Fannie Lou, I'm Sick and Tired
About this Event
South Shore Opera Company of Chicago (SSOCC) proudly announces the long-awaited Chicago premiere of Fannie Lou, I’m Sick and Tired at the historic Paul Robeson Theater at the South Shore Cultural Center.
This powerful multimedia production brings the extraordinary life, courage, and voice of civil rights and voting rights freedom fighter Fannie Lou Hamer to the stage in a singular, one-night-only performance.
A sharecropper born in poverty who became one of the most formidable voices of the American Civil Rights Movement, Fannie Lou Hamer helped register Black voters in Mississippi, co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, and became a nationally recognized advocate for voting rights and political representation. Her insistence on being heard — and her refusal to surrender in the face of intimidation and violence — made her a defining figure in the struggle for American democracy.
The production stars acclaimed mezzo-soprano Qiana McNary as Fannie Lou Hamer, with a stellar ensemble cast featuring Warnell Berry as Pap, Joelle Lamarre as Ella, and Julian Otis as Robert Moses of the SNCC.
SSOCC Artistic Director Maestro Leslie B. Dunner leads a 16-piece chamber orchestra in this full multimedia production.
Maestro Dunner says, “Fannie Lou Hamer’s courage, conviction, humor, and extraordinary determination continue to speak directly to our current American moment, when voting rights again face challenges. We are thrilled to bring this important work to Chicago audiences and to begin our new season with her powerful voice.”
The multimedia production is directed by Amy Hutchison, South Shore Opera Company of Chicago’s newly appointed Managing Director, with projections by Joseph Bondmass and Movement Direction by Faith Balderrama.
Music by Richard Thompson
Libretto by Cassandra Medley
Qiana McNary — Fannie Lou Hamer
Warnell Berry — Pap, Fannie’s husband
Joelle Lamarre — Ella, Fannie’s mother
Julian Otis — Robert Moses, SNCC
Conductor: Maestro Leslie B. Dunner
Director: Amy Hutchison
Costumes: Janice Pytel
Projections: Joseph Bondmass
Movement Direction: Faith Balderrama
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 43.27
