Core Ensemble with Tiffany Terrell: "Ain't I a Woman?"

On Tuesday, March 11, at 7:00pm in the Emery Community Arts Center at the University of Maine in Farmington, ArtsFarmington is pleased to present: Ain’t I a Woman! A celebration of the life and times of four powerful African American women: renowned novelist and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston, ex-slave and fiery abolitionist Sojourner Truth, exuberant folk artist Clementine Hunter, and fervent civil rights worker Fannie Lou Hamer. The musical score is drawn from the heartfelt spirituals and blues of the Deep South, the urban vitality of the Jazz Age, and contemporary concert music by African Americans. Ain’t I a Woman! is a joyful exploration of the trials and triumphs of four passionate and accomplished women.

The Core Ensemble is represented by Mikael Darmanie on piano and the African American Women are played by Tiffany Terrell.  Ms. Terrell was the actress who portrayed three other notable African American women in “Unbought” with the Core Ensemble here last year. This year’s program takes its title from an expression by Sojourner Truth.

This production is an example of “Chamber Music Theater”, a unique format developed by the Core Ensemble.  It features the marriage of theatrical narrative with chamber music performance. Since 1993, the Core Ensemble has produced and performed music theatre works based on multicultural, feminist, and humanistic topics. While they are dedicated to national touring and have performed in all 50 of the United States, they have a special relationship with their home community in South Florida. Their goals are to promote intercultural understanding, to explore social justice issues through artistic interpretation, and to provide education programs for young people and adults.

The Core Ensemble has received support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, The Palm Beach County Cultural Council and the Aaron Copland Fund for Music.

All are invited to stay for a discussion about the performance and the relevance to issues we are facing as a nation today.  It will be moderated by Michael Schoeppner, a professor of history at UMF who has an interest and expertise in African American culture.  The discussion is expected to last about 45 minutes.

The suggested adult ticket price is $20, more if you can, less if you can’t; all welcome, no one turned away. UMF students are FREE.  All youth 18 and under are also FREE though our Arts Inspire Youth program.