OBERLIN, Ohio — The Oberlin-Wellington Rescue Theater Project and renowned playwright Ifa Bayeza are bringing the historic 1858 rescue of John Price from enslavement to the stage at Oberlin College this weekend.
Bayeza told News 5 the three performances are set for the Irene and Alan Wurtzel theater at 7 p.m. this Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will be live pre-readings of the play, which will formally open in 2024.
Bayeza said it's been an honor to write about a crucial part of American history, as Juneteenth, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S., is being recognized all week.
Bayeza explained how the communities of Oberlin and Wellington are playing a prominent role in the performance, as the rescuers from those towns are being brought back to life on stage.
“It's the journey through enslavement, but through the vantage point of the struggle for freedom, the struggle for the abolition of enslavement," Bayeza said. “It's about the characters, both black and white, some who were born free, some who bought their freedom. The settlers of the college and this town made a conscious commitment to embrace equality, to welcome black people into their community."
Bayeza said the play, The Rescue of John Price, portrays how Price was hidden in the home of the Oberlin College president until he was taken across the border to Canada. The production recounts how 37 rescuers were arrested while helping to get Price to freedom and how they chose to remain in jail in solidarity for several weeks during their trial, which later led to a protest march of more than 10,000 people in Cleveland.
"It's the exploration of the expansion of the story, how it becomes something that’s very local, to something that’s regional, to something that becomes the equivalent of headline news," Bayeza said. “I’d like to give a shout-out to Pat Spitzer, whose brainchild this idea was. Pat, 35 years ago, wanted to do something related to the abolition struggle in Ohio.”
Tony Sias, CEO and President of Cleveland's Karamu House Theater, the nation's oldest African-American theater, is directing the production.
“It's amazing bringing these words to life and to be able to share this important part of history with the Oberlin community, with Northeast Ohio," Sias said. “It's Oberlin’s rich history as a star and a centerpiece of this production just elevates its historical significance as it relates to the Underground Railroad and American history.”
Actor, Attorney and former local elected official Peter Lawson Jones will take the stage for the production and told News 5 The Rescue of John Price has a special family significance.
"I am the descendant of slaves on both sides of my family," Lawson Jones said. “Two of the characters depicted in this particular project, one is my wife’s great, great, great grandfather, and the other is my wife’s great, great, great, great grandfather.”
Florida actor Bobbie Bell told News 5 the play highlights how significant Northeast Ohio was in its role as part of the Underground Railroad and its resistance to enslavement in the mid-1800s.
“Ohio was at the center of progressive activity," Bell said. "Oberlin was one of the first colleges to be co-ed, first college to admit Native Americans, first college to admit African Americans, they were the center of abolitionist movement.”
Actor Diwe Augustin-Glave is playing four characters in the performance and explained her roles in the production have a special emotional connection.
“I graduated from Oberlin last year," Augustin-Glave said. "I’m also a child of immigrants who came to Northeast Ohio from Jamaica and Haiti, and so I feel akin to John Price in a lot of ways.”
Tickets and information about the pre-reading performances of The Rescue of John Price this weekend can be found here on the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue Theater Project web page.
Bayeza told News 5 she's hoping the production will leave viewers inspired and filled with hope.
“Well, I like to leave my audiences in all of my work with a question; I like to provoke thoughtfulness," Bayeza said. “It’s important for people to feel and understand that we have been through strange and troubled and curious times before and that we have emerged, through great turmoil, a better nation for it.”
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