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In this performance, artist JJJJJerome Ellis presents portions of their latest transdisciplinary project, “Aster of Ceremonies”. Using piano, saxophone, electronics, and voice, they’ll perform excerpts from “Benediction,” a devotional song cycle attending to 18th and 19th century Black runaway slaves who stuttered. This lecture-performance is an ongoing attempt to, in the words of critic Hortense Spillers, “hear [slavery’s] stutter more clearly.”
Copies of the “Aster of Ceremonies” book will be available for purchase at the event.
JJJJJerome Ellis is a stuttering, Afro-Caribbean composer, poet, and performer. His works are invitations to healing, transcendence, communion, and deep listening. Through an interdisciplinary practice that focuses on oral storytelling, improvisation, and the interrelations between speech, silence, disability, and religion, he’s collaborated with choreographers, rappers, playwrights, booksellers, typographers, podcasters, toddlers, and filmmakers. Ellis’ work has been presented or developed by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Sundance Institute Theatre Lab, Lincoln Center, MASS MoCA, and WKCR and others. Born in Connecticut to a Jamaican mother and a Grenadian father, he was raised in Virginia Beach, VA.
Access Notes:
- The performance is also virtually accessible via Zoom. Register at: https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/1721318190
- Both in person and hybrid experiences will include ASL interpretation and CART captioning.
- Verbal descriptions of movements and what is happening on stage will be provided.
- In consideration of guests, staff, and performers, we encourage attendees to wear a mask if they are able to, and to refrain from wearing strong scents while at the performance. Free masks will be available at the performance. We strongly encourage all individuals to follow applicable guidance regarding COVID19 isolation and masking.
- The accessible entry, equipped with automatic doors, is located on the southeast corner of Smith Memorial Hall.
This event is made possible with support from the Andrew W. Mellon foundation and with support from the College of Fine and Applied Arts and the School of Music.