Personal anguish & systemic injustice collide when a Black teenager goes missing in ‘American Son’

Ghostlight Ensemble’s production of American Son, written by Christopher Demos-Brown and directed by Ebby Offord, opens in two weeks at Friendship Community Place in Jefferson Park.

The production is led by Ensemble Member Courtney Marie as Kendra and Ensemble Member Khenmu Menu-Ra as Lt. Stokes with Shane Novoa Rhoades as Scott and Derek Preston Ray as Officer Paul Larkin. Understudies are Terah Jene, Eric K. Roberts, Kyle Roth and Ryan Ken.

“American Son has been on my artistic bucket list for as long as I can remember. As a Black woman married to a white man, its themes are all too familiar, and as a GET Ensemble member, it’s right on mission,” Marie said. “I can’t imagine a better time to tell this story.”

In American Son, an estranged biracial couple must confront their feelings about race and bias after their son is detained by the local police following a traffic stop incident.

The story unfolds over a single night as Kendra Ellis-Connor, a Black mother, desperately seeks answers about the whereabouts of her 18-year-old son, Jamal, who has gone missing after an encounter with the police. As tensions escalate, Kendra is joined by her estranged white husband, Scott Connor, and their clashing perspectives expose deep-seated issues of race, privilege and systemic bias.

Set in a Florida police station, American Son is a gripping tale of two parents caught in our national divide, with their worst fears hanging in the balance. This tense and emotionally charged drama is a compelling exploration of contemporary social issues.

“I was very interested in telling a story that feels incredibly familiar but still has value in being told again,” Offord said. “The story the Connors experience has been one I’ve witnessed through my phone screen since I was 14 or 15 years old, experiencing the same awakenings about the world and subsequent fear of it that we learn Jamal does. Because I know this family and this story, I was excited to dive into it with a group of artists I knew would approach the material with care.”

The show also ticks off a role on Ensemble Member Menu-Ra’s artistic wish list who has wanted to play a no-nonsense cop since watching Andre Braugher on NBC’s police drama Homicide.

“It’s exciting to finally step into this law enforcement role in a show as nuanced and layered as American Son. It’s a pretty stark reflection of the real lives at stake in the volatile, reactionary world we’re living through,” Menu-Ra added. “We pose some challenging questions, and I look forward to sharing it with audiences.”

This show is important for everyone to see because the underlying message is: this could literally happen to anyone, Offord added.

“Ultimately, your perceptions of the ‘right’ and the ‘wrong’ way to go about something can change in an instant. I’d love to spark that conversation with our audiences,” she said.

In American Son, the Connors have raised their son to be exception and so believe they have created a life that defies every stereotype their son could face. In the world of the play, both of the Connors learn the bitter truth that racism is much more pervasive than well-intentioned proximity to success.

“Black people are not a monolith,” Offord said. “For that reason, there is not one single justification for why our community experiences police violence at a disproportionate rate. Whether you’re a ‘good’ type of Black person or a ‘scary’ one, a racist doesn’t care to determine the difference.”

The production team includes Stage Manager Hailey Piorek, Scenic and Props Designer Adri Andreolas, Sound Designer Jaden Leverett, Fight Choreography by Tim McCarthy and Costume Designer Andrés Mota. The show is produced by Ensemble Members Justin Broom, Courtney Marie, Chad Wise and Holly Robison.

The production runs Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. September 18 through October 4, 2026, at Friendship Community Place (5150 N Northwest Highway, Chicago, IL 60630). There will be a preview performance on Thursday, September 17 and an understudy performance on Monday, September 28. The show runs about 90 minutes with no intermission.

Friendship Community Place is a non-profit organization that serves as a hyper-local neighborhood hub on Chicago’s northwest side with partnerships that promote equity, justice and provide resources and public programming. The space is fully accessible with ADA restrooms and automatic doors.

Tickets are pay-what-you-will, with an average donation of $25. Audience members who are financially able to donate more help offset the cost for those who can’t afford to give. For the preview performance on Thursday, September 17, the suggested donation is $15. Tickets are available now.

American Son is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com.

The play premiered on Broadway at the Booth Theatre on November 4, 2018. Directed by Kenny Leon, the production featured Kerry Washington, Steven Pasquale, Jeremy Jordan and Eugene Lee. In 2019, Netflix produced a film adaptation of the play with the original Broadway cast reprising their roles.

Look for details about the entire 2026-2027 season and Ghostlight Ensemble at GhostlightEnsemble.com.