Review: FANNIE - THE MUSIC AND LIFE OF FANNIE LOU HAMER at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

Fannie - The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer continues through April 2nd.

By: Mar. 19, 2023
Review: FANNIE - THE MUSIC AND LIFE OF FANNIE LOU HAMER at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley

Fannie - The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer

Written by Cheryl L. West

Directed by Tim Bond

Theatreworks Silicon Valley

Fannie is an American horror story and were the events portrayed in the life of civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer not true, one would think it was an imagined social dystopia like A Clockwork Orange or Orwell's 1984. Hamer, a poor, uneducated sharecropper from Mississippi rose to become a major player in the 1960's civil rights movement, withstanding the torrents of violent racism and hatred leveled against her. Horribly beaten, jailed, and a witness to the horrific murders of Medger Evans, Martin Luther King and Emmett Till, Hamer was never beaten buoyed by her faith and determination to raise all boats through equal rights.

Writer Cheryl L. West had created the perfect vehicle for this bio drama, merging Hamer's spiritual background with her emerging struggle for access to voting rights. Helmed by director Tim Bond, Fannie smartly utilizes projections by Miko S, Simmons in lieu of a set and introduces a wonderful three-piece band (Morgan E. Stevenson, Spencer Bean and Leonard Maddox Jr.) as Fannie's backup.

Review: FANNIE - THE MUSIC AND LIFE OF FANNIE LOU HAMER at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
Greta Oglesby is Fannie Lou Hamer

The entire production lays on the back of Greta Oglesby, who delivers a tour de force of stunning depth, power and nuance. Delivering precious lines like "truth ain't never been the enemy, 'less'n you in the business of worshipping a lie", Oglesby charms and encourages, expressing the determination and hope Hamer represented. With a beautiful alto voice, she sings hymns like "This Little Heart of Mine" and We Shall not Be Moved", rousing the audience already sold wholeheartedly on her bravura performance.

It's hard not to be moved by Fannie, a story of a true American hero and a much-needed reminder of those that came before us paving the way with the mantra of "Nobody's free until we're all free."

Fannie - The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer continues through April 2nd. Tickets available at Click Here or by calling 877-662-8978

Photo credit: Kevin Berne




RELATED STORIES - San Francisco / Bay Area

1
Video: First Look at DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN at San Francisco Opera Photo
Video: First Look at DIE FRAU OHNE SCHATTEN at San Francisco Opera

Get a first look at Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal's fairy-tale opera Die Frau ohne Schatten at San Francisco opera!

2
TV Legend Henry Winkler is Coming to the Curran Theater in November Photo
TV Legend Henry Winkler is Coming to the Curran Theater in November

TV legend Henry Winkler is coming to San Francisco’s Curran Theater on Monday, November 27 at 7:30 p.m.

3
San Francisco Opera Mourns The Passing Of Finnish Composer Kaija Saariaho Photo
San Francisco Opera Mourns The Passing Of Finnish Composer Kaija Saariaho

San Francisco Opera mourns the passing of composer Kaija Saariaho. The Finnish musician, whose brilliant instrumental and vocal works have reached a global audience, died peacefully at her home in Paris this morning. She was 70 years old.

4
TWELFTH NIGHT Meets Telenovela in Silicon Valley Shakespeare Production This Month Photo
TWELFTH NIGHT Meets Telenovela in Silicon Valley Shakespeare Production This Month

On Friday, June 9th, appearing on the great lawn at Willow Street Frank Bramhall Park, in San José, California, is William Shakespeare's romantic comedy, Twelfth Night (o Noche de reyes) about shipwrecked twins, Viola and Sebastian, and the pandemonium and hijinks that ensue when they are separated by that state of tumult.

From This Author - Steve Murray

Steve Murray is a writer for Cabaret Scenes magazine, contributor to ForAllEvents and now BroadwayWorld. He started writing rock reviews for his college newspaper in the 1970’s, produced a varie... (read more about this author)

Videos


#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# The Beat Goes On
Transcendence Theatre Company (6/16-7/02)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Summer Stage Reading Series 1: New Plays Each Performance!
Valley Players (6/09-6/10)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Ball Biddies
Phoenix Theater (6/13-6/13)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# "Swimming With Lesbians"
The Marsh San Francisco (6/11-6/25)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Steel Magnolias
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (6/07-7/02)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# ATOMIC COMIC
Z Space (6/30-7/08)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# A Roll of the Dice: An Improvised Play at the Mercy of Chance!
Lesher Center for the Arts (7/13-7/23)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Killing My Lobster Presents: Toon Out
447 Minna (5/25-6/10)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Tosca
Cinnabar Theater (6/09-6/25)
#repshow# in #getregions.name[i]# Kinky Boots
City Lights Theater Company (7/13-8/20)
VIEW ALL SHOWS  ADD A SHOW  

Recommended For You