Lowell Lecture

Dill: An Immersive Play Reading and Discussion

Date & Time

March 19, 2024 at 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Location

Old South Meeting House
310 Washington Street Boston, MA 02108
Driving Directions

Speaker(s)

Elise (Lise) Breen has investigated the practice of slavery on Cape Ann, resurrecting profiles of individuals who resisted their enslavement as well as their enslavers. She has identified Cape Ann citizens’ participation in the slave trade, surfacing evidence from international archives as well as overlooked local materials from 1685 through the mid-nineteenth century. Lise has shared her research in her many public talks and with local institutions and scholars. Her essay, “Hidden City: Slavery and Gloucester’s Quadricentennial” in Gloucester Encounters: Essays on the Cultural History of the City 1623-2023 was published by the Gloucester Cultural Initiative. Lise co-authored Objects of Myth and Memory, American Indian Art at the Brooklyn Museum.

Nerissa Williams Scott is the founder of the Boston-based company That Child Got Talent (TCGT) in 2009 and the producer of Dill. Her career experience includes more than 30 years in performing and media arts and the production of two feature films. Over the past 10 years, Nerissa has served as Production Manager for a variety of live events, theater, fashion films, documentaries, narrative shorts, and music videos in New England. Nerissa also leads the operations of Next Leadership Development Corporation and serves on the board of Women in Film and Video New England (WIFVNE). She received her MFA in Film Production (Emphasis in Producing) from Emerson College.

Presenting Organization

Revolutionary Spaces

Topics

The Arts History

Contact

Amanda Bertone (info@revolutionaryspaces.org, 6177201713)

Join Revolutionary Spaces for a live reading of the screenplay Dill, a story inspired by real people and real events on the Cape Ann Shore in Massachusetts during a tumultuous time on the cusp of the American Revolutionary War. The protagonist is an enslaved woman named Dill, short for Deliverance, who despite her strong-willed character and drive for independence, finds herself in a love triangle between two men, one possibly more suitable, but her heart longs for the forbidden fruit.

The reading will include a cast of live actors for a fully immersive experience, as well as a four-piece live musical accompaniment and live foley sound effects. The performance will be reminiscent of 1930s radio programming and will transport the audience to another world and time. After our reading, local historians will join the cast on stage for a discussion and Q&A about the historical context surrounding the film. This will truly be a night you don’t want to miss!

Dill: An Immersive Play Reading and Discussion is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is highly encouraged. Doors will open at 6:30 PM and the program will begin at 7:00 PM. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

This program is made possible by the generous support of The Lowell Institute.