ROSA'S RIDE

A musical dramatization of the life of Rosa Parks

Four professional actor/singer/dancers, inventive staging, and an inspiring score by Jonathan Luks—using jazz, blues and gospel styles—create a powerful theatrical experience for young audiences. We follow the struggles of a young girl through the indignities of prejudice to discover her strength of conviction, as a simple act of civil disobedience gives birth to the civil rights movement. An intriguing backdrop which evolves from black and white to an intricate mosaic enables us to take “Rosa’s Ride” to a new dawn.

For Rosa Parks, life’s inequities were apparent by the age of six. Starting school in the one room wooden schoolhouse her mother had attended, and watching the white children get off the bus at the new brick school house, placed an indelible question mark at the end of the policy “separate but equal?” Endowed with an inquisitive nature and strong sense of fair play, Rosa takes with determination the uphill climb that faces her. As a child, Rosa once wondered whether the water from the “colored” water fountain tasted different from the water from the “white” fountain. As an adult, she married Raymond Parks, an early activist, and she went on to become the secretary for the NAACP. This moving production traces how Rosa handled various experiences of discrimination, culminating with the famous Montgomery, Alabama bus incident which sparked the modern civil rights movement.

In Rosa’s Ride, Flying Ship Productions humanizes the important developments in race relations that touched and were influenced by events in Rosa’s life. Using original songs composed by Jonathan Luks, with musical styles from the period, plus authentic costumes, inspirational scenes, exciting dances, and top professional actors, Rosa’s incredible story comes alive. The backdrop is a metaphorical and literal puzzle, which is built upon throughout the show. It metamorphoses from black and white to vibrant color, and the hope for yet more understanding.

See video excerpts from this show:

View newspaper articles about "Rosa's Ride"!

	Jan., 2002 from "The Morning Call"
	Feb., 2001 from "The Montclair Times"
	Feb., 2001 from the "Norwalk/Westport Hour"

Other shows performed by FLYING SHIP PRODUCTIONS include:

	WINTER WONDERLAND (grades K-6)
	DOUBLE V (best suited for grades 2-8, but can accommodate younger children if they are well-prepared)
	THE COURAGE TO DREAM: the amazing life of Ben Franklin (grades K-8)
	PUSS IN HIGHTOPS (grades K-6)
	THE FOOL AND THE FLYING SHIP (grades K-6)

For further information about availability, fees, or booking this program into your facility, contact:
Encore Performing Arts, Inc.
P.O. Box 630
Melville, NY 11747
631-423-0747 • Outside area, call toll-free 800-669-9850
fax: 631-423-1795

ENCORE's home | Flying Ship's home | ENCORE's roster of performers | Fees and availability