Have you ever imagined living the lives of your grandparents? Many of us have forgotten our family history, letting our lineage sink into the past. Family ties are important, and when you take the time to retrace your family ties, you might be surprised by the story you’ve just reclaimed–one that’s exclusively yours.
Next Friday (Feb 27), Ariel Luckey will perform Amnesia at 8pm at the East Bay Center for Performing Arts in Richmond (339 11th St). Amnesia is a new play about race and immigration, written and performed by Ariel Luckey. Layering theater, dance, spoken word and an original score of Hip Hop, Klezmer, and Mexican folk music, Amnesia tells the story of a young man who retraces his family’s migration from a small village in Eastern Europe through New York’s Lower East Side to Phoenix, Arizona. He later finds that the violence his family fled cannot be so easily forgotten. As the only actor on stage, Luckey embodies himself and his ancestors. Combining his vibrant personality, dramatic monologues, mysterious settings and innovative music, Luckey brings the audience into a deepreflection of their own origins.
An interesting aspect of this play is its interdisciplinary theater methodology and extensive research in Arizona, Ukraine and Belarus. Amnesia is a work-in-progress performance that continuously evolved with community feedback in the Bay Area. This special Bay Area Mini-Tour will incorporate a single from his collaborative album Rememory into his play. Amnesia is a powerful song that sparks off the Lumino City Station music project and reminds people to pay attention to their cultural roots. The mixture of rap and traditional music not only explores the resistance and survival of immigrants, but also that of their descendants. The combination of both new and old styles of music exemplifies how we should be grateful for changes in the society yet still be aware of our roles in fighting the same battles our ancestors did.
Click here to listen to Amnesia: https://soundcloud.com/luminocity-station/amnesia
Tickets are sliding scale between $18-$36, and can be purchased online (www.arielluckey.com/amnesia) or at the door at each performance.
