Fearless Mother Jones and Pennsylvania’s 1899 Dishpan Brigade
Fri May 20 - Fri May 20 , 8pm
Professional storyteller Megan Hicks recounts how Mary “Mother” Jones led an army of coal miners’ wives known as the “Dishpan Brigade” to assist their husbands in a successful strike for better working conditions. Throughout the long strike, Mother Jones insisted on non-violence despite the illegal tactics used by the coal corporation. The story also recounts the leadership of union president William Wilson, a self-educated immigrant who later became the United States’ first Secretary of Labor. Original music by Eleanor Aversa, text by Eleanor Aversa and Kristen Wall using historical sources. Vocabulary level best suited for ages 10 and up. Professional storyteller Megan Hicks has performed throughout the United States and has given international programs on three continents. Her storytelling awards and honors include Parents’ Choice, Storytellers World, The Audies, NAPPA, Parents’ Guide to Children’s Media, and National Storyteller of the Year. Musicians Eleanor Aversa (piano), Andreia Torain (violin), and Elivi Varga (flute) are all faculty members at Settlement Music School, one of the oldest and largest community schools of the arts in the United States. Settlement provides 10,000 weekly services of individual lessons, classes, and activities in music, dance, and visual arts to children and adults. Settlement provides more than $2 million of financial aid each year. More at www.smsmusic.org.
