NORTH: The Musical

Tue, Jan 16, 2024  |  10:00am  *Performance full*
Wed, Jan 17, 2024  |  10:00am  *Performance full*

Created by musician, writer and arts educator Ashli St. Armant, NORTH follows the journey of a precocious teenage boy and his young mother as they escape the Deep South and travel North through the Underground Railroad seeking freedom.

Their route through the Louisiana bayous, the bustling city of New Orleans, and the young town of Lawrence, Kansas introduces the characters and the audience to the diverse, multifaceted lives of Black Americans during this time period. Set in the 1850s, NORTH is based on actual accounts of slave escapes through the Underground Railroad network as well as Ms. St. Armant’s personal family history of overcoming slavery in Louisiana.

NORTH is a story that explores Black American life during the antebellum period and which aims to bring out the full range of experiences of freedom seekers. While acknowledging the realities of slavery, the narrative and original musical compositions explore themes of optimism, bravery, playfulness, wonder, suspense, and mystery.

Recommended for Grades 4th and up