“August 20, 1619, 20 Africans arrived in Point Comfort, Virginia on a Dutch ship.” 

This is the opening line from Ted Williams III’s acclaimed “1619: The Journey of a People, a Musical,” which plays on Juneteenth at the University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts.

This musical highlights the tragedies and triumphs of the African-American experience since 1619 when the first enslaved Africans arrived in America.

“What I wanted to do with our musical was to look at this 400-year journey of resilience, this 400-year journey of triumph, this 400-year journey of history that many people do not know,” said Williams, who wrote, produced and stars in the production.

The 1619 musical should be confused with The 1619 Project, the New York Times long-form journalism venture developed by Nikole Hannah-Jones.

Williams’s production, directed by Cynthia Walls, is an entirely different endeavor.

A Historical Musical with a Contemporary Feel

The 1619 musical isn’t a chronological retelling of African-American history. Instead, it depicts the African-American journey in this country through a series of connected vignettes.

“But every one is a different reflection,” Williams added. “One is a spoken word reflection. One is a dance reflection. One is a blues musical reflection.”

The 1619 musical even has Hip-hop, which Williams utilized as a performance tool when he composed the production. For instance, there’s one song called Booker T or W.E.B. — as in Booker T. Washington or W.E.B. Du Bois.

“It’s a rap battle between two guys who are looking for which philosophy is best for our future,” said Williams.

Three main characters come in and out of the vignettes and give their reflection on the history being depicted.

“So there is a contemporary feel to the show, which I think is important,” he said.

The decision to create a show reflecting on the 400-year odyssey of Africans in America began when Williams started writing the production in 2018. He finished writing it in the spring of 2019. After rounds of rehearsals during the summer, the 1619 musical opened in August 2019, right around the anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans to America.

Since that inaugural show at Kennedy-King College, where Williams is the Social Science Department Chair and Political Science professor, the traveling production has played around the country, from New York to Clarksville, Tennessee.

The Chicago-born show will continue to travel around the country.

What Attendees Should Expect

When asked what people attending the show should expect, Williams said, Audiences can expect to be taken on a journey.

“This is the goal. I want them to sit in those seats and strap on. And I want them to take this ride through American history,” he said.

But Williams also wants people who see the 1619 musical to be able to come away with something.

“I want them to — number one — be entertained. I want them to be taken aback by what they see and enjoy it.”

“And number two, “I want them to learn,” Williams said.

There was also one more thing.

“Last but not least,” he said, “I want them to walk away inspired.”

For more information:

“1619: The Journey of a People, a Musical” plays on Monday, June 19, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts. For show and ticket information, visit this link.

The post ‘1619: The Journey of a People’ Plays at UChicago on Juneteenth appeared first on Chicago Defender.

The post ‘1619: The Journey of a People’ Plays at UChicago on Juneteenth first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Chicago Defender Staff

Posts by Chicago Defender Staff