World-premiere opera ‘Is This America?’ honors activist Fannie Lou Hamer
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Civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer takes center stage in “Is This America?” a world premiere opera from White Snake Projects opening Sept. 20 at Dorchester’s Strand Theatre. Hamer’s work fighting for equitable voting rights is a poignant touchstone heading into the November 2024 presidential election.
Set during the turbulent 1950s and ’60s, the opera explores Hamer’s work to galvanize Black voter registration in her home state of Mississippi, despite seemingly insurmountable odds, rampant racism and threats of violence. The title of the show comes from a speech Hamer gave to the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Just a year later, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting practices.
Mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel portrays Fannie Lou Hamer in “Is This America?” Of Hamer, the singer says “… she was kind of an unsung activist. I’m happy that people want to bring her story into the public eye.” PHOTO: Arielle Doneson
A powerhouse team of Black creators came together to bring the production to life, including composer Mary D. Watkins, stage director Pascale Florestal and mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel, who plays Hamer, all working with White Snake Projects Founding Artistic Director Cerise Lim Jacobs.
Nansteel says she did as much research about Hamer as she could to prepare for the role, looking at old photographs and recordings of speeches to get a sense of her mannerisms and speech patterns.
“It’s very rewarding to sing a role and portray this person that not many people today know about,” Nansteel says. “If you lived through the Civil Rights Movement, you might have known who she was, but she was kind of an unsung activist. I’m happy that people want to bring her story into the public eye.”
Hamer’s activism was essential in her day and continues to impact our political world, particularly in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, during which voting access and equity are hot topics.
White Snake Projects is an activist opera company that aims to merge the artistry of opera with timely political activism and illustrate how art can be used to enact change.
Bass-baritone Elias Ramos sings the roles of Pap and James Townsend. PHOTO: COURTESY WHITE SNAKE PROJECTS
Composer Watkins says she wanted to underscore the scale of Hamer’s work with a production equal in drama.
“I wanted to give it the highest expression that I could,” says Watkins. “Opera is very expensive to produce, and it involves all the arts. I felt the subject deserved a large format.”
“Is This America?” runs at the Strand Theatre Sept. 20-22, and the opera company is hosting several related events.
On Sept. 14 at 3 p.m. at the Roxbury Branch of the Boston Public Library, White Snake Projects hosts a free panel discussion featuring Watkins, Florestal and Jacobs. On Sept. 15 at 3 p.m. at First Parish in Milton, White Snake Projects hosts a concert of community music related to voting rights.
Hamer’s life was challenging, and her activism was hard work done under often-dire circumstances, but her perseverance made it possible for many to use their political voice. Watkins hopes Hamer’s story will inspire today’s audiences to contribute to the cause.
“Fannie Lou Hamer had a sixth-grade education. She was a sharecropper,” says Watkins. “It doesn’t matter who you are, where you came from. You can make a difference. You can participate. You can take action, and it can matter.”
