Theater Thursday - Sally & Tom

We were given complimentary tickets to Sally & Tom for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Sally & Tom 

Where: Public Theater

             425 Layfayette St.

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 13 and Up

When: Through May 26, 2024

In the current age when we have begun to take a hard look at our heroes and our forefathers and acknowledge the parts of them that were questionable, Suzan-Lori Parks' new play, Sally & Tom does just that. It is the story of a theater troupe attempting to put on a play about the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and his slave, Sally Hemings. The play within the play is a major part of the story as well and large parts of the play are completely acting out on stage as the troop struggles with how to present the material in an honest way but commercially viable way. 

Gabriel Ebert in the role of Thomas Jefferson is formidable. His whole demeanor suggests his sense of righteousness and his absolute power to control his slaves' lives even Sally, whom he is allegedly in love with. This attitude carries over to his portrayal of Mike, the actor portraying Jefferson, wherein he doesn't see the problem with cheating on his current girlfriend and costar with his ex in order to obtain financing for the show. 

Sheria Irving also shines in the roles of Sally as well as Luce, the playwright, and costar of the play within a play. She is the moral center of the show struggling to balance historical accuracy with the need to produce a play that will be palatable to current audiences.  Every choice the actress makes highlights this dichotomy and puts the audience solidly on her side. 

The supporting cast which includes the always exceptional, Kristolyn Lloyd does a fine job in their dual roles as well. Although the show is long for a play at approximately two and a half hours, it holds your attention and doesn't drag at all. It is an extremely proactive show.

And that's our view. For more about Sally & Tom and/or to purchase tickets, visit publictheater.org/productions/season/2324/sally--tom.

Tune in Sunday for this week's Sunday Scoop.

Photo credits:

All Sally & Tom production photos by Joan Marcus

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us here, and we will look into the matter.