Jeremiah Productions, Inc., in association with the Shaker Heritage Society, announces the opening of "Second Coming – The Character and Ministry of Mother Ann Lee of the United Society of Believers (Commonly Called Shakers)," on Friday, July 15th at 7:30 pm. This new play-with-music, written and directed by local playwright Bruce Cornwell, will run for two weekends at the Shaker Meeting House at the Shaker Heritage Society, 25 Meeting House Road in Colonie. Malcolm Kogut is the production’s musical director and Cathie Gifford is the choreographer

The play tells the story of Ann Lee one of the most influential female religious figures in western culture. She and a small band of followers arrived in the American Colonies in 1774 and founded the first Shaker community in what is now the town of Colonie, New York. The Shaker religious sect eventually grew to have thousands of followers and became America’s most important and successful utopian community with settlements established as far west as Kentucky. The Shakers, whose worship was characterized by wild shaking, impassioned singing, dancing, and speaking in tongues, believed Ann to be the female embodiment of Christ. The musical score consists entirely of hymns and songs written by Shaker believers.

This project is made possible with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by The Arts Center of the Capital Region.