A List
9/15/05

IMMIGRANT STORIES TOLD IN SLU MULTIMEDIA PERFORMANCE

CANTON - "Crossing The Boulevard: Strangers, Neighbors, Aliens in a New America," a multimedia performance by Warren Lehrer and Judith Sloan, based on their acclaimed book, will take place at St. Lawrence University on Thursday, September 22, at 7:30 p.m. in Gulick Theatre. The event is open to the public, free of charge.

The performance portrays "the struggles, humor and pathos of new immigrants and refugees in the most polyglot locality in the U.S." Documentary artists Lehrer and Sloan spent three years in their native borough of Queens, New York, collecting the stories of new immigrants, seeking a deeper connection to their diverse community. Their work resulted in a book of photographs and stories; an audio CD; a series of public radio documentaries; a reading/performance tour; a Web site; and a traveling exhibition of photographic prints, sound stations, and a "mobile story booth." In the performance, Lehrer is the tour guide, providing wry commentary on the follies of Queens living and U.S. immigration policy, while Sloan "channels" a variety of interviewees. Their performance is illuminated by projected portraits of the subjects photographed by Lehrer, objects they have carried with them from home to home, landscapes and maps, along with an engaging soundtrack of original music, sounds and voices.

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