2008 Woodie Awards
Play explores Cincy's slave history
Allison Cole
Issue date: 11/16/07 Section: Community
Miami University senior Kristin Elzey is attempting to teach youth and area residents the importance of the Underground Railroad movement in Cincinnati through her play, The Cincinnati 28.
According to Elzey, the play is the untold true story of 28 slaves who escaped from a Virginia plantation. It follows their journey to freedom from the Ohio River through Cincinnati with the help of the conductors of the Underground Railroad.
Elzey said part of her inspiration for writing the play came from her interest in the history of Cincinnati and the involvement that the city had in helping slaves escape to freedom.
"It's important to tell these stories of the past," Elzey said. "These stories make a difference in the lives of the people who see the play."
The Cincinnati 28 will be performed at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Elzey said the play lasts approximately 50 minutes with a 10-minute period afterward, during which students or the audience can ask questions to the play's director.
The play was performed Nov. 7-9, and Elzey said there were about 800 people in attendance during that period. It will be performed again Feb. 6-8 and 13-15 with two performances a day at 10 a.m. and noon. Elzey said the museum center already had more than 1,000 tickets sold for the February performances.
Elzey said she was influenced by her mother to write the play. Her mother wrote a play called Runaway Slave for the Heritage Village Museum when Elzey was younger. She said based on research her mother did for that play, Elzey was then able to come up with the idea and documents to support The Cincinnati 28.
Elzey's play was a result of bits and pieces of diary entries that she used, along with research, to develop The
Cincinnati 28. She first wrote a short story based on her research in high school and then worked with her mother to develop the story into a full play. The play was written four years ago and took a couple of months to complete, Elzey said. She said both her and her mother have continued to tweak the play over the years, adding and removing scenes.
According to Elzey, the play is the untold true story of 28 slaves who escaped from a Virginia plantation. It follows their journey to freedom from the Ohio River through Cincinnati with the help of the conductors of the Underground Railroad.
Elzey said part of her inspiration for writing the play came from her interest in the history of Cincinnati and the involvement that the city had in helping slaves escape to freedom.
"It's important to tell these stories of the past," Elzey said. "These stories make a difference in the lives of the people who see the play."
The Cincinnati 28 will be performed at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Elzey said the play lasts approximately 50 minutes with a 10-minute period afterward, during which students or the audience can ask questions to the play's director.
The play was performed Nov. 7-9, and Elzey said there were about 800 people in attendance during that period. It will be performed again Feb. 6-8 and 13-15 with two performances a day at 10 a.m. and noon. Elzey said the museum center already had more than 1,000 tickets sold for the February performances.
Elzey said she was influenced by her mother to write the play. Her mother wrote a play called Runaway Slave for the Heritage Village Museum when Elzey was younger. She said based on research her mother did for that play, Elzey was then able to come up with the idea and documents to support The Cincinnati 28.
Elzey's play was a result of bits and pieces of diary entries that she used, along with research, to develop The
Cincinnati 28. She first wrote a short story based on her research in high school and then worked with her mother to develop the story into a full play. The play was written four years ago and took a couple of months to complete, Elzey said. She said both her and her mother have continued to tweak the play over the years, adding and removing scenes.
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