The Moment Was Now Musical
History Comes Alive!
During this historic moment of both crisis and opportunity the film version of the musical, The Moment Was Now captures the striking parallels between the era of Reconstruction portrayed in the film and our current struggle.
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Moment takes place in 1869 during Reconstruction, a pivotal period in U.S. history described as an era when “America almost did the right thing.” It echoes the depth of white supremacy that has come center stage again today, while large numbers of people are struggling with economic disaster. The movement of African Americans has again inspired a national awakening of people from all walks of life. As in the film, the challenges of building a united movement against an oppressive system are before us.
To sponsor a showing of “Moment” for your organization contact Gene Bruskin at themomentwasnow@gmail.com.
Many have said that you can’t understand our current predicament if you don’t understand Reconstruction. If the Civil Rights movement was the second Reconstruction, we are now approaching a third Reconstruction.
The musical played live in Baltimore in 2019/20 and the film has been showing widely online, sponsored by labor councils, progressive groups, teachers, and others with playwright Gene Bruskin and director Darryl! Moch joining for discussion.
The story reveals the impassioned search for unity among the dynamic leaders of powerful social movements during Reconstruction. Like today, violence was used to defend the status quo, in that case by the KKK. The contemporary themes of the search for racial and economic justice and women’s rights reverberate throughout the musical.
The conflicts and possibilities unfold in music and spoken word at a meeting convened by Frederick Douglass. Hope hangs in the balance.
In 2020, as we are commemorating the 150th anniversary of the 15th Amendment and the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote, Moment brings history alive.
Conceived and Created by Gene Bruskin In collaboration with
Darryl! LC Moch, Director; Glenn Pearson, Musical Director;
and Chester Burke, Jr., Assistant Musical Director
.RECONSTRUCTION CURRICULUM
For a complete Reconstruction curriculum that utilizes the film and other materials go to: https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/the-moment-was-now
(Zinn Education Project)
FILM SHOWINGS
·Washington, DC Labor Film Festival: May 12
Kings County/Seattle Central Labor Council: May 8
Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival (Monterrey, CA): June 2
Boston Labor Community Coalition :June 11 and June 27
Massachusetts Teachers Association-June 19th
Western MA Central Labor Council, Voices of Workers Coalition: June 20
Organizing-Upgrade, Bay Area, CA: June 24
Peoples Forum, NYC: July 6
July 24th, 6pm PDT-Alliance for Social and Economic Justice, CA.
August 5th: 6pm EDT-Frances Project/Making Art, Making History, Philadelphia PA
September (TBD)-MissionInvestors Exchange
The Moment Was Now Has its Moment:
Moment Performances Draws Crowds and Wows
100 years after the 19 th Amendment and 150 years after the 15 th Amendment “Moment” makes all the connections.
The Moment Was Now ran for two successful runs, in September 2019 and February 2020 in Baltimore to enthusiastic audiences who sang, clapped and even cried and stayed for engaging post-show discussions.
One national labor leader a called it “a historical masterpiece.”
One grandmother, whose 9-year-old granddaughter was captivated by the music and the show, said it has “great potential in my home-schooling work and could help in creating a curriculum for different age groups.
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A railroad worker who drove with a group from his union (BMWE/IBT) from Philadelphia, said: It was very well done, I truly enjoyed it. However, my wife now reminds me about 6 times a day that “women hold up half the sky” (this was the chorus of a song sung by Susan B Anthony)
The Washington Informer said: “For two hours, rights, wrongs, race and justice are fused into a foot-tapping, hand-clapping kaleidoscope of spoken word/rap/jazz, blues, gospel and musical theater, animated in a lyrical montage through the lens of history. The story takes wings and soars.” (Gwen McKinney)
The unusual format, content and affordable ticket prices drew a unique range of people. Some came from as far away as San Francisco, Boston, New Jersey and Ohio. The audiences included many people from Maryland who don’t often go to theater: public housing activists; returning citizens (“ex- cons”); a large group of retired hospital workers (1199/SEIU) as well as national labor leaders, groups from Senior residential centers, many progressive organizers and activists and of course the Baltimore area theater going audiences.
One of the most memorable performances was a special showing for 150 Baltimore high school students who were captivated by the music and the history and participated in a vigorous post-show discussion with the entire cast.
The Moment Was Now is an original musical play that takes place in post- civil war Baltimore in 1869, a turning point in US history where America almost did the right thing. Echoing the current moment, the play centers around the impassioned search for unity between the dynamic historic leaders of powerful movements during Reconstruction. The conflicts and possibilities unfold at a fictional meeting convened by Frederick Douglass and are elevated by the musical and spoken word format.
This most unusual gathering consists of suffragette, abolitionist Susan B. Anthony; Black trade union leader Isaac Myers; African American feminist, author and abolitionist Frances Harper; and Irish National Labor Union president William Sylvis. Railroad Kingpin Jay Gould lurks in the background. Hope hangs in the balance.
