Harold Ellis Clark’s Ganking Mr. Guidry Brings Louisiana History to Life at Le Petit Theatre

Award-Winning Playwright Harold Ellis Clark is bringing a powerful Chapter of Louisiana History to the stage with the World Premiere of Ganking Mr. Guidry, a historical drama that opens Aug. 13th at Le Petit Theatre for a limited engagement of five performances through Aug. 16th.

The title may sound modern, but the story reaches deep into Louisiana’s Reconstruction-Era past. In contemporary slang, “ganking” means to swindle or take something that does not belong to you. While the term itself did not exist in 1878, Clark uses it symbolically to frame a story about justice, history, and reclaiming what was stolen.

“The play is set in 1878 Louisiana during the Sugarcane Harvesting Season, when five plantation workers unite to confront the injustice they experienced while working under the rule of plantation owner Mr. Guidry, and stand up against the injustice that they believe they are receiving, ” Clark explained during a recent interview.

Central to the story is one worker whose family history connects him to the Legendary 1811 Louisiana Slave Revolt, the largest slave uprising in United States History. According to Clark, the character’s deceased relative participated in the rebellion and seized a weapon from a plantation owner during the escape. Decades later, that same artifact remains on the plantation where the workers labor, and reclaiming it becomes both a personal mission and a Symbol of Historical Justice.

Mr. Guidry, though rarely seen, looms large throughout the production.

“He is the owner of the plantation,” Clark said. “Hopefully, you’ll feel his presence without even seeing him or hearing him talk.”

For Clark, the play also represents a personal journey into the history of his hometown of Algiers. A native of the New Orleans West Bank, he became fascinated with the area’s role in the Transatlantic Slave Trade after learning more about Company Plantation, where enslaved Africans who survived the Middle Passage were housed before being sold throughout Louisiana.

“I actually wrote a rough first draft for the play back in 2018,” Clark said. “I spent all of those years trying to refine and revise it.”

After years of revisions, Clark arranged a staged reading at Dillard University in March 2025. The university held special significance, as he previously served there as a Public Relations Specialist and Speechwriter for former University President Dr. Michael Lomax.

The timing of the world premiere is equally meaningful. This year marks the 215th Anniversary of the 1811 Louisiana Slave Revolt, a milestone Clark hoped to honor through the production.

“I wanted to have the play produced during this important anniversary year,” he said. “When A.J. Allegra at Le Petit Theatre read the script and embraced it, everything seemed to fall into place.”

Since discovering playwriting in 2010, Clark has written 13 full-length plays that have earned recognition across the country. His works have been finalists and award winners in numerous national competitions, and his play We Live Here was staged in Durban, South Africa, in 2017 with an all-New Orleans cast.

Most recently, Clark participated in a staged reading of his acclaimed play Fishers of Men at Loyola University Chicago, where he also delivered a presentation on the power of storytelling as part of The Rambler Brotherhood Project. He described the enthusiastic audience response and standing ovation as one of the highlights of his career.

Although, Clark hopes one day to see his work performed on Broadway, he says his motivation extends far beyond personal recognition.

“Writing is very spiritual for me,” he said. “If I’m ever going to get to Broadway, it’s going to be God who gets me there.”

Clark credits veteran New Orleans Actor Lance Nichols with encouraging him to pursue playwriting after recognizing his gift for dialogue.

“He told me I really write excellent dialogue and that I’d make an excellent playwright,” Clark recalled. “I took his advice to heart, and I’m grateful that I did.”

Today, Clark views his writing as both an artistic pursuit and a lifelong calling.

“I have always looked at my work as a ministry,” he said. “Not because I’m preaching, but because storytelling has the power to move people, preserve history, and spark conversation. That’s what keeps me writing.”

Ganking Mr. Guidry is produced by HEC Communications, LLC, with support from Whitney Plantation and the 2026 Carol Sutton Memorial Grant. John Grimsley directs the production and also serves as set designer. The cast includes Nicole Collins, Al Aubry, Martin “Bats” Bradford, Kenneth Brown Jr., and Rahim Glaspy.

The limited engagement runs Aug. 13th-16th at Le Petit Theatre, 616 St. Peter Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Tickets range from $35 to $55, with discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Discounted parking is also available for ticket holders.