What Are You? – November 7-24, 2024 at 7 Stages
What Are You? is an exploration of what it means to be multi-racial in America. Created by Nicolette Emanuelle, who has roots in the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina, this original production delves into the complexities of racial identity through a blend of movement, music, and personal testimonies.
Creator Nicolette Emanuelle, with Meredith Gordon, Monica Martell, Jacque Pritz and Arthur McDaniel, confronts the relentless question “what are you?”, weaving together striking and moving commonalities found in interviews with other multi-racial individuals, highlighting their unique struggles and the beauty of their identities.
What Are You? sheds light on the often overlooked and misunderstood nuances of multi-racial identities, encouraging viewers to see the world through a more empathetic and informed lens. This is not just a theatrical experience; it’s a call to action, a plea for empathy, and a celebration of the rich tapestry of multi-racial identities.
Ensemble
Nicolette Emanuelle is a multi-disciplinary performance artist based in St. Louis, MO. Their work spans circus arts, acting, producing, music performance, and music composition. Nicolette uses their diverse skill set to create meaningful, collaborative projects that explore identity, culture, and belonging. Their most recent project, What Are You?, is an exploration of racial identity, drawing from their experiences growing up as a Lumbee in the South.
Nicolette began their artistic journey as a classically trained cellist and self-taught singer/songwriter on piano. Over time, they incorporated circus arts and burlesque into their repertoire. By combining elements from their varied artistic background, Nicolette creates productions that use absurdity and humor to address social justice themes.
Nicolette started their 7 Stages journey in 2013 as a musician in The Navigator, under the direction of notable musician/composer Klimchak. Since then, Nicolette has been involved in several productions and served as a teaching artist until their departure from Atlanta in 2021.
Now back in Atlanta, Nicolette is grateful to 7 Stages Theatre for producing What Are You? and helping to elevate this important story.
“This show is highly collaborative and would not be the show it is without the stories and interviews from the people who lived it. A sincere thank you to everyone who gave their words, thoughts and feelings to this production. One of the most meaningful ways we can fight inequity is to exist as ourselves and let others know us.”
Meredith Gordon (he/him) was raised in Cleveland, Tennessee by African-American parents in a traditional Southern Christian environment. As a child, he often faced questions about his identity, including whether he was “black enough.”
He now performs professionally as an actor and hospital clown and works with Clowns Without Borders, USA. He performed in the previous versions of “What Are You”, a film version in 2020 during Covid and in 2022 on the Atlanta beltline.
Meredith is a 2019 recipient of the Tanne Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements by artists. In 2023, he was selected to be an artist in Emory’s Arts and Social Justice Fellows Program.
“Too much of my existence is based on what you thought of me.”
Website and Blog at SqueezeTheClown.com
Instagram – @meredithcgordon, Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/meredith.gordon.33
Jacquelyn (Jacque) Pritz is a dance artist and project manager. She recently launched Catching Mangoes Dance Company with the goal to share and uplift hyphenated American stories by creating meaningful artistic experiences with audiences. Her choreography is autoethnographic, often examining her personal identity and life experiences as a Filipino-American woman, embodying her research on themes surrounding culture and identity, and connecting with people through the spirit of kapwa.
Currently, Jacque is a Sr. Program Coordinator at Emory College of Arts & Sciences and freelances as a project manager around the city. Her commitment to diversity and inclusion in the arts is underscored by her recognition as a 2022 South Arts National Leader of Color fellow. This Fall, Jacque is participating in the Atlanta Regional Commission’s Culture and Community Design Program.
Monica Martelly – Born in Haiti, Monica is a vibrant and passionate purple-haired performer. They’ve been dancing since the age of 6 and haven’t stopped since! They specialize in aerial hoop, dance trapeze, and a variety of dance styles. Combining their breadth of knowledge and expertise, Monica has created some truly unique and unprecedented aerial acts that combine their love of aerial arts with their treasured Haitian culture and heritage. Some of their other recent accomplishments include performing professionally with The Crux Collective in Atlanta, competing at VIVA Fest in Las Vegas, training at Aloft’s JOLT Summer Intensive in Chicago, and most recently participating in the 2024 Minnesota Fringe Festival! They are plant-based in Atlanta with their two cats and loving partner.
Arthur McDonald – I am a martial artist, fashion designer, and musician that loves to make art and creativity is my expression. I’m the son of a Jamaican father of African, Chinese, and Indian ancestry, and of a mother of African, Native American, and Scottish ancestry. Our short-form answer to “what are we” has always been maintained as being black. Though when one wants details, I usually ask them to sit down first. I have some experience with acting on camera (The Gift, 2000), fight choreography, and acting for stage (Dante’s Inferno, 7 Stages, 2015).
What Are You? - part of the third annual First Voices Festival
Located in Atlanta, Georgia on Muscogee (Creek) land, 7 Stages joins forces with Turtle Island Trading, Zintkala Zi PowWow, the L5P Business Association and Plaza Theatre in producing the third annual First Voices Festival, A Celebration of Indigenous Cultures. November 2024 activities will include the world premiere of What Are You? by Nicolette Emanuelle, an outdoor PowWow with Native American performers and vendors, story sharing with Muscogee (Creek) elder William Harjo, and a special screening of the documentary Bad River at Plaza Theatre. Click here to learn more about First Voices Festival.
