(BURLINGTON, NJ) -- Lyceum Studio at Lyceum Hall Center for the Arts presents the World Premiere of Wanishi: A Tale of Burlington Island on Friday, August 9, 2024 with performances at 3:00pm & 7:00pm. This is a play by Brie Knight, directed by Melody Marshall, and produced by Christine Petrini and Barbara Fisher. It is performed by Summer Play Campers.

In the play, middle-school siblings Quinn and Jamie are in trouble. As punishment, their Dad is making them pick up trash on Burlington Island, often seen by them as a lump of land and “that thing out there in the river”. As they reluctantly clean up, they find a magic rock that whisks them back through time to meet the diverse ancestors that make the history of the Island. As they try to find their way back home, they learn just how important Burlington Island is and the vibrant people who make its story.

Young artists (entering grades 5 and up) were invited to delve into the rich history of Burlington Island on stage this summer.  Over two-weeks, theatre campers rehearse and perform a world premiere play about Burlington Island and it's inhabitants including the Indigenous people of the Lenape tribe, the Walloon settlers from Belgium, and the Quakers.  Burlington Island, which was once know as Matinicunk by  the Lenape Tribe, became a trading post along the Delaware River 400 years ago when European settlers arrived in 1624.  By the early 1900s, Burlington Island was a summer resort and amusement park!

Local playwright, Brie Knight (Playpenn Foundry Alumni, Awards:  Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s 2018 Playwriting Competition and the Sue Winge Playwriting Award) was commissioned to write the piece for their student actors.  A series of interviews were conducted to develop this community-based play.  Explore local history through theatre this summer and take the stage in this world premiere performance.  The camp will included new play development and a workshop process!

Performances take place Friday, August 9th at 3:00pm & 7:00pm at Lyceum Hall Center for the Arts (432 High Street) in Burlington, New Jersey. Tickets are available for purchase online.  There will be a fundraiser event at night with a pre-show reception at 6:00pm before the performance at 7:00pm, followed by a post-show reception and artist talkback at 8:00pm.

undraiser attendees are supporting the commemoration of 400 years of Burlington Island history.  On October 12th, Burlington City is commemorating the 400th anniversary of Burlington Island on the waterfront.  Discover the island's rich history dating back to 1624!  The October 12th festival will include island boat tours, traditional Lenape dance, Lenape artifacts, an archeological dig, food trucks, vendors and kids activities.

Lyceum Studio, a program of Lyceum Hall Center for the Arts, is committed to providing performing arts education and a safe place for exploration, self-discovery, and creativity.

Lyceum Hall Center for the Arts & Lyceum Studio are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion by embracing people of all colors, backgrounds, and viewpoints. Lyceum Hall does not discriminate based on race, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or disability. We believe in racial and social justice in the arts and providing equal opportunities for all students, staff, and patrons. Lyceum Hall is dedicated to inclusive casting and creating accessible programming for the students and families of Burlington, NJ, and surrounding communities.

Funding has been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts / Department of State, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Burlington County Board of Commissioners, Department of Resource Conservation, Division of Parks.