The Premiere Screening of
Two Roads Documentary Screening and Concert
On the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage
Two Roads
A shared journey between Black and Irish Americans
As told by Mick Moloney and Lenwood Sloan
An Ace Pictures and Irish Repertory Theatre Production
Produced and Directed by Susan Wittenberg
Monday, October 28, 2024 at 7pm and Tuesday, October 29, 2024 at 7pm
Two Roads is a story told by legendary folklorist and banjo rambler Mick Moloney and ‘catalytic agent’ and performer Lenwood Sloan. It explores how, despite a troubled backdrop of racism and discrimination, Irish people in the United States and African Americans found common ground and shared humanity through music, song, dance, and humor.
Mick Moloney and Leni Sloan offer fresh perspectives on misunderstood moments in history. They explore the complex cultural bond between Africans and Irish in America, from their origins as enslaved people and indentured servants to their impact on popular entertainment. Moloney and Sloan’s work delves into topics like Blackface minstrelsy, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Black urban vernacular, connecting history to the present with performances by rising stars like Jerron Paxton, Nora Brown, and Malian Griot Cheick Hamala Diabate.
The screening is followed by a live concert featuring:
The Auction Project
Fusing Celtic, jazz and Afro-Latin influences, super group The Auction Project — led by saxophonist, flutist, and composer David Bixler, and featuring Grammy Award-winning pianist and composer Arturo O’Farrill — creates a rich and textured sound. The Auction Project explores the intersection of traditional fiddle and breezy, post-bop groove, staking out uncharted musical territory. In addition to O’Farrill and Bixler, The Auction Project features All-Ireland medalist violinist/fiddler Heather Bixler, Grammy Award-winning percussionist Vince Cherico, bassist Raul Reyes, and dancer/media sensation Kaitlyn Sardin (Kaitrock).
In association with Ace Pictures
