Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Revels is excited to present their annual singalong celebration of the Autumnal Equinox, Revels RiverSing: Two Dragons Dancing. One of Boston’s beloved family-friendly fall traditions, RiverSing returns in a brand new format to its Harvard Square location by the John W. Weeks Memorial Bridge, after a number of years of the event being held in Allston.
Hosted by Revels Artist-in-Residence David Coffin and reimagined by Revels Interim Artistic Director Debra Wise and Senior Artistic Advisor Paddy Swanson, Revels RiverSing: Two Dragons Dancing brings music, puppetry, dance, and magic to the Charles River. The festivities begin in Winthrop Park, where a parade of puppets provided by The Puppeteers Cooperative will descend upon Harvard Square on a route toward the Charles River. Once there, audiences will participate in a community singalong led by David Coffin and accompanied by Stan Strickland on saxophone and Tom Pixton on accordion. RiverSing will also feature a number of local ensembles, including the Boston City Singers youth choirs, Good Trouble Brass Band, and the Pinewoods Morris Men. Finally, a special puppetry and dance performance featuring Isaura Oliveira as the Yorùba river goddess, Oshun, alongside Revels’ iconic dragons, Nigel the Night Dragon and Desmond the Day Dragon, will lead the audience in a processional to the Weeks footbridge through the dancing of the Equinox Waltz.
Begun as a partnership with the Charles River Conservancy in 2004, Revels RiverSing is a participatory musical event celebrating the change of seasons and the splendor of the Charles River and its parklands. While the performers on our Revels stage are talented professionals, the heart of RiverSing is communal singing and the joyful spirit that comes along with it.
Revels RiverSing: Two Dragons Dancing will be held on Saturday, September 28 on the Cambridge side of the Charles River, by the John W. Weeks Memorial Bridge. The program begins at 4:45 PM in Winthrop Park before traveling to the Weeks Bridge and is free to all ($5 suggested donation). Parking is available nearby in Harvard Square. While much of the event will involve standing and dancing, audience members are also welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs to sit on. In the event of unsettled or severe weather, Revels RiverSing will be moved to Sunday, September 29. Revels will post updates on its website at www.revels.org. For more information, please visit www.revels.org/riversing.