The Amandla Chorus: Freedom's A Beautiful Song

Tuesday, July 26, 2016, 7:00 pm
Tickets: $5 cash at the door. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Performance starts at 7:00 pm.

The Shea Theater will be the site of a jubilant community celebration when the Amandla Chorus stops in on their way to sing for Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai in Providence, R.I. Join us in singing an original tribute to Novel Laureate Malala Yousafzai! The song is easy--and you'll learn a few words in Urdu, too.

Based in Greenfield, the spirited Amandla Chorus has been singing for justice and freedom since 1988 and will bring a new composition, “Malala”—written in honor of the Pakistani teen activist—to the Shea. The program will also include excerpts from Malala’s speeches and writing, presented by young participants aged 9—16. Several other freedom songs will round out the program.

Fifty Amandla members will travel to Providence, R.I. on July 28 to sing for Yousafzai and more than 12,000 others. Amandla’s founder and director, Eveline MacDougall, says 2014 headlines announcing the Pakistani teen’s Nobel Peace Prize “inspired me to write this song praising astonishing courage in the face of threats and violence.”

“I’m thrilled to share the song with our local community before we go on the road,” MacDougall says. “The whole thing is a dream come true. It’s my life’s work to sing of justice and to advocate for human rights. The scope of violent incidents around the globe fueled by hatred is daunting at times, yet I’m inspired by Malala to continue.”

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Exciting News for A Happening IV: Leviathan

Cloudgaze and Eggtooth Productions are thrilled to announce that we have received a generous grant from the Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice to support our 2024 Immersive Arts Festival, “A Happening IV: Leviathan.”

This festival will transform the Shea Theater into an exploration of theme, hosting installations, music, theatrical performances, and movement pieces, featuring the collective contributions of over 30 local artists. Audiences will experience otherworldly environments and narratives inspired by folklore, fairy tales, horror motifs, American literature, and the mythos of the Old Testament, all of which delve into the central question guiding the festival: "What does it mean to encounter something greater than yourself and to be consumed by it?" Through this theme, we explore how a community reemerges and imagines itself after destruction and transformation.

With the support of the Markham-Nathan Fund, we are excited to create an event that complicates perspectives and fosters meaningful dialogue. We are grateful for this partnership and for the work of the Markham-Nathan Fund for Social Justice.

Thanks to the Mass Cultural Council for their vital support this year.We'd also like to thank the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts for their support in the form of a Flexible Funding grant. We couldn't do this work without you!