Ezell: Ballad of a Land Man

  • July 21 - 24, 2022
  • Silo City

    85 Silo City Row
    Buffalo, New York 14203
Ticket Price $15.00-$70.00 This event is now over
Description

A Clear Creek Creative outdoor eco-cultural theater experience & farm-fresh meal presented  by Ujima Company.


Ezell: Ballad of a Land Man is an environmental, cultural and spiritual parable derived from living in the foothills of Appalachia, one man among many seeking to make sense of the time, place and condition in which we live.  In the story, Ezell's choices, traumas, ancestors and more intersect with themes of domination and resilience as he seeks to take advantage of an anticipated fracking boom and the opportunity to reconnect with the people and land of his raising.  

The performance of Ezell is surrounded by an immersive experience that calls to our collective desire for connection and belonging, that reveres nature and binds us intimately within its embrace, that invokes the resilience, love and lessons of our ancestors and generations yet to come.

 

We acknowledge the privilege and complexity of living, working and producing this experience on the lands of the Haudenosaunee, Shawanwaki (Shawnee) and Aniyunwiyvi (Cherokee) nations from which Ezell arose. We strive to be good stewards of the lands and to resolve the legacies of oppression and domination that have come before and persist today. We offer the experience of Ezell with a humble, healing spirit and in recognition of all those who have come before and are yet to come in this place and in all the places we visit.

 

THE EXPERIENCE

Here's what to expect when you arrive on site::

Act 1: Welcome. Orient to the experience and site, connect with your journey guide and enjoy a tasty treat & drink if you'd like.

Act 2. Journey. Make a contemplative trek with guide & group to the performance site amidst nature & music.*

Act 3. Story. Witness Ezell: Ballad of a Land Man performed in a natural setting.

Act 4. Reflection. Engage with Eliza, your guide and one another to embody the themes of Ezell as you return from the performance site for the final act.*

Act 5. Celebration. Enjoy live music and a farm-fresh meal inspired by seasonal local foods and cultural traditions as well as the story & place of Ezell.*

*See notes regarding accessibility below.

 

BE PREPARED

We recommend:

  • comfortable close-toed shoes & socks
  • long pants & layers for rain / warmth
  • natural bug spray
  • water bottle if you'd like to carry water with you to the performance site
  • a light (we will finish by dark, though it’s a good idea to have a light available in case you linger after the meal)

You will move through this experience together in a small group. If you are attending with others that you'd like to be grouped with, please be sure to let us know when you register.

 

ACCESSIBILITY

We strive to make this outdoor immersive experience available to everyone who would like to join us. The journey and return will be offered in two formats:

  • Walking Path: A guided journey walk of less than .5 miles along a well-maintained woodland trail with moderate inclines and one brief steep incline and occasionally uneven surfaces. The walk be roughly split in half with approximately a quarter of a mile prior to the seated Story performance and the remaining walk after including the return walk to the parking area.
  • Riding Path: A guided journey in an open-air vehicle along an adjacent well-maintained trail. 

Please be sure to choose the Riding Path option as you reserve your ticket if physical accessibility support is needed. Only three Riding Path tickets per event are available.

Bathrooms will be accessible within 50 yards of the parking area and welcome/celebration site, and performance site. 

 

The meal will offer dairy-free, gluten-free and vegetarian options.

 

If you have other accessibility considerations or requests, please contact us via cb@clearcreekcreative.net.

 

THE TEAM

The Ezell experience has been created and is manifested in ensemble by:

  • Story written and performed by Bob Martin
  • Produced + Eliza by Carrie Brunk
  • Directed by Nick Slie
  • Designed by Jeff Becker
  • Music Direction & Sound by Cory Shenk 
  • Guided by Lisa Shattuck 
  • Guided + Production Coordination by Hannah Burt
  • Additional Music & Production Support by Rachel Meirs & Cheyenne Mize
  •  

Ezell is being presented at Silo City by Ujima Company Inc. and is joined in ensemble for this Buffalo performance series by members of the Ujima Theatre Company. 

 

GRATITUDE

All of the work we do through Clear Creek Creative is made possible by the generosity and collaborative spirit of our communities near and far. We give thanks for living and working in such an abundant place and having countless opportunities to do meaningful & magical work with incredible people.

In this spirit of abundance we invite you, our audiences, to also give if you have the capacity to do so. We have included an option to add community solidarity to your ticket purchase by purchasing a companion ticket which can be redeemed by community members who may otherwise not be able to attend the performance. There is also an option to donate to our collective cause of supporting the African American Food Co-Op who is building on the solutions we wish to see in our own communities, one of community controlled food systems. 

 

We are humbled & thrilled by the support we’ve received to bring Ezell to full fruition. Deep appreciation to our funding partners for recognizing the value of this work and investing it. 

Ezell: Ballad of a Land Man

  • is made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project, with lead funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.
  • is touring to communities on the frontlines of the fossil fuel economy including Buffalo with support from the Chorus Foundation in alignment with their commitment to work together with frontline communities for a just transition to a fair and sustainable economy. 
  • is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Carpetbag Theater in partnership with Mondo Bizarro and NPN.
  • is made possible, in part, through a Continuation grant for our partnership with Mondo Bizarro from the Network of Ensemble Theaters' Travel & Exchange Network (NET/TEN), supported by lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
  • has also been supported through Kentucky Artist Rescue grant funds and an Al Smith Fellowship Award granted to Bob Martin for artistic excellence from the Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, which is supported by state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
  • was seeded and evolved over many years with the support of Alternate ROOTS through the Partners in Action program, an Artistic Assistance grant, fiscal sponsorship and the ongoing learning & support of an amazing network of artists.

Thank you to Silo City for hosting this experience.

Date & Time

Jul 21 - 24, 2022

Venue Details

Silo City

85 Silo City Row
Buffalo, New York 14203 Silo City
Ujima Company, Inc.
Ujima Company Inc. (UCI) is a multi-ethnic and multicultural professional theatre whose primary purpose is the preservation, perpetuation and performance of African American theatre by providing working opportunities for established artists and training experience for aspiring artists.

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