The Union College Theater Production presented “Patriot Acts” for the Union community from February 1-4. The play written and directed by Cheryl Black, a visiting professor of Theater Department, encapsulated the story of women’s suffrage from 1774 to the present day, featuring collections of documents, poems, stories, and tributes to depict the women’s lives during this time.

Some significant figures of the women’s rights movement during this period included Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, among others. Each actor or actress represented multiple characters, bringing this crucial story to life through the expressive imagination and singing. The play used riveting storytelling, song and dance to narrate the suffrage movement. By utilizing historically accurate testimony and documentation, the play told a fascinating story of heroism and joy that spanned generations and paid careful attention to the details of the women’s suffrage movement. Through the use of song and dance, among other elements, the audience was properly engaged and able to follow a complex narrative spanning centuries and diverse individuals

The true core of the play was its earnest ability to capture the audience’s attention and delight by engaging directly and allowing people to feel they had a voice in the women’s movement. The direct representation of women in the movement was expressed in various ways, alongside the story of heroism and journey that sparked a movement that impacted the world and moved America forward. The winds of change were delivered in the play, offering a unique opportunity to convey the words and sentiments of many courageous women who played a pivotal role in advancing women’s rights. This play is one for generations to remember and does a remarkable job of showcasing the issues facing the women’s suffrage movement as well as the work that remains to be done. It highlights the ongoing need to address women’s rights issues and the current state of the conflict today, an that issue still resonates with many women and is approached in a unique and important way.