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CCCC’s “Millworker” revived
for spring performances
Pittsboro, NC –Central Carolina Community College
(CCCC) students Heather Henderson and Lawren Moore were
excited when their class project became a critically acclaimed
theatre event.
Henderson and Moore play two of the characters in “Millworker,” written
by CCCC Instructor Ellen Bland and former theatre student Drew Lasater. The
production began as a small class project for Bland’s reader’s theatre
class, but quickly grew into a community theatre event. After an outstanding
one-night performance last fall, the play will return to the stage for three
performances in early April.
“
When the project first began, I thought we would be sitting on stage reading
narratives in front of a small audience,” said Henderson. Henderson
plays the role of Ila Burlington, a housewife who becomes frustrated with the
rigors of life in the mill village. “I can’t believe how involved
the play has become, it has been
interesting watching it grow.”
The decision to revive “Millworker” came in January after the Raleigh
News and Observer named the show one of the best plays in the triangle during
2003. Since then, the “Millworker” cast has been preparing
for additional performances of the show. Though much of the play remains the
same, the company has tweaked certain elements of the production.
“
We’ve added a few things,” said Bland, who also directs the production. “We
now have an intermission and several of the actors’ roles have been expanded.”
“
Millworker” is set in the rural south during the Great Depression. Students
relate the experiences of mill workers in the setting of an old time radio show. Local
musicians perform original music that reflects life during the depression as
part of the radio program. The musical numbers give levity to some of the
narratives.
Bland was inspired to write “Millworker” after reading “Like
a Family: The Making of a Southern Cotton Mill World” by Jacquelyn Dowd
Hall, et. al. The book contains narratives compiled during a southern oral
history project at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When
writing the play, Bland allowed the students to choose the narratives they’d
like to relate before weaving a framework around the stories.
“
I identified with some characters more than others. I eventually chose
to portray Mozelle Graham, who spent her childhood growing up in the mill village,” explains
Moore. “Reading about her experiences and how little she had made
me thankful for my childhood.”
In many ways, “Millworker” is as much a living history lesson as
it is theatre. In addition to relating the workers’ experiences,
the play teaches about mill culture. It documents how the mill owned everything
in their lives from homes and schools to stores and even the local church.
“
As we were shaping the narratives, we were careful to include all aspects of
mill life,” says Henderson. “We didn’t want to focus
on just the hard times. We wanted to give the complete story of their lives.”
The students hope people will come away from the performance with a greater respect
for this chapter in history. For them, telling the story is more than a
class project; it’s become a passion.
“
Growing up in Brooklyn, I didn’t learn about this period of time. I
think it’s important that everyone learns about this part of history,” says
Moore. “I hope people will leave the performance not only entertained,
but with a greater appreciation for the lives of mill workers.”
Performances begin at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, April 2, and Saturday, April 3. On
Sunday, April 4, a matinee performance starts at 3:00 p.m. Performances
will be held at the Chatham Mills Building in downtown Pittsboro. Tickets
are $10 and are available at the Chatham Arts Office or from the offices of CCCC’s
Campuses in Lee, Chatham and Harnett Counties. A limited number of tickets will
be available at the door.
Media Contact:
Andrew Sawyer
Central Carolina Community College
(919) 718-7265
asawyer@cccc.edu
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