Local Commotion Walking History

Experience the "Miss'tory" in American History

Plus- American Made Musical Programs

P.O Box 34
Hazlet, NJ 07730
WalkingHistory1@yahoo.com

PROGRAMS for all ages

Our Programs run approximately one hour. For schools and special events time can be adjusted.

There is s question and answer period at the end of each presentation.

Capture the flavor of everyday life as you converse with extraordinary women from distant times. These programs should not be restricted to their respective holidays (Thanksgiving, Black History Month or Women's Month). These American women were strong, sincere and took risks in the face of many adversities. Let them inspire you to make choices to change the world.

                      The Eyes of Spies
                                                                    Women in the Civil War

Into the den of wolves went
southerner Elizabeth "Crazy Bet" Van
Lewand her friend as well as her
ex-slave, Mary Elizabeth Bowser.
Together, they gathered vital
information for the Union right
under the nose of Jefferson Davis
nd his Confederate White House.
2 performers
On a budget?
Crazy Bet will be glad to
come to your venue!
Kati as Crazy Bet with Ms G as Mary Elizabeth
~~~~~
        Conversations
           with Moses
Take a peek into a very special
friendship. Harriet "Moses" Tubman,
ex-slave, speaks with her dear friend,
historian and biographer, Sarah
Bradford. They recall the hardship of
slavery, escape, the Underground
Railroad and the true grit of Harriet
herself. Harriet's favorite songs are
sung throughout the play.
It is a story of a hero.
2 performers.
On a budget?
Sarah will be glad to come to your venue and speak of her heroic friend.
Photo by Janna Brower
Kati & Diane as Best Friends Sarah Bradford & Harriet Tubman
~~~~~
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Express Yourself
Adults ONLY classes. Bead Crafts and Art for up to 20 students.   
(Please look in children and young adults for their own workshops)
This program can be done over and over without doing the same thing!
*Bead examples: earrings, necklaces, bracelets, jewelry sets, wire wrapping,
memory wire jewelry, and gifts and/or ornaments for the holidays (AND etc etc etc!!).
*Art examples: paper art of all kinds, and collages.
Bake clay items from jewlery, small boxes, to ring holders.
**Art supplies are included in fee.
* Note: venue may supply scissors, tape and pens if necessary.
Below are samples of some of the things that are done.



ALSO
*Colonial Jewelry, lecture and demonstration with Kati.

Your jewelry classes are great. We have our participants wearing their jewelry into the library!   - Monmouth County Manalapan branch 2012/2014
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~~~~~
Ladies of Leisure-
America's First Women
Millionaires:
Miss Lotta Crabtree
In a time when women were still considered second class citizens,
how did these two obtain their riches all on their own!
Kati portrays Lotta Crabtree, America's Darling actress, comedian and entertainer in the mid to late 1800s. She made millions through the theater, smoked a cigar and drove one of those new fangled horseless carriages!

Have a whole lotta fun with Lotta!


                NOTE: NJ only
                  Lotta Crabtree and
            Madame CJ Walker can be
            performed together. Two      fascinating self made millionaires!
    ~~~~~
    Women Pirates
on the U.S. Coast

   The America’s had its own Age of   Piracy. Up and down the Eastern       coast pirates sailed with their salty       language, way of life, and their         beardless pretty boys.
      Beardless pretty boys, you ask?
    Aw, indeed, those be women, you    landlubbers! Female pirates,            just as gutsy and full of fight as the men were.

Come on, and put your sea legs on and let Kati, arrrgh, I mean Molly the Mol, take you back to the time of America’s female pirates and all their adventures! Powerpoint presentation with performance.

    Aaaarrrgh matey!
                   only 1 performer.

~~~~~
The Jack Stories
& Other Fabulous Tales
Storytelling at its best! The Americanization of a folktale,
PLUS great American Tall Tales and Native American Legends
1 performer.

We loved your storytelling sessions! - Sunrise Senior Homes, Middletown, NJ
Stories of Three Strong American Women
A great program with your choice of any of our programs characters.
You simply pick 3 of the women in any of the programs. Kati will visit you and inform you on 3 exciting
American Women and regale the audience with their wonderful stories!
**NOTE: 1 performer for PA and up to 3 in NJ.
~~~~~
No Pay & No Play

A day in the life of a Slave shows the
harshness of everyday life,
the cruelty of Master over slave and the
deep yearning to be free.
Depending on your budget- 1 to 2 performers with audience particaption.

~~~~~
Are you on a budget?
        ***NOTE:
Kati always tries to work within your budget if at all possible.

~~~~~
Working on:
A one woman performance of Annie Oakley & Calamity Jane
Alice Roosevelt
Alice Paul
(Unsinkable) Molly Brown
Rosa Parks Won't Move
Angelina Grimke' and Harriet Jacobs were captivating and authentic! Brilliant performance.
                    A. McMillion, Brookdale College, Lincroft, NJ
                   African American Family History Day, 2000


ALSO Checkout these sites:
THE HUB (NJ) interview with Local Commotion's Kati Beddow Brower
http://hub.gmnews.com/news/2002/0301/Bulletin_Board/030.html
Check us out on the National Women's History Projects Website
http://www.myspace.com/localcommotionWH

~~~~~

Constance Merriweather

Plymouth Pilgrim

Constance retells the story of her migration to Plymouth Plantation, survival,

the friendship of Tsquanto, and the first Thanksgiving in October 1621. 1 performer.

Great for the whole family!

Photo by Judyth Brown

Kati as Constance at Navesink School, Navesink, NJ - 1996

~~~~~

Picture by Patti Wade

Shaping A Life: Eleanor Roosevelt, the Early Years

Everyone knows Eleanor during her years with Franklin, but what shaped her to become who she was,
a woman with conscious and social purpose.

1 performer.

~~~~~

Beyond the

Call of Duty
The Tale of the

Secret Soldier

Civil War tore America apart, but men weren't the only ones on the battlefield.

This is the true story of Sara Emma Edmonds, a Civil War hero who fulfilled 11 spy missions!

1 performer.

The real Sara Emma Edmonds

~~~~~

Among the Abolitionists
Anti-Slavery Meeting Angelina Grimké& Harriet Jacobs Presiding

Angelina Grimké relinquished her southern family's slave holding past to fight the atrocities of slavery. Harriet Jacobs escaped slavery by hiding seven years in a garret

while on her master's plantation until she fled North to freedom.

Together they stand

strong as their cry for freedom rings out.

Let us have a meeting

at your place!

2 performers.

On a budget?

Angelina will gladly step into your venue for an anti-slavery meeting!

Photo by Janna Brower

WANTED!

for holding Anti-Slavery Meetings!

Abolotionists Kati as Angelina Grimké & Diane as Harriet Jacobs

Kati, the children listened raptly to Constance. Teachers praised your performance quality and the accuracy of the material you presented...

Program Chairperson, Eisenhower PTO, Parlin, NJ

Kati, Diane and you were both so imporessive as Sarah and Harriet! I don't think I've ever had a program here before where teenagers actually asked questions, it was so refreshing to see the curiosity and enthusiasm from the young women in the audience, which your performance most certainly elicited.

J. Kranis, Chief Librarian, Eastern Branch of Monmouth County Library

~~~~~

Our Photo Gallery of Performers & Musicians

Photos by Kate Pollara, Patti Wade, Amy Caro Brown, Janna & Steven Brower & various friends!
Thank YOU so much for your contribution to our gallery.!