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Dramatic photo of actor Mark Povinelli portraying Benjamin Lay, looking pensively at the camera with a blank wall and light from a window behind him.
Becoming Benjamin Lay logo/wordmark

A New Documentary by Tony Buba and Marcus Rediker

View the Trailer:

Illustration of an angry Benjamin Lay by David Lester

The documentary Becoming Benjamin Lay by director Tony Buba and historian Marcus Rediker explores the life and ideas of an unknown radical Quaker dwarf abolitionist who demanded an end to slavery almost 300 years ago. At the center of the film is the prize-winning play Rediker wrote with Naomi Wallace, The Return of Benjamin Lay. Actor Mark Povinelli embodies the visionary Lay, challenging us to live with courage and conviction in dark times. The film brings a forgotten hero back to modern public memory.

Upcoming Screenings:

The film asks the viewer, what kind of resistance is within you and how can you use it to take action?

Black and white photo of Marcus Rediker and Mark Povinelli sitting on a stage in chairs, smiling towards the camera.

Educational Resources

  • Study Guide for the play, The Return of Benjamin Lay
    Written by Erica Stevens Abbitt on behalf of  the Playground Creatures Theatre Company in New York
    Download PDF