BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD
By Ashley Bryan
Adapted by Theroun Patterson
Original music composed by Eugene H Russell IV.
First produced by Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia with Artistic Director Christopher Moses.
Directed by René Goddess
Art by Leticia Plate
Playing At CMTM September 28 - October 13, 2024
Touring October 14 - November 26, 2024
Location Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine’s Maddy’s Theatre
Best Enjoyed By Very young audiences 0-4
Run Time 30 minutes
About
Long ago, Blackbird was voted the most beautiful bird in the forest. The other birds, red, yellow, blue, and green, admired Blackbird and begged Blackbird to paint their feathers with a touch of black so they could be beautiful too.
Ashley Bryan’s adaptation of a tale from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia resonates both with rhythm and the tale’s universal meanings—appreciating one’s heritage and discovering the beauty within.
Shake your tail feathers along with Ringdove, Pink, and Blackbird in this interactive theatre production for the very young.
Beautiful Blackbird is presented in partnership with the Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival, Indigo Arts Alliance, Portland Ovations, and the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine (CMTM). Each unique, family-friendly experience is a theatrical adaptation of Ashley Bryan's beloved children's book Beautiful Blackbird. CMTM will present a stage play for the very young in September and October, and Ovations will present a lively concert in November, all in coordination with the Beautiful Blackbird Children's Book Festival in September.
Beautiful Blackbird’s tour across Maine was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Tickets | $10
The Theatre lobby opens 30 minutes prior to each show, and the doors to the theatre open 20 minutes prior to showtime. Tickets to theatre shows are non-refundable and transferable pending space and availability in other performances.
Show Dates & Times Below
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Theatre Information
Dates and times are subject to change.
Doors to the theatre open 15 minutes prior to showtime.
Late seating is permitted.
Performance Details
Member Discount: Members can attend any show in Maddy’s Theatre for a 10% discount. Find out how to become a member today.
ASL-Interpreted Performance: CMTM is offering two dates of ASL-Interpreted performances through the generous support of the Margaret E. Burnham Charitable Foundation. ASL will be provided on Saturday, September 28 at 11am and Saturday, October 5 at 11am.
Accessibility
We are committed to making Maddy's Theatre as welcoming as possible. If you have questions about accommodations or would like to reserve an accommodation, please email boxoffice@kitetails.org.
Wider Seat (most of our seats are 18-20 inches wide; we also offer seats that are 23 inches wide
Dedicated wheelchair and companion seats
A seat with a lift arm for easier access
Hearing assistance necklace that helps amplify the sound to your hearing aids
Hearing assistance headset with headphones
Are you looking to book a museum visit to play in the exhibits? Your theatre tickets will stay in your cart for an hour while you reserve other tickets!
Cast + Production Team:
Margaret Brownlee …………… Ringdove
Lys Pearl-Ross ………………………. Pink
Veeva Banga …………………………. Blackbird
René Goddess ……………………… Director
Nathan Lapointe ………………… Musical Director
Bob Gauthier ……………………….. Vocal Coach
Sam Roche ………………………….… Stage Manager
Merritt Holman ………………….. Assistant Stage Manager
Veeva Banga …………………………. Choreography
Sayon Camara …………………….. Drumming Instruction & Pre-show Music
Emily M. Dixon …………………….. Production Manager
Danny Gay ……………………………. Set & Lighting Design
Juliet Tasker ………………………… Props Design
Charlie Hindall ……………………. Costume Design
Ryan McGowan …………………. Sound Design
Special Thanks:
Skylar Helena, Nathan Speckman, Caleb Eugley, Keyla Alston-Griffin, Mad Horse Theatre Co.
Lys Pearl-Ross plays Pink
Lys (she/her) is ecstatic to be back performing at Maddy’s Theatre. Her last time on the Maddy’s Stage was in Blueberries For Sal: The Musical. She has also performed at Mad Horse Theatre Company acting in WHITE and POTUS. Lys has also recently taken a liking to film, acting in commercials and short films. She is a graduate of University of Southern Maine, with a BA in Theatre Performance and Dance. When she’s not performing she spends her time crafting and roller skating. She hopes you enjoy the show!
Margaret Brownlee plays Ringdove
Margaret (she/her) is excited to perform in her first show at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine. She has a BA in Performing Arts from Wells College and has performed in Boston, New York City, and most of Southern Maine. When she is not performing, she enjoys spending time with her wife Morgan and daughter Estella.
Veeva Banga plays Blackbird & Choreography
Veeva (she/her) is a South Sudanese native with a deep passion for the Arts. This is Veeva's second time performing Beautiful Blackbird in Portland. When she's not acting she's teaching dance to kids and performing all over Maine. Since the age 6, learning traditional dance from her aunties, she has honed a passion for sharing her cultural dance with people locally. She is a talented dancer that has an opportunity to play with a mix of styles in Afro Beat that can offer a different approach to dance in Maine. She's excited to be a part of this project and in Maddy's Theatre.
René Goddess — Director
René Goddess (she/her) is delighted to direct Beautiful Blackbird for the second time, reflecting her deep connection to this powerful work. As an Eco-womenist, René is devoted to advancing social justice and racial equity reform. She is the co-founder of The Ensemble of Color, a vital sanctuary for survivors of trafficking located on Wabanaki Territory, where she provides both artistic and practical support to historically under represented and historically underfunded communities. Recently, René was honored with the role of Vice Chair for the Maine Women's Lobby Board of Directors, a position that allows her to further advocate for global majority women's rights and equity. Additionally, as a 2022/23 National Arts Strategy Fellow, she continues to expand her impact within the arts sector, merging her passion for creativity with her commitment to transformative social change on and off Wabanaki Territory and Turtle Island.
Nathan Lapointe — Musical Director
Nathan (he/him) aka Unique Unknown is an Improviser, freestyler, musician, comedian, and vocalist based out of Portland, Maine. You can catch him performing a Pop Up Play in Maddy’s Theatre or helping in various aspects of the theater. You can catch Unique Unknown performing improv with a loop pedal all around town and most recently performed at the 2024 Guster On the Ocean Festival on Thompson's Point.
Sam Roche – Stage Manager
Samantha (she/her) is thrilled to be returning to the Maddy's Theater team as stage manager, previously managing Elephant & Piggie: We Are In A Play!, Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, Charlotte’s Web, Go Dog Go, Gruff! An Epic Fairytale Eco-Musical, Three Little Kittens, Blueberries for Sal: The Musical, and A Year With Frog and Toad, and supporting Jack and Phil: Slayers of Giants Inc and Dragons Love Tacos. Other stage managing credits include White, The Addams Family Musical, Lend Me a Tenor, and Into the Woods. Outside the theater, Samantha works for Unum as a Technical Integration Specialist. She lives in Gorham with her husband and their four cats.
Danny Gay – Set Design & Lighting Design
Danny (he/him/his) is a theater artist residing in Monmouth, ME. He has been fortunate to both act and design with Maddy's Theatre at CMTM. He is super excited to be joining this incredible production team as the lighting and set designer. This has been an amazing opportunity to be creative and think outside of the box. He also hopes that the idea that you can be unabashedly yourself resonates with our audience. You have permission to be the you-est you that you can be! In addition to working with CMTM, Danny is the current Education Director for the Monmouth Community Players as well as their Artistic Director. He hopes that you enjoy the show!
Juliet Tasker – Props Design
Juliet (She/Her) was born and raised in the cultural mosaic that is Hawaii, and understands the value of sharing stories about diversity. She is a local actor, stage manager, and now designer! Her CMTM credits include Knuffle Bunny, 3 Little Kittens, Nieve en La Jungla, and Dragons Love Tacos. She holds a BA in theatre from USM, having worked on Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play, Urinetown, and She Kills Monsters. Most recently seen in Tumacho at Mad Horse Theatre Company. Beyond all the theatrics, she is a Special Education Teacher at Woodfords in the K-5 program and the Waterfront Director at Camp CenterStage.
Sayon Camara — Drumming Instruction & Pre-show Music
Sayon Camara is a resident of Maine and cultural ambassador specializing in the drum music and song from the Malinke people of his village in Guinea, West Africa. He provides participants with a mini-immersion into his culture, very different from that of the west, right at home in the US. A mini-immersion can take many forms such as: presentations, classes, lessons, workshops, and residencies, for individuals or groups of all ages and kinds, in both public and private settings like schools, camps, libraries and museums, even businesses that wish to create an internal fabric of working together and community, performances with Sayon's ensemble Landaya, and celebrations from baby namings to marriages, to name a few. Sayon finds great joy in sharing his particularly upbeat and compassionate culture, and is ready to do so anywhere in the US and world. Learn to play the ancient hand and stick drum music, the layered rhythms, to sing and speak in the traditional language, and about the instruments. Explore dances that accompany the music, talk to Sayon about the many facets of his people, from music to life in his home village of Kouya Sidia. Sayon’s mastery as an artist is exemplary, his teaching style gentle and thoughtful, and his heart open and respectful. SayonCamaraDrumming.com
