NORTH ADAMS, MA—The MCLA Institute for the Arts and Humanities will host “Unlikely Conversations: From Intent to Action,” part two of its three-part Unlikely Conversations series, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18.
This virtual event is produced in collaboration with WAM Theatre, one of MCLA-IAH’s 2020 community partners, and the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, and is free and open to the public. To register, visit https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0rfu2spjIsHdJ6Gnz0jC3vx-VadWt5zABE.
The conversation aligns with WAM Theatre’s production of “The Thanksgiving Play,” directed by panelist Talya Kingston. In the play by Larissa Fasthorse, four white theatre artists find themselves trying to produce a performance that celebrates the holiday of Thanksgiving while attempting to honor and respect the mistold history of indigenous peoples in the U.S.
This virtual event will dissect the misinformed ideology surrounding Thanksgiving, particularly regarding the history of those indigenous to the Berkshires region. IAH intern Destiny Rivera, will discuss these concepts with Kingston alongside panelist Heather Bruegl, director of cultural affairs at the Stockbridge-Munsee Community, and prompt participants to think about how they may be hiding in their individual positions of good intent with lack of action.
The event is part of the larger Unlikely Conversations Series, a three-part virtual program produced by MCLA-IAH Communications and Administrative Assistant Declan McDermott. The series prioritizes holding space for those difficult and “unlikely” conversations—discussions that many people typically avoid. These conversations create opportunities to promote future discussion and affect societal and industry-related change. The first conversation featured a collaboration with Norman Rockwell Museum and New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly; a recording of this event can be viewed online. The final edition of the Unlikely Conversations series will take place in December.
Find out more about the Unlikely Conversations Series and MCLA-IAH at https://mcla.instructure.com/courses/2283576/pages/unlikely-conversations-series.
About MCLA Institute for the Arts and Humanities (MCLA-IAH)
The MCLA Institute for the Arts and Humanities (MCLA-IAH) is a grant-funded initiative, supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The Institute works to strategically promote equity-centered change on campus and in the community by (1) expanding access to area arts and humanities resources, (2) catalyzing opportunities for interdisciplinary engagements, and (3) advancing experiential teaching and learning practices in higher education.
About the Stockbridge-Munsee Community
The Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians were pushed from the Eastern seaboard across half a continent, forced to uproot and move many times to our present Land in Wisconsin. "Many Trails" is an original design created by Tribal Member, Edwin Martin, symbolizing ENDURANCE, STRENGTH AND HOPE. From a long suffering Proud and Determined People.
For more, go to https://www.mohican.com/.
About WAM Theatre
Every time an audience comes together for a theatrical event, a community is formed. WAM Theatre engages that community by producing theatrical events for everyone, with a focus on women theatre artists and/or stories of women and girls; and donating a portion of proceeds from those theatrical events to organizations that work to benefit the lives of women and girls in our communities and worldwide.
More about WAM Theatre at: https://www.wamtheatre.com/
