cullud wattah

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Carson Klamert

J'Nya Smith, Olani Aboro, Faerie Afi Mlatawou and Dana Pellebon, from left (Jnae Thompson partially hidden on couch), rehearsing for the University Theatre production of 'cullud wattah.'

J'Nya Smith, Olani Aboro, Faerie Afi Mlatawou and Dana Pellebon, from left (Jnae Thompson partially hidden on couch), rehearsing for the University Theatre production of 'cullud wattah.'

This is a significant play from UW-Madison and First Wave alumna Erika Dickerson-Despenza, dramatizing the mid-2010s water crisis in Flint, Michigan, that shocked the nation. When the city began drawing water from the Flint River without proper treatment, lead from old pipes began poisoning the population. The play centers on one family’s intersection with protest, trust and community, themes still highly relevant today. University Theatre performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sundays, plus 2 p.m. March 7. 

$28 ($10 students).

media release: University Theatre is proud to present cullud wattah, a powerful contemporary play by UW–Madison and First Wave alumna Erika Dickerson-Despenza. Originally recommended to University Theatre by Professor Emeritus Sandy Adell, this production offers a timely and resonant opportunity for campus-wide and community dialogue around environmental justice, race, public policy, and artistic activism. The production also honors the mission and legacy of OMAI and First Wave by centering the work of a First Wave artist whose voice bridges performance, lived experience, and social justice inquiry.

About the play: Set in 2016, cullud wattah unfolds 936 days into the Flint, Michigan water crisis. When third-generation General Motors employee Marion is on the verge of a promotion, her family is thrown into conflict as her sister begins protesting the very corporation Marion depends on. As the water crisis intensifies, a family of Black women must confront their past, their survival strategies, and the cost of silence. Through a non-linear structure, the play examines how time, choice, and systemic injustice shape our lives.

CONTENT ADVISORY: This production includes mature language, and distressing topics including abortion, miscarriage, illness, and racism.

$28 Adult; $23 Senior (62 +); $23 UW Faculty/Staff (ID); $10 UW Students and other College Students (ID); $10 Children (K-12);$17 Group Sales (10 tickets or more). For tickets, call 608-265-2787 (Open M-F 2-6 PM); visit www.artsticketing.wisc.edu; Mitchell Theatre Lobby Box Office opens 1 hour prior to performances for walk up sales.

If you would like to make a donation to University Theatre through the UW Foundation, please click here.  Thank you for your support!