Suzan-Lori Parks has a way with words and of looking at a moment in history and sharing it from the Black perspective that is pretty raw, straightforward, and refreshing. That is exactly what she does with her new play, “Sally & Tom,” playing at the Public Theater. This phenomenal playwright gives us a play within a play, with a theater company putting on a production based on the relationship between slave master and historical figure Thomas Jefferson and the enslaved Sally Hemmings, with whom he had six children.
In the production, Luce/Sally is played by Sheria Irving. As Luce, Irving is a writer of the play and plays the leading female role of Sally. She makes it clear that the relationship between Jefferson and Hemmings was no love story. It was rape. She was 14 and he was 41.
Throughout the production, Sally’s character is at the beck and call of Jefferson and has no means of escaping this man’s desires. Sally has a brother named James, also enslaved to Jefferson and is his dresser. He is disgusted by the things his sister has to do, but he also realizes that she has no choice. The dual role of Kwame—the actor in the play within a play—and James, the character, is stunningly delivered by Alano Miller, who also has a moving speech where he gives Jefferson a piece of his mind. Or does he?
The role of the other star of this small, struggling theater company is Mike, who plays Tom (Jefferson) in the play, and is performed by Gabriel Ebert. Life mirrors art, because he is in a relationship with Luce.
It’s interesting to realize the parallels that Parks draws with this play. Luce is in a relationship with Mike and, just as Jefferson made Sally feel, she experiences being underappreciated, underestimated, and blatantly disrespected. However, Parks lets her modern-day character Luce choose a different road, and it’s simply because she can. Luce has learned a great lesson from working on the script for this story. She finds her own power.
Everyone in this company plays more than one role. Leland Fowler plays actor Devon and Sally’s enslaved brother-in-law Nathan, and he brings humor and affection to these roles. Kristolyn Lloyd is quite feisty and supportive of Luce in her roles as actress Maggie and as Mary, Sally’s enslaved sister. Sun Mee Chomet portrays the dual roles of actress Scout and Jefferson’s daughter Polly, and js amusing in these roles. Kate Nowlin is delightful in the roles of actress Ginger and Jefferson’s daughter Patsy. Daniel Petzold displayed his versatility as he handles not two but four roles: Geoff/Cooper/Colonel Carey/Mr. Tobias.
There is something special, gripping, and sensational about sitting in the audience at a Parks production. This play provided a sense of having seen a story told in a very needed way and from a perspective that gave respect and recognition to the atrocities that enslaved people had to endure under Thomas Jefferson. The words of Parks beautifully meld with the tremendous direction of Steve H. Broadnax III.
This production has marvelous technical features, including scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez, costume design by Rodrigo Munoz, lighting design by Alan C. Edwards, and sound design by Dan Moses Schreier. The production also features music composed by Parks and Dan Moses Schreier. The play runs through May 12. For tickets, visit publictheater.