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Multi-media performance remembers an American tragedy during election season

Eastern presents 'The Ocoee Project' Oct. 15-20

Willimantic, CT (10/09/2024) — Eastern Connecticut State University will open its fall 2024 theatre season with "The Ocoee Project," a thought-provoking multi-media performance running Oct. 15-20 in the Fine Arts Instructional Center Proscenium Theater. Written by English Professor Dan Donaghy and directed by film Professor Brian Day, with visuals by Day and theatre Professor Kristen Morgan, "The Ocoee Project" brings to life a tragic but often overlooked moment in American history.

In 1920, Ocoee, FL, became the site of one of the nation's most violent racial massacres. That year, the passage of the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote, including Black women, marking a significant milestone in the struggle for equality. However, as Black men and women sought to exercise their new rights, resistance and hostility ensued. The Ocoee Massacre resulted in the deaths of more than 50 Black residents, the expulsion of the entire Black community and the seizure of their property.

The Eastern production will explore this historic atrocity through poetry, music, live performances and film, shedding light on a dark chapter in the fight for civil rights while connecting to broader themes of injustice and resilience that still resonate today.

"The vision for 'The Ocoee Project' is to create a multi-media experience that envelopes the audience in a unique experience," said Day, director. "I hope that the audience is drawn into a dramatic and emotional experience while being enlightened about parts of the history of our country that have been erased and hidden."

Performance schedule:

  • - Oct. 15, 16, 18, and 19 at 7:30 P.M.
  • - Oct. 17 at 5:30 P.M.
  • - Oct. 18 at 11:00 A.M.
  • - Oct. 20 at 4:00 P.M.

Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at https://easternct.showare.com/ocoee/ .

Prices:

  • - Free for Eastern students (with completion of a short survey)
  • - $5 for other students and groups of 10 or more
  • - $10 for senior citizens
  • - $12 for Eastern faculty, staff, and alumni
  • - $20 for the general public

For additional ticket reservations, please call the FAIC Box Office at (860) 465-5123 or email theatreboxoffice@easternct.edu .

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving upwards of 4,000 students annually on its Willimantic campus. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 68 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal arts foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked among the top 25 public institutions in the North by U.S. News & World Report in its 2024-25 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 14 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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