TIME: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 7 PM

LOCATION: FIRST PARISH CHURCH, 217 MAINE STREET, BRUNSWICK, ME

ADMISSION: FREE TO THE PUBLIC

On Friday, October 11th, at 7 pm in its historic sanctuary, First Parish Church will present award-winning storyteller Antonio Rocha in a performance of The Malaga Ship: A Story of Maine and the Middle Passage.

The Malaga was a 183-ton brig built in 1832 by Brunswick shipowner Joseph Badger and later became involved in the illegal transatlantic trade of African captives to the Americas, especially to Brazil, Rocha’s home country.

The Malaga Ship is a tour de force one-man show. Using his entire body and voice, Rocha sings, narrates, and mimes his way through this poetically toned historical tale told mostly from the perspective of the ship. This vivid and impactful exploration of the slave industry lasts 45 minutes. A 30-minute discussion session with the audience follows, offering an opportunity to ask questions about the Middle Passage and the performance.

At the same time, First Parish will also host an exhibit on “Brunswick & the Slave Trade” designed by the Pejepscot History Center to complement the Malaga performance. Illustrated with maps, portraits, photography, and documents, the exhibit will tell the authentic story of Brunswick’s involvement in the slave trade from the arrival of the first colonizers through the growth of abolition. Click here to learn more.

Co-sponsored by the Maine Humanities Council and the Maine Arts Commission, the show will be open to the public free of charge. The performance will also be livestreamed on our Facebook page and available to view for one week. All are welcome.

Here is a link to the poster for the event.