Fires in the Mirror
Conceived, Written & Originally Performed by Anna Deavere Smith | Directed by Amy Kaissar | Performed by Phyllis Johnson

Feb 4 – 23, 2025

What everyone agreed on: Two cars collided. One, driven by a Hasidic Jew, veered off the road and critically injured two Black children, one of whom ultimately died. A crowd formed. Police arrived.

What no one agreed on: Anything else.

In the summer of 1991, Crown Heights, NY exploded into three days of violence fed by rumors and competing narratives formed from incomplete facts. In the chaos, some saw anti-Black police bias. Others saw violent anti-Semitism. But playwright Anna Deavere Smith heard the honest voices of a divided national narrative. Join us for this remarkable play that features the real words of 26 people, interviewed immediately after the events, speaking honestly, the way we do in private. Let’s listen.

Run time: 2 hours, plus a 15-minute intermission

Content Warning: Fires In The Mirror catalogs reflections of the Crown Heights Riots, a racially-charged conflict that engulfed the New York neighborhood in 1991. This play contains strong language and references to racism, slavery, lynching, antisemitism, sexual violence, and the Holocaust.

BASED ON TRUE EVENTS • POWERFUL • EMOTIONAL

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Watch the Trailer!

Watch the Teaser!

See the Production Photos!

All photos featuring Phyllis Johnson. Photos by Mark Garvin

Special Show Events

Opening Night

Feb 6 | Post Show

The opening night performance of each show is followed by a light reception.

Friday Festival

Enjoy drinks courtesy of Pat Deon Beverages and Dad’s Hat along with pasta courtesy of Cesare’s Ristorante.

Wine Down Wednesday

Feb 12 | 6:30pm

A great way to wind down midweek with wine courtesy of Innocenti Family Wine and desserts by Donna’s Delicious Delights LLC.

Mirrors & Distortions

Feb 16 | 5:30pm

Join us for an in-depth post-show exploration into the powerful themes of Fires in the Mirrors! Click here.

Thirsty Thursday

Feb 20 | 6:30pm

Enjoy snacks and beer courtesy of Dog & Bull Brew & Music House, Naked Brewing, and Philly Style Soft Pretzel.

Black Theatre Night

Feb 21

Join us for Black Theatre Night! An affinity night championing Black Theatre-makers and the vibrant Black community of Bucks County and beyond. Click here.

Meet the Cast

Phyllis Johnson

Read Bio Here

Phyllis Johnson (all roles) works in Theater, Film, TV, & Voice Over. Nominated for two NY Innovative Theatre Awards, Phyllis understudied A Naked Girl on the Appian Way/Doug Hughes, Director (Broadway). Recent TV projects include Zero Day (Netflix) starring Robert DeNiro, Equalizer (NBC), Uncoupled (Netflix), Law & Order: Season 22 (NBC), Blue Bloods (CBS), and Pose (FX). Phyllis is a voice actor and has leant her voice to 400+ film/TV episodes including Oscar winners and favorites such as Black Swan, American Gangster, and The Devil Wears Prada. She executive produced the award-winning film I’m Through with White Girls. Phyllis is a graduate of the David Geffen Yale School of Drama where she won the Fox Family Foundation Grant and The Oliver Thorndike Prize.

Production Credits

Director: Amy Kaissar
Set Designer: Britton Mauk
Projection Designer: Jessica Ann Drayton
Costume Designers: Linda Bee Stockton & Gina Andreoli
Lighting Designer: Yael Lubetzky
Sound Designer: Omer Mor
Production Stage Manager: Amy Massari

Important Event Information

Concessions available for purchase, including beer and wine
Free parking
Wheelchair accessible; assisted listening devices available
The play will take place at Bristol Riverside Theatre located at 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, PA