(Bottom) Susan Mayo, Composer of Musical Score for Reclamation Meridian
A live musical performance and documentary connecting community to the tallgrass prairie
KANSAS CITY, MO, JANUARY 21, 2025: Charlotte Street invites audiences to experience Reclamation Meridian, a live performance event that blends music, film, and storytelling exploring ecological restoration and community collaboration in Kansas on Friday, January 31 at 7:00 PM in the Charlotte Street Stern Theater. Preceding the performance from 6:00–7:00 PM will be a meet-and-greet with the new Interim Executive Director of Charlotte Street, Lane Czaplinski.
As part of Charlotte Street’s In(SITE) series, the evening will feature a screening of Reclamation Meridian, a documentary film by Cyan Meeks that chronicles Flint Hills Counterpoint’s ambitious land reclamation project in rural Marion County, Kansas. The screening will be accompanied by a live original score composed by Dr. Susan Mayo and performed by a string quartet featuring Dr. Ramiro Miranda (violin), Rob Loren (violin), Dr. Elizabeth Wallace (viola), and R. Mayo (cello). Following the performance Meeks and Mayo will discuss the project’s collaborative efforts bringing together farmers, conservationists, educators, and artists to restore one of North America’s most threatened ecosystems—the tallgrass prairie.
Through vibrant storytelling and community engagement, Reclamation Meridian documents the reclamation of a fourteen-acre-post-natural landscape and the creation of new networks among regional organizations, including The Land Institute, Kansas Geological Survey, and Humanities Kansas. Meeks and Mayo will also introduce their latest initiative, The Flint Hills Counterpoint Audio Tour Book, a rich tapestry of interviews and musical compositions inspired by Marion County’s ecology, folklore, and cultural history.
Curated by Patrick Alexander, Residency + Programs Manager at Charlotte Street, In(SITE) is a series that showcases contemporary works that push boundaries, take risks, and demonstrate excellence in the performing arts. “In(SITE) provides a platform for audiences to immerse themselves in performances that defy the norms of traditional productions,” says Alexander. “Through their visionary concepts and collaborative execution, the artists will captivate and engage audiences, presenting them with innovative approaches to performance.”
EVENT DETAILS
In(SITE): Reclamation Meridian
Date: January 31
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Charlotte Street Stern Theater (3333 Wyoming St, Kansas City, MO)
Meet-and-Greet with Lane Czaplinski, Interim Executive Director of Charlotte Street
Date: January 31
Time: 6:00–7:00 PM
Location: Charlotte Street Campus (3333 Wyoming St, Kansas City, MO)
These are both free public events.
For interview requests contact Amanda Middaugh at [email protected] or 816-994-7734.
ABOUT CHARLOTTE STREET
Charlotte Street centers Kansas City’s most forward-thinking visual artists, writers, and performers—acting as the primary incubator, provocateur, and connector for the region’s contemporary arts community, and its leading advocate on the national stage. Since 1997, Charlotte Street has distributed over $2.5 million in awards and grants to artists and their innovative projects, and connected individual artists to each other and to the greater Kansas City community. For more information about Charlotte Street, its awards, programs, and initiatives, visit www.charlottestreet.org.
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View the Press Release as a PDF here.
