Brandon Cabral
  • Communication
  • Class of 2019
  • Manchester, CT

Brandon Cabral Works on Dazzling, Timely Play: 'Thread City'

2017 Oct 26

The ever-relevant topic of immigration was on dramatic display from Oct. 11-15 when Eastern Connecticut State University premiered "Thread City," a unique performance that "told" stories of the immigrants who came to Willimantic to work in its historic thread mills. The dialogue-free play blended choreographed movement, visual projections and folky-electronic soundscapes to convey a heartfelt and historically representative tale of immigration in America.

Among the students involved was Brandon Cabral '20 of Manchester, who worked on the set construction crew. Cabral majors in Communication.

In their 19th- and 20th-century heyday, Willimantic's thread mills were among the largest producers of textiles in the world. They were major employers in northeastern Connecticut, drawing workers from New England and beyond. Willimantic became a hotbed of immigration. According to U.S. Census data, 29 percent of Windham residents were foreign born in 1910, with people from 26 different nations living in town.

"Thread City" opens with a stage that represents many different countries and eras. Multiple scenes that happen simultaneously fade in and out of action as a spotlight moves about the stage. As the setting shifts to a turbulent transcontinental boat ride, the performance space eventually comes to represent Willimantic exclusively - including its homes and the hazardous work environment of the mills.

Due to the multicultural theme of "Thread City," it was important to the creators to devise a play that would transcend language. Using "moment work" - a theatrical technique in which individual moments are dissected and explored - actors conveyed the stories of immigrants without the use of words.

Intimate scenes of the immigrant experience - from leaving heartbroken family members, to being inspected by immigration officers who bark orders in an unfamiliar tongue, to being reunited with family in their new home - were conveyed with precise gestures and emotion-filled facial expressions.

While "Thread City" would not fall under the genre of "musical," rhythm and soundscapes play a star role in advancing the story. Folk music-styled compositions were played on banjo and guitar, with a laptop that was used to loop sounds and manipulate effects.

Adding to the overall musicality of "Thread City," the cast of more than 20 characters joined the soundscapes with rhythmic knee slaps, toe taps and choreographed, dance-like movement.

To make "Thread City" a reality, Theatre Professors Kristen Morgan and Alycia Bright-Holland, co-creators of the play, traveled to several countries and partnered with members of the Eastern campus and local communities. From Puerto Rico to Quebec, Ellis Island in New York City to Windham's own Textile and History Museum, they delved into the histories of the region's major immigrant groups.

Beyond entertainment and message, "Thread City" perhaps had a nobler cause: to further unite the local community. "With the privilege of having a beautiful building dedicated to the arts," wrote Morgan and Bright-Holland, in reference to Eastern's new Fine Arts Instructional Center, "comes the responsibility of serving the community with that space.

"We discussed the idea of a performance created specifically for Willimantic - not something simply 'for' the community, but something that would engage residents so that they might see themselves truly reflected and represented on stage.

"Today more than ever, we need that physical and emotional connection to one another," they concluded. "Theatre has the power to transform, to heal, to activate and ultimately to create social and political change."