The Potluck
Book, Music and Lyrics
by César Alvarez
On November 3, 1979 five communist labor organizers were murdered in broad daylight in the streets of Greensboro, NC by a group of KKK and Nazis. All five of the victims had committed their lives to fighting the rule of the capitalist class. The murders had been planned and supported by paid informants of the Greensboro Police and agencies within the U.S. government. One year later in Greensboro, César James Alvarez was born into the survivor community and named after two of the victims, César Cauce and James Waller. 36 years after that an “entertainment” company paid César to write a musical about the Greensboro Massacre, but it turned into a musical about ghosts and queerness and feelings and how to recuperate from trauma that happened to you before you were even born, and also capitalism.
photo by César Alvarez
The Potluck attempts to heal a wound inflicted by state sanctioned white supremacy with the queer witchcraft of musical theater. Leaving behind Marx and linear narrative, The Potluck explores the weak side of revolution and what the ghosts of “The 5” want us to know about the fabric of being.
LISTEN:
Image by Emily Orling
DEVELOPMENT:
2017
Barbara Whitman and Beth Williams Commission César to write a musical about the Greensboro Massacre
2019
First Draft Completed
2020
Second Draft Completed
2021
Workshop in NYC produced by The Perelman Performing Arts Center with Soho Rep.
2022
Workshop produced by New York Stage and Film at Marist College
2023
Workshop produced by The Perelman Performing Arts Center in NYC
2025
Concert Performances at Dartmouth College and the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
The Potluck in Concert at the David Rubinstein Atrium - April 19, 2025
photos by Maria Baranova
Anthony Alfaro
b
Barbara Walsh
Esteban Andrés Cruz
Dionne McClain-Freeney
Ari Brand
Rubén Flores
Ben Anthony Anderson and Jacob Brandt
El Beh
Sammy Figueroa
Eamon Goodman
El Beh and Eamon Goodman
Jacob Brandt
Esteban Andrés Cruz and Anthony Alfaro
Rubén Flores
Dionne McClain-Freeney
COLLABORATORS:
The Potluck is still in development, but this is the community of artists who have been part of its growth so far. Please send corrections!
The Potluck was first workshopped in a two-day reading in October of 2021 at Baryshnikov Arts Center, produced by The Perelman Performing Arts Center with Soho Rep featuring the following cast: Max Crumm, Esteban Cruz, Jenn Kidwell, Lucas Papaelias, Suzzy Roche, Sushma Saha, and Patrick Vaill. Director: Sarah Benson; Producer: Meiyin Wang; Associate Music Director: Jamie Jarrett; Casting: Taylor Williams; Vocal Arrangements: Madeline Smith; Stage Manager: Eliza Anastasio; Covid Safety Officer: Mariana Catalina; Music Assistant: Joshuah Dominique Simpson.
The Potluck was next workshopped in July of 2022 by New York Stage and Film at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY featuring the following cast: Anthony Alfaro, Esteban Andres Cruz, El Beh, Alex Bechtel, Ari Brand, Andrew R. Butler, Jasmine Garvin, B Norwood, Maya Sharpe, Barbara Walsh. Director: Sarah Benson; Spiritual Advisor: Emily Orling; Consulting Choreographer: Ana María Alvarez; Vocal Arrangements: Madeline Benson; Associate Music Director: Alex Bechtel; Score Supervisor/Assistant Music Director: Piper Hill; Stage Manager: Arabella Powell; Assistant Stage Managers: Bari James and Naishaly Velez; Artistic Producer: Liz Carlson; Artistic Director of NYSAF: Chris Burney.
The Potluck was next workshopped in Feb/March of 2023 by The Perelman Performing Arts Center at Gibney Studios in New York, NY featuring the following cast: Anthony Alfaro, Esteban Andres Cruz, El Beh, Ari Brand, Jacob Brandt, Andrew R. Butler, Sammy Figueroa, Dionne McClain-Freeney, B Norwood and Barbara Walsh. Director: Sarah Benson; Spiritual Advisor: Emily Orling; Choreographer: Ana María Alvarez; Music Director and Vocal Arrangements: Madeline Benson; Cultural Coordinator: Ann James; Associate Director: Dante Green; Score Supervisor/Assistant Music Director: Piper Hill; Stage Manager: Lizzy Emmanuel; Assistant Stage Manager: Sarah Herdrich; Production Assistant: Naishaly Velez Galan; Producer: Benjamin Akio Kimitch
The Potluck was next workshopped in March/April of 2025. Rehearsals were at Mabou Mines in New York, NY followed by concerts at Dartmouth College and the David Rubinstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. The concerts were directed by Sarah Benson, with visuals by Emily Orling. Featuring: Anthony Alfaro, Ben Anthony Anderson, b, El Beh, Ari Brand, Jacob Brandt, Esteban Andres Cruz, Sammy Figueroa, Rubén Flores, Eamon Goodman, Dionne McClain-Freeney, Barbara Walsh. César Alvarez: Book, Music, Lyrics and Music Director; Emily Orling: Visuals, Production Designer and Spiritual Advisor; Noelle Viñas and Goblin Brain Productions: Line Producer; Piper Hill: Projections and Captions Designer; Dante Green: Associate Director; Dionne McClain-Freeney: Associate Music Director; Madeline Benson: Arranger and Orchestrator; Eamon Goodman: Audio Supervisor; Jordan Weiner and Trevor Williams: Stage Managers; Amanda Spooner: Production Coordinator; Taylor Williams: Casting; Dartmouth Crew- Raegan Padula: Audio Engineer; Lucia Hartray: Assistant Stage Manager
Concerts at Dartmouth and Lincoln Center were produced with support from The Leslie Center for the Humanities, Dartmouth Department of Music, The Dean of Faculty at Dartmouth College, Soho Rep and Lincoln Center.
Thank you!