Josiah Henson’s story is powerful. His journey from slavery in the southern United States in 1830, using the underground railroad, and the role he played in his newfound home in Dresden, Ont. is nothing short of inspiring. However, it’s a story not many Canadians know, much less have even heard of.
Even Cassel Miles, who plays the titular character in JOSIAH at the Gladstone from Aug. 19-23, first did not know about Henson.
“I was at home and I was watching a documentary, and this one came on about a man named Josiah Henson, who I’d never heard of before,” says Miles. “But when I heard this story, I perked up.”
Over the course of our interview, the knowledge of Josiah’s story and every intimate detail of his incredible journey was intimated by Miles, with a few asides from his life partner and producer of the show, Sandy McFadden.
This dream team has put together a show so carefully crafted and researched to shine a well-deserved, and long awaited, spotlight on an important part of Black Canadian history.
Poster for JOSIAH. Photo provided.
Josiah and his wife both escaped slavery from Maryland using the Underground Railroad to make it to then Upper Canada in the early nineteenth century. His story inspired many biographies that later became the inspiration for Harriet Beecher Stowe’s classic Uncle Tom’s Cabin, but its Josiah’s 1849 autobiography that inspired this performance.
The historical significance of this can’t be understated. Beecher Stowe’s book, along with a complicated history of enslavement narratives, challenged the contemporary belief that slavery was a natural state and that enslaved people preferred to remain in these violent conditions.
“That 1849 autobiography was very important because it was one of the first times that a [former] slave had expressed the escape narrative in their own story,” says Miles.
Miles then enlisted the help of Kingston writer Charles Robertson to craft the play and to satisfy the urge he felt to tell Josiah’s story for Canadian audiences.
“When I was in high school, I’d never heard of the name Josiah Henson in any history class ever,” says Miles. “Every time they showed the maps of the Underground Railroad pathways, the arrows all went up to the border with Canada and stopped. Nobody said what happened when they got there.”
Cassel Miles. Photo provided.
After successfully escaping to Canada, more specifically, Dresden, Ont., Josiah founded a settlement known as Dawn, meant as a safe haven for American runaways.
Josiah became a huge advocate for abolition — both for Black Americans and Canadians. A prominent member of his community, both spiritually and socially, he was a committed leader that fought for his community.
“[Dawn] became a hugely successful place and it drew many, many people and it helped launch the heritage of many here who have been here since their ancestors fled on the Underground Railroad,” says Miles.
The show itself is bare-bones — and has changed gradually over time, dropping or adding characters or scenes. Eventually, after a few years of show runs, and after the chaos and uncertainty of the pandemic, Josiah’s story became more streamlined, and something that truly highlighted this important part of Canadian history. Miles attributes a lot of this success to McFadden, who also does lights for the show.
Miles recalls the moment this show performed at the Alumnae Theatre in Toronto, where this version of Josiah’s story came to fruition in its entirety. Not only did the story come together in a seamless way, but the third great-grandson of Josiah Henson, Saladin Allah and his daughter, were in attendance, and gave their validation.
Cassel Miles as Josiah Henson. Photo provided.
“They watched the play, and from him we received approval that we got everything about his story right. We added details that many people do not actually talk about when they tell the story of Josiah Henson, so he was very pleased with that, which made us very pleased,” says Miles.
Not only have they received support from Josiah’s direct descendent, but also support from the Ontario Black History Society. They’ve performed for Rosemary Sadlier and Dorothy Abbott, which Miles and the whole team were both excited and grateful for.
“When Josiah came to Canada, he didn’t just go get a farm and stick to himself,” says Miles. “He gave back and built a community, he went above and beyond. That’s what I admire about people like that — they endure, they find resolution, and restitution at the end of the rainbow. But you have to walk that path.”
Do not miss JOSIAH at the Gladstone from Aug. 19-23. For more information about the show, visit the Gladstone’s website, or check out the show’s instagram. You can also support the show by donating to their Go Fund Me. You can purchase tickets online, or by calling the box office at (613)-233-4523. Note that this performance contains offensive language and depictions of violence which may be disturbing to some viewers.
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