Playreading: The Niceties

The Niceties Play by Eleanor Burgess • Directed by Will Casey Monday, November 16, 2026 get tickets Playreaders Series After more than a decade, Citadel Theatre is bringing playreadings back to the stage with the launch of our Playreaders Series - a completely free series celebrating exceptional plays that deserve a larger spotlight. The series is dedicated to the underdogs of the theatre world: beautifully written plays that may have narrowly missed major awards or simply never received the attention they warranted. Through intimate readings led by talented actors and directors, we hope to give these works a new life and invite audiences into meaningful conversations. Summary Our inaugural reading is The Niceties by Eleanor Burgess, directed by Will Casey, produced by Scott Shallenbarger, and starring Catherine Marcroft and Sabrina Edwards. Set in a liberal arts college, the play follows Zoe, a Black student, and her white professor as a discussion about a paper on slavery’s impact on the American Revolution erupts into a charged debate about race, history and power. As the United States commemorates its 250th anniversary in 2026, The Niceties offers a timely opportunity to revisit the nation's history, examine the stories we tell about its founding and consider how those stories continue to shape our present. Join us at Citadel Theatre for this one-night-only, entirely free playreading, followed by a post-show talkback with the cast and director. Duration: 2 hours Show Time Monday, November 16 at 7:00PM The play will conclude with a post-show talkback with the cast and director. About the Playwright Eleanor Burgess’ plays include The Niceties, Wife of a Salesman, Start Down, Chill, Sparks Fly Upward and Galilee, 34. Her work has been produced at theaters across the United States, including Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Rep, Geffen Playhouse, McCarter Theatre Center, Huntington Theatre Company, Writers Theatre, Milwaukee Rep, Merrimack…