Breaking The Thermometer

Leyla McCalla finds inspiration from her past and present. Whether it is her Haitian heritage or her adopted home of New Orleans, she has risen to produce a distinctive sound that reflects the union of her roots and experience. McCalla has produced a multidisciplinary music, dance and theatre work which follows her personal journey as she uncovers the history of Radio Haiti, the first radio station in Haiti to report news in Haitian Kreyol - the voice of the people.

Through this juxtaposition of voices - the personal and political, the anecdotal and the journalistic - McCalla gives expression to the enduring spirit of Haiti’s marginalized poor in the face of several centuries of political oppression. "Breaking The Thermometer" is a soundtrack of sorts to the theatre piece, featuring the songs that Leyla McCalla wrote and performs in this work