JOHN & VIVIAN

A fearless labor legend. A Heaven unlike any other. A story that still matters today.

Mother Jones was one of the most formidable voices in American labor history — a relentless crusader for coal miners, mill workers, and child laborers, and a champion of safe working conditions, fair pay, and human dignity. A West Virginia judge once called her “The Most Dangerous Woman in America,” claiming, “At the crook of her little finger, she could get 8,000 men to walk out on strike.” Feared by the powerful, beloved by working people, and celebrated in song and legend, she remains a towering symbol of resistance and courage.

At a time when the fight for workers’ rights is once again front and center, Mother Jones in Heaven is both a thrilling theatrical experience and a timely call to remember what’s at stake.

The play opens with Mother Jones arriving in Heaven — only to discover it looks suspiciously like her favorite Irish pub just outside Washington, DC. Over the course of 90 electrifying minutes, she looks back on her extraordinary life, balancing hard truths with humor, fire, and unexpected tenderness. As she sifts through her past, the audience is drawn into a powerful portrait of a woman who changed history by refusing to stay silent.

Directed by Jo Johnson, the production weaves together a compelling book and twelve original songs by author, activist, and songwriter Si Kahn, creating an evening that is as entertaining as it is inspiring.

Now booking for theaters, colleges, labor conferences, and music venues in 2026. Bring this bold, moving, and unforgettable production to your stage.

Si Kahn

Playwright, Songwriter

Si Kahn is a folk, bluegrass and roots music legend, once described as “a rumor in his own time.” At 75 years old, he is at the peak of his powers as performer, songwriter and recording artist. His songs have been recorded and performed by hundreds of artists in North America and Europe. 

For 52 years, he’s worked professionally as a civil rights, labor and community organizer. Si has sometimes described his music as “a hobby that got out of hand,” which indeed it has.

Si’s body of published work includes 16 CDs of his original songs, including six releases on the Dutch record label Strictly Country Records, plus albums on Rounder, Flying Fish, and the Swiss label Doubletime Music; a CD of original songs for children, Good Times and Bedtimes; a collection of traditional labor and civil rights songs recorded with Pete Seeger and Jane Sapp; and the songs and/or scripts for seven musicals. 

Vivian Nesbitt

Actress

Vivian Nesbitt is a third-generation actor, singer, producer, and storyteller whose work explores the intersection of theater, music, history, and social justice. She is the performer of the acclaimed one-woman play Mother Jones in Heaven, bringing the legendary labor organizer to life for audiences at theaters, colleges, labor conferences, and community venues across the country.

Her stage credits include productions with Roundabout Theatre Company (New York City), George Street Playhouse (New Jersey), and Pittsburgh Public Theater (Pennsylvania), along with numerous regional productions, Shakespeare, and summer stock. A member of SAG-AFTRA, Vivian has appeared on television in Breaking Bad, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Longmire, The Night Shift, Wildfire, and In Plain Sight.

Vivian holds a Master of Fine Arts in Acting. She and her husband, acclaimed musician John Dillon, co-hosted the nationally syndicated radio program Art of the Song, celebrating the craft of songwriting through conversations with many of the world's most respected songwriters.

Whether portraying an iconic historical figure or collaborating with fellow artists, Vivian believes that stories can build community, deepen understanding, and inspire action. When she isn't performing, she is an avid horsewoman.

John Dillon

Music Director, Guitarist

During his 25-year career as a guitar maker, John built more than 80 custom instruments. His guitars are in the collections of Steve Earle, Tish Hinojosa, Trisha Yearwood, Hank Williams, Jr., Brent Rowan, Ray Kennedy, and The Mavericks.

From 2003 to 2024, John and Vivian produced and hosted Art of the Song, a weekly public radio program that was heard on over 100 stations across North America. The two have interviewed some of the biggest names in the industry like Roger Daltrey, Smokey Robinson, Judy Collins, Donald Fagen, Joan Osborn, and Jackson Browne, to name a few. The interviews focus on the universal truths common to all creative expression. John sums up the learning in his book, The 20-20 Creativity Solution.

John now uses music to bring his lived experience in long-term recovery from substance use disorder to clients in treatment centers throughout the Northeast.

Jo Johnson

Director, Production Stage Manager

An essential member of the team, Jo’s regional stage management credits can be found in the archives of Mill Mountain Playhouse, Trinity Repertory theater and Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Jo also acts as Production Stage Manager for the touring production of Mother Jones In Heaven – a musical by Si Kahn, and The Bark & The Tree by Vivian Nesbitt.

Jo completed her MFA  from the Professional Theater Training program at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Her acting credits are growing to include several productions in the Philadelphia area. She is an activist, writer and a photographer and studies acting at The Barrow Group in New York.