Ezell: Ballad of a Land Man @ the Berea Pinnacles

2047 Big Hill Rd,Berea KY 40403

22 April, 2022

Description

An outdoor eco-cultural theater experience & meal supported by the Berea College Loyal Jones Appalachian Center & Forestry Outreach Center. Ezell: Ballad of a Land Man is an environmental, cultural and spiritual parable derived from living in the foothills of Appalachia, one man among many seeking to make sense of the time, place and condition in which we live.  In the story, Ezell's choices, traumas, ancestors and more intersect with themes of domination and resilience as he seeks to take advantage of an anticipated fracking boom and the opportunity to reconnect with the people and land of his raising.   The performance of Ezell is surrounded by an immersive experience that calls to our collective desire for connection and belonging, that reveres nature and binds us intimately within its embrace, that invokes the resilience, love and lessons of our ancestors and generations yet to come. We acknowledge the privilege and complexity of living, working and producing this experience on the lands of the Shawanwaki (Shawnee), Aniyunwiyvi (Cherokee), and S'atsoyaha (Yuchi) nations. We strive to be good stewards of the lands and to resolve the legacies of oppression and domination that have come before and persist today. We offer the experience of Ezell with a humble, healing spirit and in recognition of all those who have come before and are yet to come in this place and in all the places we visit. Ticket sales above the cost of the event will be donated to Grow Appalachia which partners to create healthy, resilient and economically viable food systems accessible to all. THE EXPERIENCEHere's what to expect when you arrive on site at the Pinnacles: Act 1: The Welcome. Orient to the experience and site, connect with your journey guide and enjoy a tasty treat & drink if you'd like. Act 2. The Journey. Make a contemplative trek with guide & group to the performance site amidst woodland art & music.* Act 3. The Story. Witness Ezell: Ballad of a Land Man performed in a natural setting at the base of the Pinnacles. Act 4. The Return. Engage with your guide, the woodlands and one another to embody the themes of Ezell as you return from the performance site for the final act.* Act 5. The Celebration. Enjoy live music and a farm-fresh, family-style meal inspired by the story & place of Ezell.* Ezell is being presented at the Pinnacles with the support of the Loyal Jones Appalachian Center and the Berea College Forestry Outreach Center. The experience will be finished by 8:30 p.m. *See notes regarding accessibility below. BE PREPAREDWe recommend: comfortable close-toed shoes & socks long pants & layers for rain / warmthnatural bug spraywater bottle if you'd like to carry water with you to the performance sitea light (we will finish by dark, though it’s a good idea to have a light available in case you linger after the meal)You will move through this experience together in a small group. If you are attending with others that you'd like to be grouped with, please be sure to let us know when you register. ACCESSIBILITYWe strive to make this outdoor immersive experience available to everyone who would like to join us. The journey and return will be offered in two formats: Walking Path: A guided journey walk of about 1.1 total miles along a well-maintained woodland trail with mostly moderate inclines and one brief steep incline and occasionally uneven surfaces. The walk be roughly split in half with approximately a third of a mile prior to the seated Story performance and the remaining walk after.Riding Path: A guided journey in an open-air vehicle along the same well-maintained woodland trail described above. There will be a transfer area of approximately 50 yards between the vehicle drop-off and the performance seating area which will include crossing a short bridge. The vehicle driver will provide assistance for the transfer and crossing. Please be sure to choose the Riding Path option as you reserve your ticket if physical accessibility support is needed. Only three Riding Path tickets per event are available. Bathrooms will be accessible within 50 yards of the parking area and welcome / celebration site. A bathroom will not be accessible nearby during the performance. The meal will offer dairy-free, gluten-free and vegetarian options. If you have other accessibility considerations or requests, please contact us via [email protected]. THE TEAMThe Ezell experience has been created and is manifested in ensemble by: Devised and performed by Bob MartinProduced by Carrie BrunkDirected by Nick SlieMusic & Sound by Cory ShenkDesigned by Jeff Beckerwith Guides & Musicians Faye Adams-Eaton, Nicole Garneau, Sam Gleaves, Jacob Mudd, Lisa Shattuck and the Berea College Bluegrass Ensemble Guided by Faye Adams-Eaton, Nicole Garneau & Lisa Shattuck with Culinary Artists, Farmers & Foragers April Morales, Berea College Farm Store, Lazy Eight Stock Farm & Salamander Springs FarmSupported locally by Chris Green for Berea College Loyal Jones Appalachian Center and Wendy Zagrat Warren at the Berea College Forestry Outreach Center with Production Coordination by Hannah Burt, Technical Support by Jacob Mudd & additional support from John Abrams, Glen Dandeneau, Heather Dent, Chris Miller, Clint Patterson & the full Ezell ensembleSpecial Thanks to the Berea College students from this semester's Community Story Activism course as well as Social Impact Studios Design & Berea College PrintingGRATITUDEAll of the work we do through Clear Creek Creative is made possible by the generosity and collaborative spirit of our communities near and far. We give thanks for living and working in such an abundant place and having countless opportunities to do meaningful & magical work with incredible people. We are humbled & thrilled by the support we’ve received to bring Ezell to full fruition. Deep appreciation to our funding partners for recognizing the value of this work and investing it. Ezell: Ballad of a Land Man is made possible at the Pinnacles with the generous support and partnership of the Berea College Loyal Jones Appalachian Center and Forestry Outreach Center.is made possible with funding by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Theater Project, with lead funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and additional funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Carpetbag Theater in partnership with Mondo Bizarro and NPN. The Creation & Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). NPN has also provided support through its Storytelling & Documentation Fund made possible by generous support from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.is made possible, in part, through a Continuation grant for our partnership with Mondo Bizarro from the Network of Ensemble Theaters' Travel & Exchange Network (NET/TEN), supported by lead funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. has also been supported through an Al Smith Fellowship Award granted to Bob Martin for artistic excellence as well as Kentucky Artist Rescue grant funds from the Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, which is supported by state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.is touring to communities on the frontlines of the fossil fuel economy with support from the Chorus Foundation in alignment with their commitment to work together with frontline communities for a just transition to a fair and sustainable economy. was seeded and evolved over many years with the support of Alternate ROOTS through the Partners in Action program, an Artistic Assistance grant, fiscal sponsorship and the ongoing learning & support of an amazing network of artists.Thank you to the Berea College Forestry Outreach Center for hosting this experience. Bob Martin as Ezell in the opening performances at Clear Creek Creative. (Photo by Erica Chambers).