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The Marsh Berkeley will extend the World Premiere engagement of acclaimed playwright and performer Wayne Harris’ Drapetomania, directed by David Ford.
Invited by the U.S. State Department to Palestine to perform a piece about Martin Luther King Jr., Harris found striking similarities between the U.S. and the Middle East, uncovering cultural reckonings and historical parallels while sharing a story of peace. The play takes its title from the word coined in 1851 by American physician Samuel A. Cartwright to define a perceived “mental illness” that caused enslaved peoples to flee their captivity. Reclaiming the term, Harris offers audiences a call to action, urging civic engagement and activism—in an exploration of political dissent and the tools of oppression that can be employed to silence protesters.
Added performances of Drapetomania will play November 8-22, 2025 with performances at 4:30pm Saturdays at The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704. Tickets ($25-$35 sliding scale, $50 and $100 reserved, $3 convenience fee per ticket).
Wayne Harris returns to The Marsh Berkeley, where his sold-out, extended 2023 production Train Stories drew glowing accolades from Bay Area critics. The San Francisco Chronicle praise noted “Harris’ writing gleams,” while Theatrius described the piece as “inspiring, hopeful, yet bittersweet.” With Drapetomania, Harris continues his decades-long relationship with The Marsh, one that has spanned performances and years of teaching The Marsh’s youth programs.
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