Puget Sound Revels Presents Christmastime in Seneca Village,
The Premiere of a Festive Holiday Show Inspired by African American History
Contact: Amy Wigstrom
Puget Sound Revels
info@pugetsoundrevels.org
(253) 756-1804
Christmastime in Seneca Village: Dec. 14 - 18, 2024 at the historic Rialto Theater
Tacoma, WA - Puget Sound Revels is thrilled to premiere “Christmastime in Seneca Village” this holiday season at the historic Rialto Theater in downtown Tacoma, Washington. For the past 31 years, Puget Sound Revels has produced an annual holiday show, The Midwinter Revels®, each year celebrating a different culture from a different time period. The show features traditional songs, dances, and stories and invites audience participation through singing and dancing. Michelle Matlock, playwright and stage director for Puget Sound Revels, has written the show inspired by the history of Seneca Village.
This historic village was founded by formerly enslaved and free African Americans in 1825 and later attracted Irish and German immigrants who were also escaping racism and discrimination. The village thrived as a hub of cultural exchange that was unique for the time period. Community members bought and owned land, and they built homes, churches, schools, and gardens together.
Michelle believes in finding the joy in the stories of the cultures that Puget Sound Revels seek to represent. For the Seneca Village show, in Michelle’s words: “we will be centering African American cultures, and that's going to be really fun, with gospel, folk music, and dancing. The Irish, German, African American community members went to school together, they were buried together, and they went to church together.”
All this changed in the 1850’s when the New York Parks Commision made the decision to create Central Park on and around the site of Seneca Village. In the mid-19th century, local newspapers defamed the Village, painting it as “squatters living in shanties”. The City Parks Commission took advantage of the rhetoric to pursue their goals of building Central Park. However, recent archeological digs have provided evidence that the Village had a sophisticated culture, refuting the local newspapers. Residents of the Village built two-story homes, possessed porcelain teacups, and left behind evidence of a middle-class community. Recently, a project entitled “Envisioning Seneca Village” built a 3-D model of what the village was like just prior to its destruction to build what is now Central Park. About | Envisioning Seneca Village
“We know what happens in the end, but we want to celebrate that this community existed. Let’s celebrate that it was such a diverse community.” - Michelle Matlock
While researching the history of the Village, Amy Wigstrom, Executive Director of Puget Sound Revels, came across a self-published family history book written by the descendants of Andrew Williams, founder of Seneca Village. Amy and Michelle were able to meet virtually with the descendants, Andrew Thomas Williams IV and his wife Mareia, to learn about their recent experiences researching their family legacy. Andrew and Mareia recently toured Central Park along the path that is marked now with signage honoring the village. The tour guide commented that, unfortunately, there were no known descendants of the village, which prompted Andrew and Mareia to speak up. Since then, they have connected with historians and researchers who continue to bring new evidence of this village forward. Their story was featured on Good Morning America. A look at Seneca Village, an African American settlement in Central Park. Puget Sound Revels will be flying the Williams family out to the opening night performance to honor their legacy and celebrate the incredible community that was Seneca Village.
Performances take place at the Rialto Theater in Tacoma, Washington
Saturday, Dec. 14, 2:00pm & 7:30pm* (*ASL interpreted show)
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2:00pm
Tuesday, Dec. 17, 7:00pm
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 7:00pm
Tickets can be purchased online: www.pugetsoundrevels.org
Or by phone Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm. Box office phone: (253) 242-3434
Michelle Matlock, Playwright and Stage Director, has been with Puget Sound Revels for four years as Assistant Stage Director. This production is her debut as the director and playwright. Michelle founded Circle Up Productions (CUP), a live entertainment and performing arts education company, serving the Pacific Northwest and beyond. She currently directs the Tacoma Light Trail and is also an adjunct faculty member at Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater. Michelle has been in entertainment for over 25 years and was recently awarded an NEA Grant to revive her critically acclaimed solo show The Mammy Project, presented by Kansas City Fringe Presents in October 2023. She was the first African American Person to create a main character for Cirque du Soleil, and she toured the world with Cirque’s big top show OVO for close to 10 years. She continues to direct and teach across the nation.
950 Pacific Ave. Suite 300
Tacoma, WA 98402 Phone: (253) 627-2175 Fax: (253) 597-7305 [email protected] |
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