs on the following dates:

Friday July 18, 8pm (opening) Saturday July 19, 8pm Friday July 25, 8pm Wednesday July 30, 8pm Thursday July 31, 8pm Saturday August 2, 8pm Sunday August 3, 2pm Thursday August 7, 8pm Friday August 8, 8pm (sign language interpretation provided by StageHands VSA Arts of Georgia) Sunday August 10, 7pm Monday August 11, 8pm (Industry Night/Donate What You Can) August 13, 8pm Saturday August 16, 8pm