Nashville, Tenn. – November 11, 2022 – Contemporary arts center OZ Arts Nashville today announced revered blues and soul singer Martha Redbone will take the OZ Arts stage with a cast of eight actors/musicians to perform the epic interdisciplinary theater production Bone Hill: The Concert December 2 and 3, 2022.
Originally co-commissioned by prestigious New York institutions Lincoln Center and The Public Theater, Martha Redbone’s stirring production takes audiences on a thought-provoking, uniquely American journey inspired by empowered women from her memories as a Black and Cherokee girl growing up in the Black Mountain “coal country” of Kentucky. Redbone blends the folk and country sounds of the Appalachian Mountains with the gospel, bluegrass, rhythm and blues music traditions of Redbone’s African American father and traditional Cherokee chants and lullabies that honor the Choctaw spirit of her mother.
With a musical style described as “a brilliant collision of cultures” by The New Yorker, Redbone’s Bone Hill powerfully explores our nation’s history through the lives of four generations of Cherokee women. What unfolds is the story of one family’s connection to the land, both the simplicity and sacredness of that connection and the ruptures that threaten to extinguish it.
“Martha Redbone creates a fresh, joyous and profound form of musical theater with a powerful message of respect for her Native American heritage,” says Mark Murphy, OZ Arts Executive and Artistic Director. “We’re proud to have Martha bring this theatrical concert experience to the OZ Arts stage and introduce the Nashville community into her deeply engaging story.”
OZ Arts will present Bone Hill on December 2 and 3 in its expansive warehouse. Tickets begin at $20 and are on sale now at the following link.
This performance is made possible with generous support from donors and grants. To learn more about upcoming performances, please visit www.ozartsnashville.org.
TICKETS & MORE INFORMATION
Performances:
Friday, December 2 at 8:00pm
Saturday, December 3 at 8:00pm
Tickets: $20-$25
Seating is general admission and tickets are available for purchase at ozartsnashville.org.
About OZ Arts Nashville
Founded in 2013 by the Ozgener family, OZ Arts Nashville has quickly established itself as one of the Southeast's most influential and respected producers and presenters focused on the creation and presentation of significant performing and visual artworks by diverse cultural visionaries who are making vital contributions to the evolution of contemporary culture. Through performances, exhibitions, and community events, OZ Arts focuses on producing and presenting the work of local and visiting artists who reflect our diverse society, utilize new artistic forms and technology in creative ways, and provide opportunities for meaningful engagement with audiences, students and cultural and civic leaders. OZ Arts' unique creative warehouse has developed a reputation as a major national and regional laboratory for experimentation and a home for contemporary dance and performance. More than 50,000 audience members have been introduced to adventurous artists from around the world since the organization opened, and hundreds of local and regional artists have used OZ’s 10,000 square-foot warehouse theater to develop new works. For more information, please visit ozartsnashville.org.
About Martha Redbone
Martha Redbone is a Native & African-American vocalist/songwriter/composer/educator. She is known for her unique gumbo of folk, blues, and gospel from her childhood in Harlan County, Kentucky infused with the eclectic grit of pre-gentrified Brooklyn. Inheriting the powerful vocal range of her gospel-singing African American father and the resilient spirit of her mother’s Southeastern Cherokee/Choctaw culture, Redbone broadens the boundaries of American Roots music. With songs and storytelling that share her life experience as a Native and Black woman and mother in the new millennium, Redbone gives voice to issues of social justice, bridging traditions from past to present, connecting cultures, and celebrating the human spirit.
In her rich and diverse musical career, Redbone has performed and recorded with many great artists including: Bonnie Raitt, George Clinton, Judy Collins, and John Carter Cash, amongst many others. She is composer for the Broadway production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuff, a revival/reimagining of the 1976 classic choreopoem by the late Ntozake Shange. Redbone joined the all-women-of-color Creative Team to celebrate the author’s historical work and legacy, receiving rave reviews with notable mentions for their team's original compositions and score — "supreme music...brilliant" (NY Daily News). She also has an album titled “The Garden of Love - Songs of William Blake,” produced by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founder/Grammy Winner John McEuen.