Ruth Coker Burks, pioneering AIDS activist and subject of the work, to attend
APPLETON, Wis. (Feb. 16, 2026) — Lawrence University will present the world premiere of A Nearer Mother, a new American opera by award-winning composer Evan Mack and librettist Joshua McGuire, on March 5 – 7 at 7:30 p.m., and March 8, at 3 p.m., in Lawrence’s Stansbury Theatre.
The opera is based on the activism and allyship of Ruth Coker Burks, the Arkansas advocate who, during the height of the AIDS crisis, cared for hundreds of men abandoned by their families and communities.
Burks will be in Appleton for post-performance talkbacks, and community events in the week following the production’s premier, giving participants the rare and unique opportunity to engage with the actual protagonist of the opera. Mack and McGuire also will be in residence at Lawrence for the performances and talkbacks.
Blending lyrical intensity with intimate storytelling, A Nearer Mother explores compassion, chosen family, and moral courage in a time of national fear and silence.
“We wanted to write a piece that centers around allyship,” said composer Evan Mack. “Ruth Coker Burks represents the kind of clarity that cuts through fear. This work is not just about the AIDS crisis—it’s about what it means to show up for another human being when the world turns away.”
McGuire added, “Ruth’s story forces us to look within. Given the same stakes she faced, the same fears present in the face of that crisis— we can ask, would we step up to help? I like to think the opera helps people dig deep and find that little voice that says ‘I can’, no matter what they’re facing.”
The world premiere of A Nearer Mother reflects Lawrence University’s commitment to presenting new works that engage contemporary social themes while fostering meaningful artistic dialogue between artists, students, and the wider community.
“Commissioning this opera is a true gift for the community,” said Copeland Woodruff, the Mary and Michael Jaharis Director of Opera Studies at Lawrence. The process is in its fourth year, so many students over those years were able to interact personally with the development of the work and to learn about hidden and erased histories in the LGBTQIA+ community. In a time when we are witnessing minorities face hardship, erasure, and violence, Ruth’s story gives us all an example of allyship through action and fearless empathy.”
Kristin Roach, Assistant Professor of Music and conductor of the performances, noted, “Sometimes artists wonder if their performing makes a difference to the wider world. Working on this opera has affirmed that, indeed, storytelling through opera performance is a current, vibrant, and necessary tool for building a world we are proud to live in.”
The evening also will feature The Clever Artifice of Harriet & Margaret, a one-act chamber opera with music and libretto by Leanna Kirchoff. Adapted from Alice Gerstenberg’s 1913 play, Overtones, the opera explores themes of rivalry, love, and societal roles among women. Kirchoff will attend the March 6 performance and participate in the post-production talkback.
Tickets will be available at Lawrence.edu/Tickets beginning March 1.
Related Community Events
In partnership with local organizations, Lawrence will host additional free public events during the week following the performances:
Monday, March 9 | 7:00-9:00 p.m.
The Velvet Fox
501 N. Richmond St., Appleton, WI
“Sharing Histories and Perspectives:” An intergenerational LGBTQ+ event, co-sponsored with Diverse & Resilient.
Tuesday, March 10 | 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Appleton Public Library
200 N. Appleton St., Appleton, WI
“Allyship in Action,” co-sponsored by Celebrate Diversity Fox Cities and Fox Cities PAC.
These events extend the opera’s themes of allyship, remembrance, and community dialogue beyond the stage and into the broader Fox Cities community.
Media Contact:
Isaiah Wells
Director of Communications & Public Relations
Lawrence University
920-832-6590; isaiah.wells@lawrence.edu
Lawrence University is a liberal arts college located along the banks of the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin. Founded in 1847, Lawrence has an enrollment of about 1,500 students drawn from nearly every state and more than 40 countries. Annually ranked among the best colleges in the nation, it features a college of arts and sciences and a conservatory of music.
