Join us for the New England premiere of A Mother’s Rite!
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Doors 7:00 PM | Performance 7:30 PM
Union Chapel — Oak Bluffs
55 Narragansett Ave, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557
Presented by Jeremy McQueen’s Black Iris Project & 651 Arts
Sponsored by Vineyard Arts Project
No late seating
Ticket purchases are final sale. No refunds or exchanges will be provided.
Content Advisory: This performance contains strobe lights. Not recommended for young children.
Jeremy McQueen’s Emmy® award-winning Black Iris Project and 651 Arts proudly presents the New England premiere of A Mother’s Rite, a cutting-edge ballet that explores one mother’s journey through stages of grief after being thrust into the spotlight by way of her son's murder. Inspired by countless Black mothers who have lost their children to police brutality and racially targeted violence, A Mother’s Rite is a single act solo set to Igor Stravinsky's iconic Rite of Spring musical composition. In Martha’s Vineyard, A Mother’s Rite will be performed by former Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater soloist, Fana Tesfagiorgis.
Directed & Choreographed by Jeremy McQueen and developed in collaboration with librettist Angelica Chéri, A Mother’s Rite was co-commissioned through the The Bronx Museum of the Arts’ Dance and Visual Arts Collaborative Commissioning Program and 651 ARTS, with additional support provided by Vineyards Arts Project. The stage version of the ballet premiered on Thursday, August 16, 2018 in New York City, presented by City Park's Foundation's SUMMERSTAGE. Performed by Alvin Ailey American Dancer Theater dancer and Princess Grace Award recipient Courtney Celeste Spears, the Emmy® Award-nominated film adaptation was filmed and edited by award-winning filmmaker Colton Williams, and premiered on January 19, 2019.
VINEYARD BUZZ
Martha’s Vineyard Times
The Black Iris Project: Choreographer Jeremy McQueen champions justice through dance
August 29, 2018 by Wendy Taucher
https://www.mvtimes.com/2018/08/29/black-iris-project/
Raising The Barre: Vineyard Arts Project residencies present a season filled with passion and politics
June 13, 2018 by Wendy Taucher
https://www.mvtimes.com/2018/06/13/raising-the-barre/
MVY RADIO
The Vineyard Current - Segment from September 2nd, 2018
with Jeremy McQueen, The Black Iris Project
https://soundcloud.com/mvyradio/jeremy-mcqueen-the-black-iris-project-ballets-complete-922018
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I purchase a ticket at the door?
Tickets will not be available for purchase at the door. Seating is limited and we anticipate online tickets to sell out rapidly.
How long is the performance and will there be an intermission?
The program runs 90 minutes in length and will be performed without an intermission. The evening will conclude with a post-performance community conversation.
I won’t be able to attend but can I make a donation?
Absolutely! Click here to make a tax-deductible donation to help us continue creating and presenting impactful works of art.
Will the performance be live-streamed?
Unfortunately, not this time around.
How do I get there?
For more information about Union Chapel, click here