FIREHOUSE MAINSTAGE

Developmental premiere

out the mud

Written BY kristen adele calhoun*

DIRECTED BY chuck mike

*recipient of the John Mitchell, Jr. Commission, Premiering 2027

Juneteenth 1865, a newly freed couple stands at a crossroads: leave the only land they've ever known to forge an uncertain future, or remain on the plantation to work for the very family that once claimed ownership over their lives. Inspired by the Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers’ Project, Out the Mud weaves humor and heart into a powerful story about love, legacy, and the pull of freedom.

Pay-What-You-Will Previews: March 11th and 12th
Opening Night: Friday, March 13th
Final Performance: Sunday, March 29th

This play's development was supported by a commission from the Alcove New Play Development Program, Lucille Lortel Theater, New York City. Caridad Svich, Artistic Director.

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The john mitchell jr. project

The Firehouse Theatre, in collaboration with the Virginia Museum of History and Culture and the Richmond Planet Foundation, has commissioned playwright Kristen Adele Calhoun to dramatize the life and times of John Mitchell Jr., the “fighting editor” of The Richmond Planet Newspaper. The John Mitchell Jr. Project serves as a pilot for ongoing partnership between Firehouse Theatre and the Virginia Museum of History and Culture to dramatize untold stories from Virginia's history. Project strategy and marketing will be provided by BROWNBAYLOR™.

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2025/26 Firehouse Mainstage Season

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