Description

“Leah and the Rabbit” was originally performed for the Vance Birthplace Historic Site. The show talks about the forgotten stories of the enslaved people owned by the Vance family. Leah Erwin is one of twenty seven known enslaved people that were owned and lived with the Vance family. Leah’s story is paired with the tales of Br’er Rabbit, a popular folk story character that was passed down by enslaved people but appropriated by white storytellers with racial bias. Many black people were brought to Asheville for cheap or enslaved labor to support the tourist industry in the antebellum period. Now, black people must compete with systems that favor the wealthy or privileged. This story is meant to question the people who are being removed from Asheville and who can afford to stay. Produced/curated by Aaron Snook and the American Myth Center. Mikayla Wilson is the puppeteer to Leah, with Stephanie Hickling Beckman as the voice of Leah.

Video created by Emmanuel Figaro for the City of Asheville's Art in the Heart program.