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A Black girl, with an Afro, holds up her fist in a spotlight.

GoldGrrl (performer) in water riot in beta 2022 songbook performance | photo by Jeremy Lawson

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Grant Recipient

Derek Lee McPhatter & the water riot ensemble

GoldGrrl (performer) in water riot in beta 2022 songbook performance | photo by Jeremy Lawson

Location
Chicago, IL
Project Title
water riot: a cyber punk rock opera
Fiscal Year Awarded
2025

Set in a near future Chicagoland, water riot follows an unlikely coalition of black activists, challenging an A.I. police state by staging a protest against the privatization of Lake Michigan. It features four primary performers and a live band. The story explores different perspectives on movement-building as the characters find inspiration in Black Lives Matter, Standing Rock, Occupy Wall Street and other moments of social activism. The music builds on the under-acknowledged legacy of Black voices at the foundation of rock, punk, and experimental music. The audience becomes an active participant in the experience as our characters use storytelling/confessional, call and response, movement and other techniques to “rally” a crowd. The show brings audiences along a collective emotional reflection on climate change - moving from anger and despair towards determination / resilience / hope.

What's Happening

Sep 9, 2025
In front of a gray background and with a warm filter from the left, four dancers are intertwined.

NEFA’s National Dance Project Announces 2025 Production Awards

Sep 9, 2025
In the air and from below, two dancers intertwine their arms but their legs are held close to themselves in the bright blue sky. One of them is an amputee.

National Dance Project Awards: Advocacy Through Creative Praxis

Sep 8, 2025
The mural, which spells out Clinton, sits on the side of a wall that creates a bridge for a train. The town of Clinton sits beyond the tracks with tall green trees and a bright blue sky.

Making it Public: Public Art Fosters Community Pride in Clinton, MA

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