In her debut theatrical production, Ashli St. Armant presents NORTH, a powerful new musical about a teenage boy and his mother who escape slavery in the deep south through the Underground Railroad. NORTH is a moving story that explores the multi-faceted reality of Black life during the antebellum period and which aims to bring out the full range of experiences of freedom seekers. While acknowledging the realities of slavery, the narrative and original musical compositions by St. Armant explore themes of optimism, bravery, playfulness, wonder, suspense and mystery. The musical is intended for intergenerational audiences (ages 10 and up).

Inspired by true accounts of escape through the Underground Railroad, the story begins in Vacherie, Louisiana where Ms. St. Armant’s own ancestors were enslaved. The characters journey to the bustling City of New Orleans, a Maroons community in the Louisiana bayous, and the young town of Lawrence, Kansas.

“North is a testament to the ingenious, enduring, and multifaceted lives of Black folks throughout our nation’s history,” she says. “In our own family lineage, I learned that there were people who survived the unimaginable in the most creative ways. They deserve to have their stories told. I want my children to know that their ancestors were more than just a line item on a bill of sale.”

To complement this intent, Ms. St. Armant steeped the original score in jazz, and other historically Black music genres, to reflect the unique musical legacy of her roots in New Orleans. “You can’t tell the story of the people of New Orleans without our music. This music is the glue that has held us together throughout the centuries.”