“The Testament of Ann Lee” tells the extraordinary true story of how Ann Lee went from an impoverished Englishwoman to founding the Shakers in upstate New York. The historical drama stars Amanda Seyfried as Lee, who rises to become the leader of a Christian sect in her hometown of Manchester before setting sail to America in 1774 to spread the word.
To say she found an audience would be an understatement.
“In the formative years of what would become the United States, many people who came in search of religious freedom were drawn to the Shakers because they offered something new and different,” said Sharon Koomler, the collections manager at the Shaker Museum in Chatham. “Ann Lee spoke with such power and conviction, while also being maternal and caring. People felt safe in her presence.”…