A House With No Walls

by Thomas Gibbons

A bitter public battle erupts when it is revealed that the site of a new museum enshrining American liberty is the ground on which George Washington's slaves' house once stood. An African-American political activist occupies the site, demanding that the house be recreated as a reminder of the reality of slavery in our history and a memorial to the slaves' lives. He is opposed by a controversial African-American...

A bitter public battle erupts when it is revealed that the site of a new museum enshrining American liberty is the ground on which George Washington's slaves' house once stood. An African-American political activist occupies the site, demanding that the house be recreated as a reminder of the reality of slavery in our history and a memorial to the slaves' lives. He is opposed by a controversial African-American conservative author, who argues that blacks must lay aside their pursuit of victimhood if they are to achieve true equality. Their conflict is juxtaposed against the story of Oney Judge, one of Washington's slaves, as she struggles with the decision of whether to risk everything to escape her bondage. Moving in time between the present and the past, the play explores our relationship to troubling historical reality. How do we decide which elements of our history will be commemorated and which will be forgotten? Selection of the Continued Life of New Plays Fund.

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A House With No Walls

Recommended by

  • National New Play Network: A House With No Walls

    A House With No Walls by Thomas Gibbons received a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. The partnering NNPN Member Theaters were InterAct Theatre Company (Philadelphia, PA), Florida Stage (Manalapan), Curious Theatre Company (Denver, CO), New Repertory Theatre (Watertown, MA), and Unicorn Theatre (Kansas City, MO).

    A House With No Walls by Thomas Gibbons received a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere. The partnering NNPN Member Theaters were InterAct Theatre Company (Philadelphia, PA), Florida Stage (Manalapan), Curious Theatre Company (Denver, CO), New Repertory Theatre (Watertown, MA), and Unicorn Theatre (Kansas City, MO).

  • Liam Castellan: A House With No Walls

    A great play that takes larger issues of race and our relationship with history, and processes them through a story of human relationships. The political arguments are vibrant and alive. The weaving of present and past is done artfully.

    A great play that takes larger issues of race and our relationship with history, and processes them through a story of human relationships. The political arguments are vibrant and alive. The weaving of present and past is done artfully.

Production History

  • Type Professional, Organization InterAct Theatre Company, Year 2007
  • Type Professional, Organization Florida Stage, Year 2007
  • Type Professional, Organization Curious Theatre Company, Year 2007
  • Type Professional, Organization Unicorn Theatre, Year 2008
  • Type Professional, Organization Robey Theatre Company, Year 2008
  • Type Professional, Organization TimeLine Theatre Company, Year 2008
  • Type Professional, Organization Karamu Theatre, Year 2009
  • Type Professional, Organization iTheatre Collaborative, Year 2009
  • Type Professional, Organization Celebration Arts, Year 2010
  • Type Community Theater, Organization Old Academy Players, Year 2017
  • Type Professional, Organization Emerson Theatre Collaborative, Year 2023