Black queer people have existed in history and beyond, since the dawn of time. But, because of nefarious plans and tactics, from humans blindly dedicated to their perceived superiority, those stories have almost all been removed from the narrative. This, I think, is the power of our playwright Donja R. Love’s work. Sugar in our Wounds, the first entry into his trilogy The Love* Plays (Sugar..., Fireflies, and In The Middle), reframes the story of Black queerness during the Civil War, and reclaims our narrative as Black queer folks. We exist! We even existed in the horrors and pain of enslavement. “James,” a young, queer, enslaved Black man in the Summer of 1862, is our guide - he’s beautiful in his youth, innocence, and naiveté - and we are privileged to have him. It is my absolute honor to take the helm of this poignant piece of theatre, with this brilliant team of artists - and I can’t wait for you to experience it!
-Damone Williams, Director