Hear Future Shock on WUNC Music 91.5 HD2 or on the livestream Saturday evenings at 6 p.m.
Future Shock, hosted by WUNC Music Director Brian Burns, is a new weekly show that explores progressive new sounds, global beats, and under-the-radar classics. Expect to hear a variety of genres from around the world; from jazz to funk to cumbia to reggae and beyond.
Future Shock features a theme song created by Greensboro-based electronic music artist Quilla, and art by Carrboro cartoonist Max Huffman.
Folks, we are buzzing with anticipation. I am excited to announce that QUEEN BEES (my musical project with Kate Musselwhite Tobey and Molly McGinn) has been selected as a finalist in the Not Your Average Folk contest! If we win, we will secure a spot to perform at the upcoming North Carolina Folk Festival. Members of the public can vote once a day!
Please cast your vote right here: https://ncfolkfestival.com/vote/
On behalf of my fellow Queen Bees, thanks so much for your support! The song we wrote and recorded for this submission (aptly titled “Let the Queen Be”) is all about showing our support for drag artists in the US. They have been under fire lately from all sides. Our song shows our solidarity and appreciation for the art form, and as allies, we hope to shine a positive light on the issue.
It’s an honor to play music with these ladies in our project, QUEEN BEES. Writing and arranging the tunes is also a very fun experience for us. Each person brings a different dimension to the music. And I get to play my Roland drum machine and vocal looper for this project, so I am thrilled. Vote for us if our song resonates with you!
Premiering at the Stephen D. Hyers Theater, this musical is an intergenerational story about diaspora and dreams. Told through live dance sequences crafted by local choreographer LeDarius Parker as well as dialog and a powerful musical score written and produced by Quilla, the narrative focuses on three characters who reside in modern-day Greensboro, NC. Each character is grappling with a turning point in their lives, and encounters an ancestral figure during dreams, leading to a profound transformation. The characters represent a cross-section of contemporary North Carolina, and their ancestors represent a diverse snapshot of humanity’s past.
ANCESTRAL was created with support by the North Carolina Arts Council and partnering arts councils such as ArtsGreensboro. Its production was also made possible by Creative Greensboro’s artist residency program at the Stephen D. Hyers Theater in April 2023. This event is wheelchair accessible, and ADA-compliant.
Recommended for ages 10 and up. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
PRODUCTION
Written, directed and produced by Anna Luisa Daigneault (Quilla)
Choreography by LeDarius Gipsi Parker
Music and lyrics by Anna Luisa Daigneault (Quilla)
Choral arrangements by Kate Tobey
Beats on “You Belong Here” and “Bloodlines Remix” by Treee City
“Bloodlines” music video directed by Alexei Mejouev
Live video projections by Jennida Chase and Hassan Pitts
Lighting technician: Fatima Njie
Audio technician: Keenan Harmon
Poster design by Marty O’Connor
Stage hand: Skyler Foy
CAST
ANGELA FERNANDEZ – Darah Willey
AMIKA – Mikayla Johnson
ADAM – Jarvis Wilson
ROSA – Sabrina Morales
AMUL – Shelby Johnson
JOHN WHITE – Stefan DiMuzio
THE SUBLIMINALS (dancers): Elijah Grady, April McLaurin, Travis Simmons, Janina Spencer
COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS CHOIR: Kate Tobey, Izzy Hayes, Lee Atkinson
This new song “Bloodlines” is about weaving a connection with one’s ancestry. With stunning choreography by LeDarius Parker, the dancers embody resilience and empathy. This piece from Quilla’s new musical, ANCESTRAL. Tickets are on sale now for performances on April 27, 28, 29, 30 (2023) at the Stephen D. Hyers Theater in Greensboro, NC.
VIDEO CREDITS
Composed and produced by Quilla
Choreography by LeDarius Gipsi Parker
Directed and edited by Alexei Mejouev
Dancers: Elijah Grady, April McLaurin, Laniya Smith, Cameron Vanderhaar
Filmed at the Greensboro Cultural Center
Made with support from the North Carolina Arts Council & ArtsGreensboro
SONG CREDITS
Quilla – “Bloodlines” (feat. Kate Tobey)
Music and lyrics by Quilla
Violin and backing vocals: Kate Tobey
Mixing and electronic production: Quilla
Recording engineer: Mike Garrigan
Vocal production: Quilla and Mike Garrigan
Mastering: Holger Lagerfeldt
I’m thrilled to share that choreographer LeDarius Gipsi Parker and I have been awarded an artist residency through Creative Greensboro at the Stephen D. Hyers Theatre for the month of April 2023.
We will be immersed in the choreography and production of the musical I am writing, ANCESTRAL. Performances will be held at the Hyers Theatre on April 27-28-29-30. This event is wheelchair accessible, and ADA-compliant.
Tickets for ANCESTRAL are available now!
What is ANCESTRAL?
Surrealism, survival and legacy intertwine in this new musical. A Greensboro-based production, it is an intergenerational story told through live dance sequences crafted by local choreographer LeDarius Parker as well as dialog and a powerful musical score written and produced by Quilla. The narrative focuses on three characters (Angela, Adam and Amika) who reside in modern-day Greensboro, NC.
Each character is grappling with a turning point in their lives, and encounters one of their ancestors during a dream, leading to a profound transformation involving healing and personal reckoning. The main characters are connected to each other through work obligations and family ties, and their stories combine in whimsical and unexpected ways. They represent a cross-section of contemporary North Carolina, and their ancestors represent a diverse snapshot of humanity’s past.
ANCESTRAL was created with support by the North Carolina Arts Council and partnering arts councils such as ArtsGreensboro. Its production was also made possible by Creative Greensboro and the artist residency program at the Stephen D. Hyers Theater in April 2023.
In this episode of WUNC’s CREEP podcast, Quilla discusses the creation of the podcast’s theme song. The composition is deconstructed in the style of the Song Exploder show, and many layers as well as the bioacoustic sounds embedded in the piece are examined.
Quilla composed the theme music for “Anywhere But Here GSO” – a new podcast hosted by longtime Greensboro residents Maria and Tom. She combined beats, synths and electronic textures to create an upbeat song that evokes the feeling you get when you are walking into a coffeeshop.
Also, Quilla was a featured guest on Episode 3 of the podcast (“Bow to the Rebel Queen”) during which she discussed her multicultural roots, Burning Man and her love of Greensboro eateries.
Quilla was recently interviewed by University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) music student Olivia Andersen as part of the school’s “Changemakers” series. Read the article here.
The piece focuses on Quilla’s work as an advocate for women producers in the male-dominated music industry. Through her collaborations with women and workshops teaching women about music production, she has provided training, visibility and opportunities for women artists at all stages of their careers.
The Changemakers series is described on the UNCSA website as follows:
“A changemaker is someone who is taking action to solve a social problem. They are people who create change and have the knowledge and will to do so. Changemakers can come from many different backgrounds and are passionate about helping their community. They don’t just create change for themselves, but for others around them as well. Everyone has the power to be a changemaker — even you. All you need to do is believe you can make a change, speak up, and surround yourself with people who are passionate about the same things as you so that you can grow together.”
Thanks for reading! Have yourself a good day.
“ANCESTORS” is an innovative piece of musical theatre being composed and produced by Quilla (Anna Luisa Daigneault) and choreographed by LeDarius Parker. It is an intergenerational story told through compelling dialog and live dance sequences accompanied by a powerful, beat-driven electronic score. The narrative focuses on a group of three characters who reside in modern-day Greensboro, NC. Each character encounters one of their ancestors during a dream, and undergoes a transformative process that leads to healing, personal reckoning as well as an appreciation for their lineage.
The dream state will be explored as a realm of possibility, communication and heritage. It allows for a large amount of artistic freedom during this musical. The production plays with different timeframes and addresses challenging, complex issues while remaining accessible to all audiences. The main themes that permeate “Ancestors” are recovering different types of human knowledge, reconnecting with one’s heritage, understanding the dynamics of migration, diaspora and displacement, as well as reviving reverence for the Earth.
The main characters represent a small yet diverse cross-section of contemporary North Carolina, and their ancestors represent a snapshot of humanity’s fascinating past without sugar-coating or glorifying it.
This project is set to premiere as a live performance in 2023.
This project is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council and partnering arts organizations such as ArtsGreensboro and the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County.
The music video for “Bow to the Rebel Queen” is out now! I want to thank all the amazing North Carolina creatives who poured their energy into bringing this production to life. Hats off to the director, Alexei Mejouev, who helped us get video done in one massive day, in a Covid-safe way.
“Bow to the Rebel Queen” is available on all streaming platforms on Quilla’s album “The Handbook of Vivid Moments” (Ritual Fire Records, 2020). https://orcd.co/quilla_handbook
VIDEO CREDITS
Video directed and edited by Alexei Mejouev
Produced by Quilla (Anna Luisa Daigneault)
Choreography by LeDarius Parker
Dancers: Sarah Mouna, Gigi Lugo, Luna Cornejo and LeDarius Parker Production assistants: Stephanie Rohr, Liam Trawick, Ashley Virginia Buffa
Make-up: Bella the Reaper
Locations: Greensboro Central Public Library, LeBauer Park, Elsewhere Museum and garden, Fisher Park, Greensboro Cultural Arts Center
Mural by Milagros Collective
MUSIC CREDITS
Music, lyrics, mixing and electronic production by Quilla
Vocal production by Quilla and Mike Garrigan
Mastering by Holger Lagerfeldt
This song was recorded with support from ArtsGreensboro and the North Carolina Arts Council. Their support is gratefully acknowledged.
