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Play tells story of abolitionist Harriet Tubman

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By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer Updated 9:34 PM Thursday, January 21, 2010

FAIRFIELD — The Fairfield Community Arts Center gets a slight jump on Black History Month when it presents the play “Harriet Tubman and the Train to Freedom.”

The play, about the abolitionist who helped lead dozens of slaves to freedom, will be at 7 p.m. Jan, 29 at the arts center on 411 Wessel Drive.

The show is a production by ArtReach, the outreach arm of the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, which tours shows to various venues in the area. It’s being presented as part of Fairfield’s EnterAct Family Series.

“It’s the story of Harriet Tubman’s life, beginning with her childhood, through her years as a slave and her years of working on the Underground Railroad,” said Kelly Germain, the artistic director of ArtReach.

The show stars Karen Bryant as Harriet Tubman, Stevyn Carmona as her husband John and various slaves, Carly Crawford as Tubman’s mother and Kevin McDaniel as the abolitionist John Brown.

Since Tubman is covered in area schools, a number of teachers have suggested her as a subject to ArtReach, which followed through, Germain said.

Heidi Schiller, a manager at the Fairfield Community Arts Center, says ArtReach brings at least one production there a year. The most recent was an American Indian version of “Cinderella” that played last year.

“I just think they’re great. They production values are really good, with the kinds of actors they can get. We’ve had them about four or five times now,” Schiller said.

Although the production is geared towards grades 4 and up, its appeal is not limited to kids, Germain said.

“Out staff of adults came to see it and said they learned things they did not realize,” she said.

Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under and can be purchased by calling (513) 867-5348 or going to www.fairfield-city.org/cac.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or erobinette@coxohio.com.