ARTISTS & PERFORMERS
TEOLI STAGE
The Carmela Teoli Stage is named in honor of the Lawrence teen whose courageous testimony before Congress helped bring a successful end the Bread and Roses Strike by raising national awareness of unsafe working conditions. After dropping out of sixth grade to work in the mills, Teoli suffered a horrific injury when her hair was caught in a textile machine. Despite months in the hospital, she joined the strike and testified before Congress, gaining national attention, the support of President Taft, and pressuring mill owners to raise wages. Her testimony also gained support for labor laws that limited work hours for children so they could attend school and set minimum ages for dangerous jobs. Teoli's bravery continues to inspire today's youth in the ongoing fight for workers' and human rights, showing that even the youngest voices can make a lasting impact.
NAYELLI
12:35AM - 1:20PM
Nayelly (like saying Nah to Jelly), a Pop-Soul singer-songwriter from the Dominican Republic now based in Boston, uses a vibrant mix of Jazz, Folk, and Latin flavors in her music as a rich source for storytelling, blending English and Spanish to tell stories that resonate deeply.
With a voice that's been called "earnest and stirring" by the Eagle Tribune, Nayelly's songs serve as bridges between hearts, using melodies to evoke feelings we often struggle to put into words.
“My music exists to serve those who need an uplift, a mirror, or a few minutes away from reality,” Nayelly shares. “I write for the big sisters, the people who are figuring out who they are, the people who are learning how to feel and exist in their bodies unapologetically, the people who love the drama without being the drama,” she adds. “I want my music to be there for them, just like the music of my favorite artists was and continues to be there for me”.
Beyond the music, Nayelly is all about building connections and making people feel welcome. Through her performances and event planning, she aims to create environments where everyone feels seen and heard, inviting them to share in the magic of music.
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VERONICA ROBLES
1:40PM-2:25PM
Verónica Robles, acclaimed Mexican singer, cultural leader, and founder of the The first Female Mariachi in New England based in Boston and the Veronica Robles Cultural Center (VROCC), brings the vibrant spirit of mariachi to stages across New England. A recipient of the national Walking Together grant from the Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation and a featured headliner with the Boston Pops, she is recognized for her powerful voice and leadership in uplifting Latin American traditions while championing women in mariachi. She is thrilled to bring her dynamic performance to the Bread & Roses Heritage Festival in Lawrence, sharing music that celebrates community, resilience, and cultural heritage.
MOVEMENT CITY SHOWCASE
2:25PM-3:10PM
Don't miss Movement City at the Bread & Roses Heritage Festival bringing double the talent to the stage! The youth in the music production workshop will drop original rap performances straight from the heart of Lawrence, followed by MVMNT X tearing it up with high-energy dance moves you can feel in your soul. Local voices. Powerful music. Unstoppable energy.
GLASSHOUSE
3:30PM-4:15PM
GLASSHOUSE is a Lawrence, MA based musical collective consisting of Liri, Luna, and Elijae, blending hip-hop, R&B, and live instrumentation into a fluid, high-energy sound centered on performance, collaboration, and emotional expression. Known for dynamic live shows and a genre-fluid production style, GLASSHOUSE has grown from the Boston-area music scene into broader regional recognition through media coverage, festival pipeline exposure, and standout live performances. The group was selected as WBUR's Massachusetts Favorite for NPR's Tiny Desk Contest (2024) for their performance of "Slum Village.
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BREAD AND PUPPET
4:15PM-END
The Bread & Puppet Theater is a political puppet theater founded in 1963 by Peter &
Elka Schumann on New York City’s Lower East Side. Now based in Glover, VT, the
company regularly tours the country and world with tightly composed theater pieces as
well as sprawling outdoor pageants. The internationally celebrated company champions
a visually rich, street-theater brand of performance art filled with music, dance, and
slapstick elements. Believing that theater is a basic necessity like bread, the company
frequently brings its work to the streets for those who may not otherwise go to the
theater. Its shows are political and spectacular, with puppets often on stilts, wearing
huge masks with expressive faces, singing, dancing, and playing music.
Bread and Puppet is recognized throughout the world and has won distinction at
international theater festivals in Italy, Poland, Colombia, and Yugoslavia, beginning with
their break-out performances at the 1968 Nancy Festival in France. Notable awards
include the Erasmus Prize of Amsterdam, 4 Obies, the Puppeteers of America’s
President Award, and the Vermont Governor’s Award. Bread and Puppet is constantly
active, performing at its farm in Glover, VT, and in local churches, schools and parades.
It regularly tours Europe, Canada, and the United States and has recently visited El
Salvador, Haiti, Russia, and Korea.
Bread & Puppet continues making new work and is one of the oldest, nonprofit, self-
supporting theatrical companies in the country.