The House of the Negro Insane
by Terence Anthony
August 14 – September 06, 2026
Run Time:1 Hour, 40 Minutes
Tickets:$54 (incl. a $4 fee) | 59E59 Members: $40
Tickets available here
The year is 1935. For years, Attius has lived behind the imposing walls of Central State Hospital – one of only seven US psychiatric institutions built to house “insane and idiotic negroes” – where the homeless and destitute are confined alongside the diseased and the criminally insane.
Attius has carved out a meager existence within the hospital building coffins, quietly crafting the final boxes for those who will never see freedom again. But everything changes when two new patients arrive, and Attius is forced to confront a possibility he buried long ago – a chance at life beyond the walls.
Review by Rachel Graham from Theatre Mania August 24
Terence Anthony challenges his actors with The House of the Negro Insane, now running at 59E59 Theaters. Not only does the play tackle the dark, racist history of 1930s mental institutions, but it places much of the drama on the shoulders of a child actor. Though flawed, The House of the Negro Insane still largely meets the mark. It is evocative, satisfying, and memorable theater.
…Anthony’s sharp script also adds immediacy. Refusing to give the audience a mere history lesson, he keeps the story close to the characters and lets the context reveal itself organically. Because of this, when one of the characters briefly talks about the big picture of racism in America, it’s an incredibly effective moment.
