Stirring beneath the modernity of today's society, the rich cultural traditions that have long personified America remain. They persist as haunting remnants of a past filled with both triumph and tragedy alike. In her passionate revisiting of this truly American past, Irish storyteller Sharon Kennedy presents Comedy from the Irish Countryside and Tragedy from Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Kennedy's performance poignantly reflects the rich cultural backdrop from which America has evolved. Revisiting two pivotal keystones of the Irish immigrant experience within the Massachusetts area during the 19th century -- the nostalgia of storytelling and working class tradition of industrial labor -- Kennedy reveals a patchwork of humor and misfortune that is uniquely vibrant.
Kennedy's work reveals the unmistakable tension that exists at the intersection of immigrant identity: the search for opportunity and advancement within the land of the free, and the reality of what this existence often entails.
The program is divided into two sections. The first part of the program consists of a collection of traditional Irish stories passed down from generation to generation, retold by Kennedy. Here the fascinating reliving of Irish oral tradition is felt first-hand.
The second half of her program consists of the dramatic portrayal of the Pemberton Mill collapse, which occurred on January 10, 1860. The entire event is retold from the perspective of the Callahan family; each family member is given his or her own voice, allowing the audience to gain a vivid recollection of various individuals' thoughts and actions.
Eighty-eight mill workers are said to have perished in the incident but their memories live on in this passionate portrayal. From the tragedy that is the Pemberton Mills collapse, an enthralling piece of artwork emerges that proves a historical lesson that extends beyond that of the Irish immigrant experience and encompasses the history of an entire nation. The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune has described this performance as "more than just a theater play. The characters and their fates seem familiar because they were based on true experience." The Lowell Sun, another local newspaper, has described the performance as one that "transfixes its audience through its raw emotion."
Sharon Kennedy has long established herself as an enthusiast of traditional Irish culture: she is both a collector of Irish folkloric tales and performance artist of these traditional parables from Ireland. Kennedy performs at the local level within schools, libraries, coffee houses, theaters, and story telling festivals. She is known nationally for her performances at the Pacific Storytelling Festival in California, the Connecticut Storytelling Festival, and her appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America."
Kennedy is also Rounder Recording artist. Her second CD, "The Patchwork Quilt," produced under the Rounder label, was the first storytelling recording to ever be nominated for a Grammy Award.
Kennedy is living evidence of the truly pervasive force that is Irish American cultural tradition at its finest.
Comedy from the Irish Countryside and Tragedy from Lawrence, Massachusetts is playing at the Charlestown Working Theater, 442 Bunker Hill St., Charlestown until March 23, at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $15, $12 for students. Reservations and information: 617 242 3285.
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