White Snake Project to Premiere First Community Opera TO THE PEOPLE LIKE US
The performance will take place on June 28, 2025.
By: Chloe Rabinowitz May. 06, 2025
White Snake Projects will return to The Strand Theatre, June 28, 2025, for the world premiere of To The People Like Us, in a season dedicated to addressing the climate crisis through art. Marking the company's inaugural community opera, To The People Like Us was collaboratively written by local teenage students of 826 Boston's Youth Literacy Advisory Board. To The People Like Us is an original timely story exploring issues of gentrification, climate change, and development in Boston. Set to original music by Mexican-American composer Jorge Sosa, a quartet of singers will be accompanied by a classical musical ensemble.
Celebrating their debut as librettists, the 11 young writers are all students (ages 15-18) at the after-school literacy program, 826 Boston. According to Daniela Martinez of East Boston, writing for opera was an intimidating yet rewarding task. "I never thought that I'd be able to write an opera. It seemed daunting. But, whenever I ran out of words, my writing partners filled in the blanks for me. Creating this opera showed me the brilliance of others first-hand." The students spent a semester expounding on the topic of gentrification and its current and prospective impact on climate.
To The People Like Us is set in a neighborhood in Boston similar to Dorchester or Roxbury where residents are mostly people of color, predominantly Latine. It's a story about gentrification centered on the local Bodega and skate park and their imminent razing by local developers.
"It's about gentrification-our apartment building torn down,
our bodega and our park. I can't imagine the bulldozers making
all we love into rubble, piles of rubble, piles of rubble, piles of rubble."
"This is a once in a lifetime chance to stand up for what we love.
We can no longer destroy our lives just to be one of them?"
"I reach across the dark abyss and clutch your hand in mine.
Together we can build a bridge, a colored bridge of hope."
"Do they care about our neighborhoods? The green of parks and trees.
Do they care about our neighborhoods? Or only the green of money?"
White Snake Projects's 2025 season amplifies the urgent issue of climate by better educating, advocating and conversing about climate change. Dedicated to using the power of music theater and the arts toraise awareness of climate justice, WSP encourages both the practice of sustainability in opera, as well as promoting the adoption of a philosophy of sustainability that can be woven into every aspect of production.
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