Liza Jessie Peterson’s “The Peculiar Patriot” at Baltimore Center Stage: A Riveting Reflection on America’s Prison System

Liza Jessie Peterson’s The Peculiar Patriot commands attention from the moment the lights dim at Baltimore Center Stage. This one-woman tour de force, drawn from Peterson’s years teaching poetry to incarcerated youth at Rikers Island, offers a searing yet soulful critique of America’s prison industrial complex.

As Betsy LaQuanda Ross, Peterson invites audiences into an intimate conversation with her incarcerated best friend—while we, the audience, eavesdrop from just beyond the visiting-room walls. For 90 minutes, Peterson’s sharp wit, emotional depth, and poet’s precision pull us through laughter, heartbreak, and silence. Those pauses—tense, awkward, and reflective—are the heartbeat of the show, reminding us that behind every statistic is a human being.

A Story Rooted in Lived Experience

Peterson’s own journey as a teaching artist at Rikers Island and her personal connection to the incarcerated community shape every line of The Peculiar Patriot. She has said that her time at Rikers opened her eyes to the “modern-day plantation” of mass incarceration—an observation that inspired both the play and her later documentary Angola Do You Hear Us, filmed at Louisiana’s infamous Angola Prison.

In both the stage work and the documentary, Peterson confronts how slavery’s legacy persists through mass incarceration. She examines the human cost—families torn apart, lives commodified—and the economic machine that keeps it running: the manufacturers of prison uniforms, overpriced commissary snacks, telecom companies profiting from inflated call rates, and real estate developers banking on new correctional facilities.

Humor, Humanity, and the Economics of Injustice

While the subject matter is heavy, Peterson expertly weaves in humor and warmth. Her anecdotes disarm us—moments of laughter quickly give way to gut-punching truths. I saw the show with a friend who noted how eerily accurate Peterson’s depiction of a prison visit felt: the pat-downs, the metal detectors, and the fragile power dynamics with correctional officers that can make or break a family reunion.

Betsy’s stories of her loved ones—especially her romantic partner, Pablo—paint a deeply personal portrait of love and loss within a system designed to separate. The result is part social commentary, part spiritual reckoning.

Art as Activism

Peterson’s work is more than theater—it’s activism in motion. Her 2020 performance at Angola inspired a grassroots movement among incarcerated men and their families that led to tangible political change, including the election of two Black women judges, a progressive district attorney, and a Black sheriff. It’s a testament to the power of art to activate.

At Baltimore Center Stage, her voice fills the room—sometimes soft, sometimes defiant—but always urgent. The set design’s minimalist use of light and sound amplifies her words, though at times the overlapping storylines can feel dense. Still, Peterson’s performance remains commanding, her message unmistakable.

A Must-See Production

The Peculiar Patriot forces us to confront the uncomfortable: how Black bodies have been counted to boost political representation in rural white districts—echoing the 3/5 compromise in modern form. It’s a history lesson, a love story, and a mirror held up to America’s conscience.

Despite moments where you wish Peterson used more of the stage’s space, her storytelling never falters. The play is a raw, emotional, and essential exploration of race, justice, and the meaning of patriotism.

The Peculiar Patriot runs through November 9th at Baltimore Center Stage. For tickets and more information, visit centerstage.org.