Buccaneers of Buzz: Celebrating the Honeybee, is a multimedia performance presented by Rialto Arts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to staging multimedia theatrical concerts which inspire a sense of awe and wonder about the natural world, blending the power of live music and film with a backbone of science education. The project was funded in part by the Lincoln Cultural Council, and was a 2009 winner of a Massachusetts Cultural Council Gold Star Award.

Rialto Arts, founded by Artistic Director Miranda Loud, collaborated with local beekeepers in Lincoln and the surrounding area to teach people about the amazing capabilities of honeybees, the connection beekeepers develop with their bees, and to better understand why so many of these gentle pollinators are dying worldwide.

The multimedia performance wove together film clips, interviews with beekeepers, tap dance, and live marimba and vocals. Several of the beekeepers featured in the film were from the Lincoln area and conducted a demonstration prior to the performance, where they brought a cross-section of a hive containing live bees and fielded questions from the audience. After the show, the beekeepers offered a honey tasting and had an opportunity to sell their honey and other wares.

Loud hopes to partner with nature centers and science museums to bring Buccaneers of Buzz to other communities. Through these performances she aims to connect audiences with local beekeepers in their respective communities, by inviting the audience to a Q&A about beekeeping before each performance. Ultimately, she hopes this will encourage more people to care for honeybees through becoming beekeepers or by planting bee-friendly plants and avoiding pesticide use.

The response to the performance in Lincoln was very enthusiastic. According to Loud, many people commented that they learned a lot about honey bees, and were surprised to find out that bees are actually very gentle insects. Others called the multimedia performance extremely moving and innovative and said that they enjoyed learning a scientific lesson through an artistic performance.

Loud said that the MCC’s Gold Star award has raised more awareness for the plight of honeybees and given the Buccaneers of Buzz performance a better chance at touring. Rialto Arts will publicize the award in newsletters and other promotional materials. She hopes the Gold Star Award will help Rialto Arts continue to gain momentum in its mission and outreach.

Buccaneers of Buzz was presented at the Cambridge Science Festival in May and will be featured at the Fort Point Theatre Channel this September.

View clips of the performance.

View film short Meet the Beekeepers .