The Agitators: The Story of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass
The Agitators: The Story of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass is a play which was later adapted into a podcast.
Background
The play was created in 2017 by Mat Smart and directed by Valeria Curtis-Newton.[1] The work was commissioned by the
New York State Council on the Arts.[2] The play begins with
Frederick Douglass playing the violin and
Susan B. Anthony at a picnic.[3] The play stars Curtis M. Jackson as Frederick Douglass and Jessica Link as Susan B. Anthony.[4] The play was produced by the
Alabama Shakespeare Festival.[5] The play follows the friendship between Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony over the course of a 45 year period.[6] The play was performed soon after restrictions had been lifted during the
COVID-19 pandemic.[7] In 2020, the play was directed by Signe Harriday.[8] The play won a 2017 Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.[9]
Adaptation
The show was later adapted into a podcast hosted by Ashley C. Ford.[10] The podcast was produced by the
National Park Service,
Public Radio Exchange, and the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission.[11] The podcast debuted on November 18, 2020 and starred Cedric Mays as Frederick Douglass and Madeleine Lambert as Susan B. Anthony.[12]