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Arts & Entertainment

Creative Cauldron Presents Tinner Hill: Portraits in Black and White

Don't miss opening weekend of this original work of theater at The Little Center for the Arts

Local theater rarely provides an intimate look at the lives of historical movers and shakers who impacted the community in a profound way. Tinner Hill: Portraits in Black and White is the exception to the rule, proving that plays deeply rooted in the history of local communities can resonate with audience members long after the curtains close. This groundbreaking production opens tonight at ArtSpace Falls Church, fondly referred to by locals as “The Little Center for the Arts in the Little City.”

Creative Cauldron, the non-profit arts organization that manages and operates ArtSpace, is remounting the original work of theater in collaboration with the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation. Tinner Hill is based on the personal stories of Falls Church residents who played significant roles in an ongoing struggle for civil rights.

“I really believe that Tinner Hill is an important production because it tells the story of Falls Church and Fairfax County through the lens of the early settlers, both black and white,” said Creative Cauldron President Gina Caceci. “But it is also the story of cities and towns across the United States and their struggle with civil rights. Tinner Hill’s importance is not unique to Falls Church although the stories in the play are local stories.”

Tinner Hill, originally produced in 2010 by Creative Cauldron, was well received by the local community and even created an open dialogue among community members about the shared history of black and white families in Falls Church. The production developed through funding from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Arts Council of Fairfax County after Creative Cauldron Founder and Director Laura Hull connected with local residents whose family history was rich with stories.

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“I had always known that Falls Church became the first rural chapter of the NAACP,” Hull said. “But as I started to hear more of the stories of what really happened in Falls Church, I said ‘This is just amazing. This has great potential to become a piece of live theater.’”

Hull began a one-year process with a team of actors, writers, scholars and historians to create a theater production based on these inspiring stories. Hull and her collaborators were able to thread a series of theatrical vignettes together, using blues and gospel music to show the journey of resistance and resilience made by Falls Church’s forefathers.

Find out what's happening in Falls Churchwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We were looking at history through a different lens,” Hull said. “A hidden history that most people don’t know about. It’s really through the perspective of these African American pioneers.”

The overwhelming sense of community found in this production is perfectly in line with Creative Cauldron’s mission to make the arts affordable and accessible to everyone.

“We try to keep our focus on what’s most important and transformational about the arts – and that’s about it being an intimate part of your life,” Hull said. “We want this to be a place where people can participate, learn and really be a part of the exchange in creating the performance. That’s kind of the magic of what’s happened here.”

Caceci said the organization’s goal is to make the arts not just easy to get to but accessible in terms of engagement and participation. “That’s what we do,” she said. “So many people say, ‘Oh, I'm not creative’ and what I've learned is that we're all creative. We need to broaden our definition of creativity. Creative Cauldron helps people do that.”

Performances of Tinner Hill: Portraits in Black and White will be held June 4-5 and June 9-12 at Artspace Falls Church. The cast includes professional actors and musicians as well as auditioned community actors.

Click here for more information about the production.

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