ReCON$truXion
APRIL 23 – MAY 3, 2026
By Robert Schenkkan
Octagon Stage | Ages 14 +
World Premiere
The Civil War is over. Out of the ashes, a new America struggles to be born. Now, the real battle begins.
In the searing aftermath of the Civil War, a man born into slavery challenges the broken promises of Reconstruction. John Lynch rose to become the first Black Speaker of Mississippi’s House of Representatives, a United States Congressman, and chair of the Republican National Convention. Commissioned by Alabama Shakespeare Festival for its New Southern Canon, Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright Robert Schenkkan (All the Way, The Kentucky Cycle) introduces us to an inspiring writer, attorney, military officer, and politician who embodied the strength and the struggles of a rapidly changing America.
PLEASE NOTE:
This production is recommended for children age 14+.
Babes in arms and children under the age of 5 are not admitted to the theatre unless otherwise noted in show age recommendations.
All children must have a ticketed seat purchased for them to enter the theatre.
ASF Community Town Hall
Saturday, April 25
5:00 p.m. mingle, 5:30 p.m. conversation begins
Kress Building, Downtown Montgomery
39 Dexter Ave, Montgomery, AL 36104 | 1st Floor Community Room
Reconstruction Reconsidered: Where do we go from here?
Join us for a thought-provoking community conversation that will examine the legacy of Reconstruction and how narratives are constructed, destructed, challenged, and redefined. This special town hall in connection with the world premiere of ReCON$truXion will be FREE and open to the public. Light refreshments will be available. The event will bring together historians, civic leaders, and community voices to examine how narratives of Reconstruction have been shaped over time and what that means for us now.
Moderated by Dr. Shakita Brooks-Jones
Panelists:
Dr. Richard Bailey – Post-War Reconstruction era Historian and author
Tom Bryant – Dramaturg, ReCON$truXion
Marche’ Johnson – Montgomery City Councilwoman
Michael Morris – Director of Museum of Mississippi History and Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
ASF Insights
Saturday, April 25 at 12:45 p.m. in the Patrons’ Lounge
Guest speaker: Tom Bryant, Dramaturg for ReCON$truXion
Setting the Record Straight: The Facts of Reconstruction
Join us for an in-depth look at the Reconstruction era and the development of ASF’s newest commissioned play ReCON$truXion by Robert Schenkkan. Dramaturg Tom Bryant takes us through an engaging ASF Insights lecture as he unpacks the elusive story of how history is told — and retold. Tom will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the play, the facts of the Reconstruction era, and the political and cultural influences that cause the view of history to change over time. This conversation will invite patrons to think more critically about the stories we inherit and the ones we choose to tell.
About the speaker: Tom Bryant is known for his work as a dramaturg in the development of new plays on Broadway and in America’s regional theaters. He has a long association working with Robert Schenkkan on new plays including The Kentucky Cycle, The Great Society, Lewis and Clark Reach the Euphrates, and All the Way, which premiered at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and then moved to Broadway where it won the Tony Award for Best Play in 2014. Other dramaturg credits include Roe by Lisa Loomer at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Arena Stage, and Berkeley Repertory Theater. His book The Dramaturgy of History was published by Routledge in 2024.
ASF Insights is a FREE event sponsored by Auburn University at Montgomery.
ReCON$truXion is a play commissioned and developed through ASF’s Southern Writers Project, which is endowed generously by Laurie Jean Weil, D.V.M.
Talkback – Sunday, April 26
Octagon theatre | Directly following 2:00 p.m. matinee
Featuring cast members and crew of ReCON$truXion
Join us for a special post-show conversation with the cast and crew of ReCON$truXion and learn about the creative process behind this special world premiere.
ReCON$truXion is a play commissioned and developed through ASF’s Southern Writers Project, which is endowed generously by Laurie Jean Weil, D.V.M.
