The Slave Dancer's Choice

Drawn from historical sources about the Atlantic slave trade, this play follows the journey of a young American slave who is tricked into serving on a slave ship. The slave, Danny, accepts the offer of a white sea captain to go to sea on a whaling ship, in return for which the captain promises to buy Danny and his mother and set them free. Once onboard, Danny discovers that the true cargo will be African slaves being brought to the new world. Danny's dilemma: does he take part in the slave trade, which will win him his freedom, or will he steal the captain's key and free the Africans from their chains? Making his choice difficult is Danny's realization that if he frees the slaves, he will never see his mother again and she will be forced to live the rest of her life as a slave. His choice is also made more difficult by an African mother, who resembles his mother, and her daughter, to whom Danny becomes attracted. Will Danny make the decision that amounts to a greater good for all? Or will he use the slave trade for his own benefit, making him no different from the captain?