NEW ORLEANS (press release) – In honor of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Ashé Cultural Arts Center proudly announces the return of “Swimming Upstream: The Katrina Monologues” to the Mahalia Jackson Theater. This stage production shares the true stories of women navigating the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita – stories of survival, displacement, return, and transformation—through spoken word, song and movement.
Originally produced by Carol Bebelle and V (formerly known as Eve Ensler), “Swimming Upstream” was first performed at the Superdome to mark the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Co-written by a collective of women artists and activists from New Orleans, the work uplifts voices too often left out of mainstream recovery narratives—voices that not only endured the storm but helped shape the city’s post-disaster renaissance.
The ensemble, organizers share, includes cultural icons and community leaders including Troi Bechet and Sekyiwa Shakur; revered performers like Joanna Hale and Jennifer Pagan; and community voices such as Monique Domingue, Simone Immanuel, Australia James, and Karel Sloane.
“As a co-writer and original cast member of this revolutionary piece—after traveling the country as a young artist to bring New Orleans stories to the stage with the likes of Kerry Washington, Jasmine Guy, and the great Phylicia Rashad—I’ve witnessed audiences be transformed and healed by our work,” said Asali DeVan Ecclesiastes, CEO of Ashé Cultural Arts Center. “It is with immense gratitude that I now have the opportunity to bring Swimming Upstream back home, to our beloved Congo Square and the Mahalia Jackson Theater.”
“Swimming Upstream: The Katrina Monologues” is co-directed by New Orleans theater legend, Tommye Myrick, and internationally acclaimed author and activist V. The production will run Friday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 30, at 5 p.m. at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts (1419 Basin St., New Orleans, LA). The performance will also be a part of the Katrina 20 Week of Action programming.
Tickets start at $25 and are available for purchase at ww.mahaliajacksontheater.com. Schools and community organizations may request complimentary tickets at info@ashenola.org.
