At the barricades
Written by James Clements & Sam Hood Adrain; Directed by Federica Borlenghi
MITU580 | 580 Sackett Street, Brooklyn NY 11217
June 12-29
Photos by Pablo Calderón-Santiago
You’re at the barricade—now what are you going to do? Why are you there? How did you get to this point? And how do you want to leave?
War is horrible. We often make assumptions about why soldiers serve. At the Barricades challenges those assumptions through history and deep humanity.
I returned to MITU580 intrigued. Earlier this May, What Will the Neighbors Say? was among the many arts organizations that lost NEA funding—in their case, $15,000. Thanks to a community loan, they were able to continue with the production of At the Barricades. I’m so glad they did. As an audience member, I chose a higher seat to get a better vantage point of the stage—and I’m glad I did. The work is important, timely, and relatable.
Co-authored by James Clements and Sam Hood Adrain and directed by Federica Borlenghi, the play is set during the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), a time of political, economic, and social upheaval—a mirror of our own era in many ways.
We meet six brave soldiers—three Americans, two Spaniards, and a Scot—each with their own reasons for joining the fight. Walter, played by Devante Lawrence, is an African American hotel porter from and Southern activist from Missourui, a member of the United States Communist Party, and a devoted family man longing to return home. Chelsie Sutherland’s Victoria is a nurse from Arkansas, now based in Harlem, who also organizes within the United States Communist Party. She brings clarity and strength to the group. Elena, portrayed by Stephanie Del Bino, is a conflicted feminist professor and member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party. Her disillusionment with her fellow Spaniards adds an aching complexity to her character.
Edu Díaz plays Diego, the captain of the brigade and a member of the Workers’ Party of Marxist Unification. He commands with calm urgency and relays broadcasts from inside the Spanish Republic, bridging the front lines and the public. Anthony, portrayed by Sam Hood Adrain, is a first-generation Italian American philosophy student from New York City and a member of the United States Communist Party. His motivations are rooted in a noble, almost naïve idealism that lends emotional fragility to the ensemble. Finally, James Clements plays Jim Ramsay, a Scottish member of the Communist Party of Great Britain, looking to escape the limits of Glasgow and chase a cause greater than himself.
From the moment I stepped into the space, I was transported. The barracks were alive—the actors already at their posts, the tension already simmering. Unlike my last visit to MITU580, this production used a thrust stage with seating on three sides, pulling us closer to the action—closer to the barricades. The tiered risers became part of the world we were entering. I was captivated by the set’s texture, the precision of the dressing, and the lighting that sculpted even the silences. This wasn’t just design—it was atmosphere, intention, resistance. At the Barricades doesn’t ask you to sit back and watch. It asks you, like the characters: You’re here now—what are you going to do?
The creative team includes Set Design by Frank Oliva, Costume Design by Johanna Pan, Sound Design by Stephanie Carlin , and Lighting Design by Adrian Yuen with Stage Management and Script Supervision by Skye Pallo Ross.
Click HERE for tickets.
Review by Malini Singh McDonald.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on June 16th, 2025. All rights reserved.