2018-19 Guide To Yellow Springs

5 Y e l l ow S p r i n g s N ews the Guide to YelLow Springs y 2018 - 1 9 By CARLA STEIGER AND CAROL SIMMONS “The proof that one truly believes is action.” —Bayard Rustin The late civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, an adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., was the principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, where King deliv- ered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. But Rustin, an openly gay man, was forced into the background of the civil rights move- ment because of his sexual orientation. And today, three decades after his death in 1987, Rustin’s name and contributions are not widely known. In an effort to bring Rustin’s story out of the shadows, a series of events, including multiple performances of an oratorio about the activist’s life, were presented in Septem - ber 2018. The 57-minute musical work, “Bayard Rustin: The Man Behind the Dream,” was performed in Yellow Springs, Dayton and Cincinnati. The Yellow Springs-based World House Choir anchored the piece, with additional singers coming from the Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus and several Cincinnati-based groups. World House Choir founder and director Catherine Roma described the oratorio, com- posed by Cincinnati-based composer Steve Milloy, as “electrifying.” Roma, a frequent collaborator of Milloy’s, wanted to bring the monumental work, which premiered in Min- nesota two years ago, to local audiences. The September performances were the oratorio’s Ohio premiere. A legacy of inclusion Rustin’s legacy offers many touchstones for learning and discussion, Roma said in a News interview. For example, Rustin, who was raised as a Quaker, went to jail as a conscientious objector in World War II. His life-long efforts toward greater equal - ity, justice and peace are inspirational to the choral director, whose own life’s work has included a focus on inclusivity. “In my 40 years of conducting choirs, it’s been an important value of mine to bring people of different backgrounds and beliefs together,” she said. The World House Choir, for its part, is ethnically, racially, politically and spiritu- ally diverse, with singers ranging in age from 18 to 94. Singers come from Dayton, y WORLD HOUsE CHOIR honors unsung hero y In September 2018, the World House Choir performed “Bayard Rustin: The Man Behind the Dream,” an oratorio that tells the story of a central, yet little-known, figure of the civil rights movement, to a standing-room-only crowd at Antioch College’s Foundry Theater. The piece was conducted by Jeremy Winston; narrator and soloists La’Shelle Allen and Keith Dean told the story in word and song.  Urbana, Springfield, Cedarville, Middle- town and Cincinnati, as well as Yellow Springs. Each year, the choir, currently celebrat- ing its fifth season, prepares a fall concert focused on a specific social justice issue. Past themes have been climate disruption and immigration. Originally commissioned by five LGBTQ choruses around the country, “The Man Behind the Dream” features a variety of musical styles, ranging from gospel to tango to blues to shape-note hymns. The story spans Rustin’s life and features pivotal moments along the way. Both local performances, held in Antioch College’s Foundry Theater, were to standing- room only crowds. The choir also prepares a Martin Luther King Jr. Day program each year, which it per- forms as part of the local MLK Day celebra- tion, as well as in several prisons. 1 • Photo by MATT MINDE Photo by Suzanne Szempruch Cathy Roma directs a rehearsal of the World House Choir, which she co-founded in 2013 and which now boasts about 100 singers. (937) 376-4570 • (937) 436-1717 www . eldridgeroofing . net PHIL ELDRIDGE Owner MON.–SAT. 8:30 A.M.–6:30 P.M. SUN. NOON–3 P.M. 254 XENIA AVE. • 767-7451 WWW. Y ELLOW S PRINGS H ARDWARE.COM Locally Owned & Independent Continuing 90+ Years of Village Hardware Tradition ASK US ABOUT PLACING SPECIAL ORDERS • Plumbing & Electrical Supplies • Lawn & Garden Care • Valspar Paint & Cabot Stains • Housewares & Building Supplies • Bird Seed & Pet Supplies • Hand Tools UPS Drop-off & Fax Service Jewelry •  Clothing •  Home Accents Gifts for All Occasions 230 Xenia | 767-1628 A Collection of UNIQUE TREASURES From Abroad