AN ACTOR from the popular musical “Hamilton” has moved to Ireland to write a TV series about abolitionist Frederick Douglass’s time spent there in 1845.
Paul Oakley Stovall, who plays George Washington in the hit Broadway show, has begun work on the script for a miniseries on Douglass’s four-month visit to Ireland.
During his trip, the abolitionist and former slave fell in love with the country, travelled to different cities to educate people on the anti-slavery movement in America and became enthralled by Irish politician Daniel O’Connell.
Stovall has already written a pilot episode for the proposed series and has been given the approval Douglass's great-great-great-grandson Kenneth B. Morris.
Stovall’s journey to Ireland began when Covid-19 forced "Hamilton" to go on hiatus.
Paul Oakley Stovall at the Center Theatre Group 50th Anniversary Celebration at Ahmanson Theatre on May 20, 2017 in Los Angeles (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Center Theatre Group)Stepping out of the great generalissimo’s shoes, wig, and tunic for the first time in several years, he began mentoring at a black community theatre company in Florida – where he found out about the abolitionists four month stay on the Emerald Isle from an Irish writer from County Wicklow.
The actor’s interest was piqued immediately:
"Douglass was supposed to be here for four days and he ended up here for four months. When I heard this, I knew this was a story because I want to know why, how, what happened," Stovall told The Sunday Times.
"He ended up touring the island: Limerick, Belfast, Cork, Dublin. He [was so popular he] couldn’t leave. The story is about him and Ireland; it’s not just him."
Stovall confessed his ignorance of Douglass’s voyage to Ireland and said that the US education system focuses on the American part of the anti-slavery campaigner’s life.
He also lauded Ireland’s early opposition to the practice of slavery, saying that it was "special" because it was one first countries to openly oppose the brutal trade in human beings.
"What is special about Ireland and slavery? They were one of the first countries to say, ‘No, this is wrong,’ and to step out internationally and say it. I feel like the world needs to hear that," he told The Sunday Times.
Shortly after deciding to write the series, Stovall contacted historians in Ireland, booked a plane ticket, and arrived in Dublin – where Douglass first heard Daniel O’Connell speak – on December 1.
Douglass, an arresting orator who was born into slavery and later escaped, delivered his first public speeches upon arrival in Dublin.
Frederick Douglass, anti-slavery activist, preacher and former slaveFellow “Hamilton” star Nikhil Saboo and Grammy-award-winning songwriter Marcus Hummon are among the line-up of Broadway talent that will accompany Stovall to an online musical commemoration of Douglass's life on Wednesday night.
Stovall will also take part in a roundtable discussion with Kenneth B. Morris and actor Roger Guenveur Smith to discuss how to bring characters like Douglass to mainstream television audiences.
He hopes that his collaboration with Kenneth B. Morris will entice production companies to support the project – especially those run by African-American actresses, like Viola Davis and Kerry Washington.
The Broadway star also plans to work closely with Irish institutions throughout the production.
While he must leave Ireland on March 1 due to visa restrictions, Stovall intends to return soon to complete the project.
