Rockingham Times

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Adapted by Genevieve Aichele from interviews with more than 40 immigrants and refugees to the state of New Hampshire

Directed by CJ Lewis

March 24-26, 2023 at NHTP, Portsmouth NH 

Friday & Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm

Touring New Hampshire March 27 through April 8

This project has been funded by the Eppes-Jefferson Foundation

“You can teach yourself how to dream again”

PORTSMOUTH—In 2012, New Hampshire Humanities commissioned playwright Genevieve Aichele to write a play based on the real life stories of refugees and immigrants in New Hampshire. The result was the play Dreaming Again, which Aichele based on oral interviews with more than 40 people who had left homes and lives in other countries to resettle in New Hampshire. Dreaming Again was performed by the NHTP across the state of New Hampshire to primarily adult audiences.

In 2013, NHTP collaborated with the Mariposa Museum in Peterborough to bring Dreaming Again to a new audience, this time middle and high school students and teachers and school staff. That pilot brought Dreaming Again to 16 schools as well as to community audiences in Portsmouth and Peterborough. In 2023, NHTP will again be collaborating with Mariposa Museum, which will be coordinating the school tour across New Hampshire.

The multicultural cast features four actors and three musicians playing multiple roles. Dreaming Again also uses music from many different cultures and traditions, arranged by Agnes Charlesworth.

Given New Hampshire’s role as a refugee resettlement state, this play is as relevant today as it was 10 years ago. Dreaming Again is a collection of stories told by real people who live in our state right now. Hearing their personal experiences deepens understanding, and builds empathy and connections for the audience.

David Ward is co-executive director of the Eppes-Jefferson Foundation which is underwriting this production and tour of Dreaming Again. He says, “The Eppes-Jefferson Foundation believes that the arts should inspire, educate, and entertain, while honoring the past and foreshadowing the future. Dreaming Again hits all of these marks, and more, including exposing thousands of New Hampshire students to professional level musical theater.”

ABOUT NEW HAMPSHIRE THEATRE PROJECT

New Hampshire Theatre Project (NHTP) uses the art of theater-making to spark conversation, connect individuals and strengthen communities. The company is based at the 50-seat black box theater in the heart of Portsmouth’s culturally vibrant West End, and programs are delivered across the region in schools, businesses, healthcare institutions and community organizations. NHTP is known around the state as an applied theater company that promotes challenging dialogue through productions, workshops, and artist-in-residence programs. 

Original source can be found here.