WBTT and Partners to Present ‘The Fannie Lou Hamer Story’

August 30, 2024 | Sarasota

Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, in partnership with Healing Through the Sound of Music and The Links Inc., Bradenton/Sarasota, is proud to present “The Fannie Lou Hamer Story: Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired.” Performances take place on Saturday, September 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 8 at 2 p.m. in the Donelly Theatre of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe (1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota).

WBTT is thrilled for the community’s support and enthusiasm for this special presentation: both shows are completely sold out.

The play takes audiences on an emotional journey through Fannie Lou Hamer’s remarkable life, from her humble beginnings as a sharecropper in Mississippi to her pivotal role in the fight for voting rights during the 1960s. Hamer was the co-founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, serving as a field secretary, traveling around the country registering people to vote. She was a trail-blazing civil rights activist and an unwavering champion of voting rights who was pivotal to the passage of the Voters’ Rights Act of 1965.

The play was written by and stars multi-award-winning playwright, actress, and internationally acclaimed vocalist, Mzuri Moyo Aimbaye. Director is Byron C. Saunders. Vividly portrayed in “The Fannie Lou Hamer Story” are themes of resilience, courage, community empowerment, and intersectionality, which leave audiences transformed and inspired.

“The Fannie Lou Hamer Story” is set to captivate audiences across the Sunshine State with its statewide Voice of the Empowered (V.O.T.E.) tour.

Florida resident Aimbaye is an accomplished performer whose musical journey has taken her to stages across Europe and the U.S., accompanied by the New York City Symphony. She is the co-founder of Healing Through the Sound of Music, the nonprofit institutional legacy/social impact music and theatre performing arts company behind the V.O.T.E. tour – through at least 20 cities through a network of museums, community centers, and churches – of “The Fannie Lou Hamer Story.”

A voter registration table will be managed by The League of Women Voters for both performances. Sunday’s performance includes a panel discussion with Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Ron Turner, political candidates for various offices/from various parties, and Aimbaye. Renee James Gilmore, executive producer at WWSB ABC7, will facilitate the panel discussion.

While the performances are sold out, subscriptions and tickets are now on sale for WBTT’s 25th anniversary season. Visit westcoastblacktheatre.org or call the Box Office at 941-366-1505.