New Musical 'The Potluck' Confronts 1979 Greensboro Antiracist Demonstration Tragedy
Composer César Alvarez discussed his musical The Potluck, which dramatizes the 1979 Greensboro shooting that killed five Communist Workers’ Party members.
On one outlet, César Alvarez explained that The Potluck portrays the 1979 incident in Greensboro, North Carolina, where Klansmen and American Nazis opened fire on an antiracist rally, resulting in five deaths. The city council formally apologized in 2020 for the attack and the police’s role. Alvarez, whose parents were party members, said the work reflects his personal ties to the victims. He hopes the production helps audiences understand the lasting impact of that state-sanctioned violence.
Why it matters
The musical revives a painful chapter of American history, prompting reflection on past violence and its lingering effects.
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