FOLKS

FOLKS is a powerful one-man theatrical experience that blends African and African American folklore, music, and storytelling into an unforgettable night of theatre. Guided by a modern-day Griot, the audience is taken on a soul-stirring journey through the lives of legendary figures like John Henry, Anansi the Spider, High John the Conqueror, and Stagolee, characters who have long carried the wisdom, resistance, and imagination of Black storytelling traditions on the "Underground Railroad."
Through dynamic performance, poetry, humor, and song, the Griot weaves together tales of struggle, resilience, love, and liberation. Each story reveals how folklore has helped generations of Black communities survive oppression, preserve culture, and imagine freedom.
At the heart of FOLKS is a deeply personal story of loss, love, and legacy that reminds us why stories matter, and why they must be carried forward.
Part concert, part ritual, part theatrical event, FOLKS invites audiences to laugh, reflect, and remember together.
Come ready to listen.
Come ready to feel.
Come ready to meet the folks who carried the fire before us.

Created as part of the Flanner Fringe Lab, in partnership with IF Theatre and the Flanner House Arts Stage Academy.

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Host or Publisher Josiah Ray McCruiston