MultiMedia History Performance

Let’s All Be Americans Now

“Most people don’t know you had to be white to naturalize from the founding of the United States until 1952.”

—Kirsten Wilson, Motus Theater

It is said that America is a nation of immigrants. Yet much of the dialogue around current immigration policy seems to lack any understanding of our country’s origins, or any awareness of how immigration policy has constructed our understanding of American identity. This theater performance explores the dramatic story behind the history of immigration.

The aim of the performance is to cultivate empathy for current immigrants by reminding the majority population of their own immigrant past. It focuses on the central role that race and class have played in immigration law and history; the role of immigration in shaping American culture, especially music; and how evolving ideas about race have shaped our view of who is an American.

It’s Only a Paper Moon Hanging Over Immigration History, part 1 of Let’s All Be Americans Now, was presented in workshop format on August 17th, 2017. The performance exploration was lauded by community and arts leaders across Boulder County:

“Tour-de-force performance on the long history of race relations and immigration in the United States... In dangerous times of post-truths and the relativizing of facts, ‘It’s Only a Paper Moon Hanging Over Immigration History’ reminds us of the importance of facing our own history for what it is, and to refuse all calls to set these crucial issues aside.”

— Marcos Steuernagel, Assistant Professor at the CU Boulder Department of Theater and Dance

“This is a profound work of historical research packaged in a theatrical performance that makes it accessible and provocative. Thank you Motus Theater. Works such as this will help our community confront racism and initiate the difficult conversations that must be had.”

— Mary Young, Boulder City Council

“This Motus performance is so important because our society easily dismisses the truth when recounting this nation's history. Most school curriculums continue to dictate that only U.S. history that makes the Majority society feel good about themselves be taught - no matter how far from the truth it is. I have to wonder what kind of society we would be living in if all of us knew our nation's truths. Would ‘liberty and justice for all’ be a reality?”

— Ray Ramirez, Native American Civil Rights Advocate

“The multimedia performance ‘It’s Only a Paper Moon Hanging Over Immigration History’ by Motus Theater offers us a unique opportunity to come together to engage with and have a meaningful conversation about racism in our country, and how it interfaces with U.S. immigration history. This astonishing performance makes us aware that the racial violence that our community and country confront today is not new, but part of a history that needs to be understood and skillfully challenged.”

— Deb Gardner, Boulder County Commissioner

“‘It's Only a Paper Moon Hanging Over Immigration History’ is a powerful creation. A wonderful example of how theatre can contribute to the collective awareness of what makes us a community. The work is powerful: moving, informing, provoking, challenging, entertaining, revealing. Integrating stories and images, characters and gestures it accompanies the audience into a journey in the uneasy backstage of the immigration history.”

— Giovanni Fusetti, Pedagogical Director of Helikos International School of Theatre Creation, Florence, Italy