Slave Play is a three-act drama written by Yale School of Drama alumnus Jeremy O. Harris. Described as a "dazzling mix of satire and psychodrama" by The New York Times, Slave Play focuses on the racial dynamics in Civil War-era American South. It takes the form of a psychology experiment, wherein interracial couples undergo therapy and take-up role-playing in order to deal with the effect of their racial identities on their lives. Although appearing at first glance to be a depiction of slavery in antebellum America, the interspersing of contemporary elements here and there split the role-play wide open. It looks at the persistence of racism in America years after the abolition of slavery. Through a conversation moderated between slavery and the present, Slave Play forces its characters and the audience to question if the history of slavery impacts the dynamics between black and white people even today. If yes, whom do we hold accountable? Slave Play debuted at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2018. It opened on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre the following year. It has been nominated for awards such as the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Play.
