History
In 1989, Gary Anderson founded Plowshares Theatre Company with Michael Garza. Established on the ideal of diversity in artistic expression, the two men formed the company to provide challenging opportunities to local artists. The name of the theatre company is synonymous with its goal of "breaking new ground" by nurturing emerging talent and presenting newer works.

Through a city arts grant and the good graces of friends and family who donated funds Plowshares began with a production of the South African satire, Woza Albert! in a small storefront theatre in downtown Detroit. Well received, Lawrence DeVine of the Detroit Free Press called it "a quick hit of fantasy, with two extraordinary actors"; and Kenneth Jones of the Detroit News said Woza Albert! "marks the striking debut of a new independent troupe in Detroit called Plowshares Theatre." Three years later, when Garza left the company, Anderson focused the cultural mission on African American theater. Since then, Plowshares has served thousands of theater lovers and those who appreciate African-American culture. Its productions have been met with critical and public acclaim for giving patrons memorable experiences revealing with the joys, strengths, and character that is the African American experience.

Today, Plowshares Theatre Company is recognized as the sixth largest professional African American theatre company in the country. In the last fourteen years Plowshares has introduced Detroit audiences to the works of Pearl Cleage, August Wilson, Richard Wesley, Shay Youngblood, Eugene Lee, OyamO, Laurence Holder, and many others. Now, at the beginning our second decade, Plowshares has received unprecedented regional and national recognition. We have built a reputation upon a commitment to the richness of the African American experience, while not losing sight of the original mission: providing challenging opportunities to local artists and producing new works. This is our mission and our mandate.