Experience excerpts from American Patriots, a theatrical song cycle and pop-up installation by Samantha Rose Williams. Using the verbatim lyrics from interviews with 52 Americans, this music theater production grapples with the questions at the heart of American identity: What does it mean to be an American Patriot? In today's polarized society, is it still possible to find common ground? Where do we as a country go from here?
The performers will embody different races, political parties, genders, socio-economic groups, traversing all the labels that are often used to demarcate difference, while giving an honest non-judgmental portrayal of their story and the humanity that unites us all.
This program is part of the For Freedoms Artist Activation series, produced with the For Freedoms collective, which creates dedicated time for invited artists to activate and intervene within the spaces of the National Gallery. Artists will explore a wide range of creative civic expressions through interactive performances, pop-up installations, talks, workshops, and more in 2025. The series will include a Town Hall discussion at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University on January 31.
Co-commissioned by Virginia Theological Seminary, American Patriots is composed by Regina Harris Baiocchi, Gala Flagello, Danielle Jagelski, Marc LeMay, and Yaniv Segal.
This program will be performed at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m.
About the Artists
Artist/ Creator Samantha Rose Williams (she/her) is an arts activist committed to sharing marginalized experiences with diverse audiences and creating space for critical discussion about art, culture, and social change. After earning her B.A. at Stanford University, Samantha went on to receive her Master’s in Music and Specialist’s in Music at the University of Michigan in Voice Performance. In recognition of her impact, Samantha was awarded the University of Michigan’s 2022 Graduate DEI Award, the 2021 MLK Spirit Award, and served as a panelist in SphinxConnect 2021’s session on youth activism.
Music Director/ Composer/ Conductor Yaniv Segal (he/him) is Music Director of the Salina Symphony, Conductor Laureate and Artistic Advisor of the Chelsea Symphony in New York City, and former Assistant Conductor of the Naples Philharmonic and Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Yaniv grew up trilingual in New York and completed graduate degrees in conducting and composition at the University of Michigan, with support from the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans.
Director/ Installation Designer John Jarboe is a producer, writer, performer, and the founding artistic director of The Bearded Ladies Cabaret. After receiving a BA and a BFA in English and Theater from the University of Michigan, Jarboe moved to Philadelphia, where in the past 14 years she has created and performed work for organizations including The Wilma Theater, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia Horticultural Society, FringeArts, and Opera Philadelphia. She is also a resident artist at The Fabric Workshop in Museum and recently debuted her first installation of films and objects in The Rose Garden.
For Freedoms is an artist-led organization that centers art as a catalyst for creative civic engagement, discourse, and direct action. Founded in 2016 by a coalition of artists including Hank Willis Thomas, Eric Gottesman, Michelle Woo, and Wyatt Gallery, For Freedoms is dedicated to fostering an environment of listening, healing, and justice through a wide range of creative activations. For Freedoms works closely with a variety of artists, organizations, institutions, and brands to expand what participation in a democracy looks like and to reshape conversations about politics.