LOCAL PRODUCTION
Nick Cave, Summit Lake: Heard
On a chilly spring afternoon in 2019, hundreds of Akron residents packed into the community center in Akron’s Summit Lake neighborhood, which in recent years has struggled with abandoned homes, crime and blight. The reason for the gathering was a grand performance by internationally renowned artist Nick Cave.
Summit Lake community members joined Cave in staging a vibrant display of music, art and dance, providing them with an opportunity to not only showcase the talents and skills intrinsic to their own neighborhood but to also be “heard” by the surrounding area. The project coincided with redevelopment efforts in the community orchestrated by the residents themselves.
NICK CAVE, SUMMIT LAKE: HEARD tells the story of both the event and the redevelopment efforts. The PBS Western Reserve production promises an explosion of color through Cave’s signature life-sized, dancing horses—each composed of two dancers—with choreography by William Gill. It also provides a behind-the-scenes look at one community’s commitment toward making their voices heard.
Premiered on PBS Western Reserve in 2021.