"Mother Tongue" Performance by First Generation at the Shea

Performance Project’s First Generation Ensemble presents “Mother Tongue” at 7:30pm on Friday, April 7 at the Shea Theater Arts Center, 71 Avenue A in Turners Falls, MA. Developed by members of First Generation, an intergenerational arts and youth leadership organization based in Springfield, MA, “Mother Tongue” is inspired by family stories and events from Congo/Tanzania, Bhutan/Nepal, South Sudan, Holyoke, and Springfield. The performance incorporates movement, music, dance, and weaves together stories in Arabic, Swahili, Nepali, and English. Themes addressed in this 90-minute original work include culture, identity, diaspora, masculinity, xenophobia, racism and revolution, among others. Tickets are sliding scale $15-$25. No one will be turned away. Appropriate for ages 13+
The First Generation ensemble is composed of seven youth artists: Entsar "Star” Abdelrahman, Montaser Yagoub, Abdelrahman, Charlette Sostre Garcia, Monisha Gurung, Julita Hasani, Moise Jakobo, and Iliana "Lali" Quiles-Torres. “Mother Tongue” is co-directed by Iyawna Burnett, Lesley Farlow, and Julie Lichtenberg. Lighting by Brenda Cortina. Costume Design by Chloe Estrella Soto. Sound Design by Tony Silva. Original music by I-SHEA Shaikly. This performance of Mother Tongue is brought to the Shea Theater with the support of the Mass Cultural Council Local Cultural Councils of Montague and Gill, and RiverCulture, the creative economy program of the Town of Montague. More Info at www.performanceproject.org