(MADISON, NJ) -- The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) has announced the cast for its upcoming presentation of The Agitators by Mat Smart, presented as part of the theatre's Revolutionary Voices play reading series. The performance will take place on Monday, April 27, 2026 at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre on the campus of Drew University. Showtime is 7:30pm.
Crackling with urgency, The Agitators brings to life the fierce, decades-long friendship between Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. From modest abolitionist beginnings, through the Civil War, to the highest halls of government, this gripping two-character drama explores activism, allyship, and the cost of fighting for change when progress demands impossible choices.
The cast features Cameron Knight as Frederick Douglass, Erin Partin as Susan B. Anthony, and Aurea Tomeski reading stage directions.
The reading is directed by Jesmille Darbouze, with Mikki Monfalcone as production stage manager.
Tickets are $35 for adults and $20 for youth (ages 17 and under). Tickets are available for purchase online or by calling (973) 408-5600. The F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre is located on the campus of Drew University (36 Madison Avenue) in Madison, New Jersey.
“The Agitators brings to life the extraordinary and complicated relationship of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass,” said Darbouze. “Upon reading this play, I was deeply moved by its ability to capture the profound impact these two figures had in shaping our nation, as well as by how it serves as a mirror, reflecting the same tensions we face today. Our current conversations about equality, equity, and social injustice can feel divisive and fraught. The Agitators reminds us that disagreement does not have to mean division. It asks us to consider what it means to be a true ally: to listen, to question, to believe in one’s convictions while remaining open to change and growth. Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony’s legacy still echoes as many press forward in pursuit of a country for all.”
The Agitators is the second installment in STNJ’s Revolutionary Voices, a play reading series dedicated to celebrating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence through dynamic, thought-provoking readings.
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) is one of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, serving approximately 40,000 adults and children annually. It is New Jersey's largest professional theatre company dedicated to Shakespeare's canon and other classic masterworks. Through its productions and education programs the company strives to illuminate the universal and lasting relevance of the classics for contemporary audiences.
The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional major support is received from the F.M. Kirby Foundation, The MacMillan Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, The Samuel H. Scripps Foundation, CTW Foundation, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, The New Jersey Cultural Trust, The Hearst Foundations, Shakespeare in American Communities, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, Union Foundation, John and Margaret Post Foundation, Provident Bank, Hyde and Watson Foundation, E.J. Grassmann Trust, Jack K. Ayre and Frank Ayre Lee Theatre Foundation, The John R. Eckel Jr. Foundation, Mimi Washington Starrett Foundation, Turrell Fund, the Merrill G. and Emita E. Hastings Foundation, and the Howard Gilman Foundation, as well as contributions from numerous other foundations, corporations, government agencies, and individuals.
