Tuesday, August 13, 2013

"Uptown Opera" At The Preston Bradley Center

We wish we'd found out about this sooner, but there's a couple dates left in the run, so still time to see it.

Genesis Ensemble has put together a bluegrass musical chronicling the Appalachian migration into Uptown, something remembered by many who still live here, who recall when Uptown schoolrooms were more than half empty during planting and harvesting season, because all the kids had gone home to help out with their extended family's crops.

The Sun-Times says in its rave review:  "Uptown Opera is set in 1957 — as the middle class headed to the suburbs, and poor, job-seeking migrants from Appalachia traveled north and settled into Uptown’s aging housing stock. In fact, they did so in such numbers that it earned the neighborhood a reputation as 'Hillbilly Heaven,' with all the cultural tensions to boot. And in an example of art imitating life, this production uses the grand, wood-panelled space of Uptown’s historic Preston Bradley Auditorium — with the audience seated on stage in the choir section, and the story played out on the rest of the stage. The balconies (strung with laundry lines), and the aisles of the orchestra area, also are used."

Tickets are just $15 through Brown Paper Tickets.  There are still seats available for performances on Friday, August 16th and Monday, August 19th.

No comments:

Post a Comment