September 26, 2022 | Events, General, News, Theatre,

What Inspired Drumfolk?

Drumfolk opens on October 5 at the Cutler Majestic Theatre, but what inspired this production? Read on to learn more!

Drumfolk is inspired by the Stono Rebellion of 1739, an event significant in the freedom movement for enslaved Africans in North America. After more than a century of oppression in the New World, a small group of Africans in South Carolina mounted a rebellion to reclaim their freedom. More than sixty people were killed in this uprising, and as a result, white oppressors enacted new laws to further restrict the enslaved. The Negro Act of 1740 prohibited enslaved people from growing their own food, learning to read and write, and assembling in small groups. And to add further insult, white officials took away their instruments—effectively stripping them of the ability to express their cultural heritage and evoke community spirit.

That is where Drumfolk picks up the story—and demonstrates the resilience of a people who find power in creative expression and its capacity for social change. No drums? No problem. Come see how Step Afrika! finds the rhythm through dance and movement.

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