The Poisoner: A New Play Turns the Stage Into a Frontline for Justice

BOSTON, Aug. 3, 2026 -- In a world grappling with systemic failures and environmental anxieties, the theater is re-emerging as a potent force for social commentary and change. This fall, a new production is set to transform stages across the American Midwest into forums for a critical national conversation. Uncommon Productions and the nonprofit Citizen56 have announced a seven-city tour for The Poisoner, a neo-noir thriller that uses the haunting memory of the Flint water crisis as a springboard to explore the urgent, ongoing fight for environmental justice.

Running from September 17 to October 31, the tour is more than a series of performances; it is a strategic campaign of public engagement. By blending a gripping narrative with direct community outreach, The Poisoner aims to close the distance between a historical tragedy and the present-day vulnerabilities that millions of Americans face, asking a question that resonates from community to community: are we ever truly safe?

From Crisis to Curtain: The Artistic Response to a National Tragedy

The Poisoner is a fictional story, but its soul is rooted in the very real crisis that began in Flint, Michigan, in 2014. That year, a decision made to switch the city’s water source to the corrosive Flint River to save money unleashed a public health catastrophe. The improperly treated water corroded aging pipes, leaching lead and other toxins into the drinking water of nearly 100,000 residents. The devastating aftermath included spikes in childhood lead poisoning, which can cause irreversible neurological damage, and outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease that claimed at least 12 lives. A state civil rights commission later concluded that the slow, dismissive official response was a result of systemic racism, deepening the wounds of a community that felt betrayed and forgotten.

It is this complex tapestry of deception, negligence, and the abuse of power that first-time playwright M.M. Haney weaves into the play’s narrative. Developed and directed by two-time Obie Award winner Lee Sunday Evans, the production reframes the disaster through the lens of a neo-noir thriller, following a determined journalist who returns to his hometown only to uncover a conspiracy far deeper than he imagined. This artistic choice is a strategic one. As director Lee Sunday Evans notes, it’s about making the abstract tangible. "I was really intrigued by this idea that the play could tackle some of these questions about how economic choices and economic ideologies end up having an impact on the people who live in a place," she states. By using a character-driven thriller, the production aims to make audiences feel the personal stakes of policy decisions, turning statistics and headlines into a visceral, human experience.

A Universal Story on a National Stage

While inspired by Flint, the play’s central mission is to underscore that this is not an isolated story. The production explicitly aims to "amplify awareness about the persistent challenges faced in Flint, Pittsburgh, and other communities who have grappled with similar crises." The tour serves as a rolling spotlight on the myriad ways our foundational resources are under threat in 2026.

The threat of lead pipes, the catalyst in Flint, still looms over the nation. The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates that up to 12.8 million lead service lines remain in use, potentially delivering contaminated water to millions. Beyond lead, the play connects its themes to the insidious threat of PFAS, the so-called "forever chemicals" found in everything from non-stick pans to firefighting foam, which the EPA now acknowledges have no safe level of exposure in drinking water. Furthermore, the production draws a compelling line to a thoroughly modern threat: the unchecked expansion of data centers. These massive facilities, essential for our digital lives and the rise of AI, consume vast quantities of water and electricity, placing enormous strain on local resources and posing new environmental risks, often in the same lower-income communities that have historically borne the brunt of industrial pollution.

This is where the play’s inquiry becomes most piercing. As the press release states, it asks "not just how a crisis happened — but who benefits when nothing is done to prevent the next one." It’s a question that resonates deeply in an era where bedrock regulations like the Clean Water Act face continued erosion. The endorsement from Flint native and activist Michael Moore speaks to the play's success in making this connection. "Five minutes into The Poisoner, you are the reporter and you are the father of the child," Moore says. "The friend of somebody who actually did fight." His words highlight the production's power to generate empathy, a crucial first step in mobilizing public will.

The Tour as a Strategic Engagement Platform

What sets The Poisoner apart is its commitment to translating on-stage drama into off-stage action. The producers, Uncommon Productions and Citizen56, have designed the tour as a grassroots engagement initiative. In each of the seven cities—from Bethlehem, PA, to the tour's conclusion in Detroit—the company will connect directly with local organizers and residents who are on the frontlines of environmental battles. The goal is to create a space for dialogue about local issues, whether it's toxic air quality, unsafe water, or the fight for community control over natural resources.

This model represents a powerful strategy for leveraging art to create lasting value. By partnering with local advocates, the tour can amplify existing movements and bring national attention to local struggles. The tour's geography is itself significant, tracing a path through the heart of America's industrial belt, where many communities face the legacy of pollution and the challenges of economic transition. The final stop in Detroit, where the production will be joined by community activists from nearby Flint, provides a poignant and powerful bookend, bringing the story’s inspiration and its artistic interpretation together in a shared space.

Assembling the Talent for a Demanding Narrative

The project’s ambitious social mission is backed by a formidable team of artists. Director Lee Sunday Evans brings a wealth of experience in developing new, socially relevant work, with credits that include the acclaimed Oratorio for Living Things and The Courtroom. The cast features a roster of seasoned professionals from stage and screen, including Aaron Morton (a collaborator with Ava DuVernay), Brett Diggs (Broadway's Ohio State Murders), Haskell King (Russian Troll Farm), and Maude Mitchell (Mabou Mines DollHouse), ensuring the complex narrative is delivered with the weight and nuance it deserves.

The 7-city tour for The Poisoner kicks off at Touchstone Theatre in Bethlehem, PA (September 17–19) before traveling to Pittsburgh, PA (September 24–26); Kenosha, WI (October 1–3); Madison, WI (October 8–10); De Pere, WI (October 15–17); Kalamazoo, MI (October 22–24); and concludes at the Marygrove Theater in Detroit, MI (October 29–31).