Mary Immaculate, living tabernacle of the Divinity, where the eternal Wisdom lies hidden to be adored and served by angels and men; Queen of heaven and of earth, beneath whose sway are subject all things that are lower than God; Patroness of the United States of America, sorrowful and mindful of our own sinfulness and the sins of our nation, we come to thee, our refuge and hope.
Knowing that our country cannot be saved by our own works, and mindful of how much our nation has departed from the ways of thy Son, we humbly ask that thou wouldst turn thine eyes upon our country to bring about its conversion.
We consecrate to thee the integrity of the upcoming election and its outcome, so that what is spiritually and morally best for the citizens of our country may be accomplished, and that all of those who are elected would govern according to the spiritual and moral principles which will bring our nation into conformity with the teachings of thy Son.
Give grace to the citizens of this land so that they will choose leaders according to the Sacred Heart of thy Son, that His glory may be made manifest, lest we be given the leaders we deserve.
Trusting in the providential care of God the Father and thy maternal care, we have perfect confidence that thou wilt take care of us and will not leave us forsaken. O Mary Immaculate, pray for us. Amen.
South Camden Theatre Company presents God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza for three weekends, nine performances opening November 8, 2024. Using a translation by Christopher Hampton, the production of the 2009 Tony Award winning play is directed by Connie Norwood.
A playground altercation between eleven-year-old boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. At first, diplomatic niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses, and the rum flows, tensions emerge, and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their liberal principles in tatters.
The cast includes Eric Crist (Michael), Claire Golden Drake (Veronica),
Caity Brown (Annette) and Marc D. Donovan (Alan).
Performances take place Friday, November 8 at 8:00pm; Saturday,
November 9 at 8:00pm; Sunday, November 10 at 2:00pm; Friday,
November 15 at 8:00pm; Saturday, November 16 at 8:00pm; Sunday,
November 17 at 2:00pm; Friday, November 22 at 8:00pm; Saturday,
November 23 at 8:00pm; and Sunday, November 24 at 2:00pm.
Tickets are available for purchase online and at the door. South Camden Theatre Company performs at their home, The Waterfront South Theatre, which is located at 400 Jasper Street in Camden, New Jersey.
If You Go:
The Waterfront South Camden Theatre is at 400 Jasper Street, Michael Doyle Lane, Camden, NJ.
The Inn at Grace Winery (formerly Sweetwater Farm Bed and Breakfast) is a tranquil haven situated on fifty acres in the historic Brandywine Valley located at 50 Sweetwater Rd, Glen Mills, Pa.
Fluffy Yarn Workshop: Sunday, November 3rd 1 pm
In the Fluffy Yarn Pumpkin Workshop hosted by Vanessa, you’ll learn to craft adorable, soft pumpkins using fluffy yarn. Perfect for all skill levels, this workshop will guide you step-by-step to create unique fall decor. 2 pumpkins per person, all supplies included!
Christmas Wreath Decorating Workshop, Black Friday, November 29th 11:30am & 4:30pm
Get into the holiday spirit with a creative afternoon at the wreath decorating workshop! Enjoy the charm of Grace Winery while crafting your own customized, fresh evergreen wreath! Must be 21+ plus to attend, tickets are required.
Annual Thorton Holiday Farmers Market Friday, December 6th, 4-9 pm
Over 30 local artisans gather in the Grace Winery barn on 2 levels for the area’s premiere holiday shopping event. Wine, beer, and light fare are available. Carolers and strolling minstrel. Free parking with attendants. Free admission. Items for gifting, decorating, and your holiday table. One day only! Bring your friends!
Get into the holiday spirit at the Christmas Centerpiece Making Workshop for a festive evening of creativity!
This beginner-friendly class is perfect for anyone looking to add a personal touch to their holiday decor. Enjoy crafting your centerpiece while sipping on a beverage and mingling with friends & family! Must be 21+.
Beginning Nov. 19, the Philadelphia-based theater company The Wilma Theater (265 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107), recipient of the 2024 Tony Award for Best Regional Theatre, begins its 2024-25 season with the regional premiere presentation of the critically acclaimed play The Comeuppance by Obie Award-winning playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Presented as a co-production between the Wilma and Washington, DC-based Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, the electrifying comedy is a meditation on impermanence, nostalgia, and isolation.
Photo courtesy of Cameron Whitman
The Comeuppance is directed by Wilma Co-Artistic Director Morgan Green and features a cast of local and regional actors Jordan Bellow, Alana Raquel Bowers, and Wilma HotHouse Company Members Taysha Canales, Sarah Gliko, and Jaime Maseda. The play runs from Nov. 19 to Dec. 8, with 20 performances presented in the Wilma’s 300-seat theater. Branden Jacobs-Jenkins is a Brooklyn-based playwright and producer whose acclaimed work has earned him two Obie Awards, a MacArthur Genius Award, the Windham-Campbell Prize for Drama, and the inaugural Tennessee Williams Award. The two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist premiered The Comeuppance at New York City’s Signature Theatre in May 2023, which garnered a New York Times Critic’s Pick and Lortel Award for Outstanding Play. The Wilma and Woolly Mammoth’s new co-production began its run in Washington, DC, on Sept. 8, receiving critical acclaim as a “superb new staging” (Washington Post) and “illuminating” (Broadway World). This marks the second time the play has been produced with a new director and cast since its premiere.
Set in 2023, Jacobs-Jenkins’ witty and moving dark comedy focuses on five friends who reunite 20 years after graduating from a high school in Prince George’s County, outside of Washington, D.C. Known as the “Multi-Ethnic Reject Group,” the group was once bonded by their outsider status and the traumas of their teenage years. Gathered on a porch ahead of their high school reunion, they reminisce about their younger selves over adult jungle juice and pot as they each reveal how their lives have unfolded since graduation. As the evening continues, they drink, fight, play a truth game, and lament the disappointments of their adult lives. Throughout the evening, they are haunted by a mysterious otherworldly figure that inhabits each character, forcing them to confront the possibility that their past actions may have sealed their present fates irrevocably.
Preview performances for The Comeuppance are from Tuesday, Nov. 19, to Thursday, Nov. 21. The production opens with an invite-only performance on Friday, Nov. 22, at 7 p.m. and runs through Sunday, Dec. 8. Single Digital Tickets will be available for sale toward the end of the show’s in-person run. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased at www.wilmatheater.org or by calling the Wilma’s box office at 215-546-7824.
Allens Lane Art Center presents a reading of “For the Mission” by Kevin Fennel.
Floating through space, The Ark – the last remaining space craft from Earth – carries the entirety of the remaining human population in cryogenic chambers. Captain Maddox, Chief Petty Officer Marius, and their AI computer, ARIEL have been entrusted with the care and maintenance of the craft and the souls on board and the future of the human race. When ARIEL’s responses begin to feel a little like lies, Marius has to decide if he will proceed with the mission or take the lives of all of humanity into his own hands.
About Allens Lane Art Center: Since its founding in 1953, Allens Lane Art Center has been a cornerstone of the Mt. Airy community by bringing residents together to participate in and experience the arts. Whether it’s art classes for children or adults, art exhibitions, or cutting-edge plays on the main stage, there is something for everyone at Allens Lane. Allens Lane Art Center offers opportunities for people to explore their creative potential.
Inis Nua presents “Drip,” a wry, enchanting little musical with a giant heart.
Written by Tom Wells with music by Matthew Robins, “Drip” makes its American premiere Nov. 6-24.
How many people do you need for a synchronized swim team—is two enough? Liam is about to find out. Their best mate Caz needs to get a team together to win the annual Project Prize at school. She tries every year. She always loses. But Liam’s an optimist and determined to help.
Performances at Fergie’s Pub. Each ticket includes a savory pie and glass of beer or wine.
Please plan to arrive 30-45 minutes prior to the performance to get settled in with your pie and pint!
Inis Nua Theatre Company performs Mainstage Productions at The Louis Bluver Theatres at The Drake, 302 South Hicks Street, Philadelphia, PA 19102 and Pop-Up Plays at Fergie’s Pub, 1214 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
This November, InterAct Theatre Company produces the American Premiere of this gripping stage narrative in “Moreno”.
The NFL has been shaken by Colin Kaepernick’s controversial decision to take a knee during the national anthem to protest against police brutality. Superstar running back Luis Moreno, who is all about his game – and his paycheck — has joined a new team with championship aspirations. But America’s leadership is changing, and when a painful new reality hits close to home, Luis is forced to ask whether politics have a place on the field, and if he is willing to risk his career to take a stand for his own community.
I am unusually excited to be directing MORENO for a whole lot of reasons. First, the play is so incredibly timely. Despite being set in 2016, the play feels urgent and current because we’re in the middle of both football season and a Presidential election, again, with one of the same central characters sending shock waves through our daily lives. And, of course, the struggle for racial equity and social justice is ongoing and incremental, which is one of the sobering realities illuminated by MORENO. Second, I’m a huge football fan (Go Birds!) and I love exploring the intersection between sports and politics. And third, I’m chomping at the bit to work with this cast, which includes three of my favorite local actors — Frank Jimenez, Gabriel Elmore and Abdul Sesay. So, MORENO is a win-win-win for me! – director Seth Rozin
Performances run Nov. 1 – 24 at The Proscenium Theatre at The Drake. Preview nights even feature free ice cream from Scoop DeVille with a signature flavor created just for the show. For tickets and showtimes, visit https://www.interacttheatre.org/moreno
Applications for NEA Big Read grants that will support community-wide reading programs between September 2025 and June 2026 are now being accepted; the theme: ‘Our Nature: How Our Physical Environment Can Lead Us to Seek Hope, Courage, and Connection’; 22 books are available for selection
By Steven Brodsky
From a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) press release:
Washington, DC—Applications are now open for NEA BigRead grants to support community-wide reading programs between September 2025 and June 2026 under the new theme, “Our Nature: How Our Physical Environment Can Lead Us to Seek Hope, Courage, and Connection.” An initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with Arts Midwest, the NEA BigRead supports a range of events and activities designed around a single NEA BigRead book. The goal of this program is to inspire meaningful conversations, celebrate local creativity, elevate a wide variety of voices and perspectives, encourage cross-sector collaboration, and build stronger connections in each community. Matching grants range from $5,000 to $20,000 each. The Intent to Apply deadline is January 23, 2025. Visit Arts Midwest’s website for complete grant guidelines and to apply.
New for 2025-2026: Community programming during this cycle will focus on the theme “Our Nature.” The 22 NEA BigRead books available for selection—14 new books and eight returning—explore our relationship with the physical environment, from our cities and farms to our mountains and coastlines. Applicants will host book discussions, writing workshops, and other creative activities that examine how we shape our physical environment and how it shapes us.
“The new theme, ‘Our Nature,’ takes us in so many fascinating directions worth exploring, and these 22 titles are perfect jumping-off places,” said Amy Stolls, the NEA’s literary arts director. “The authors reflect on what we endure, what nourishes us, what once was and what might be in prose and poetry that sings, surprises us, opens our hearts, and makes us laugh.”
The 2025-2026 NEA BigRead book selections showcase a wide range of genres, perspectives, and geographic regions. New additions:
Bewilderment (novel) by Richard Powers
Bite by Bite (memoir) by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Blackfish City (novel) by Sam J. Miller
Fuzz (nonfiction) by Mary Roach
I Cheerfully Refuse (novel) by Leif Enger
In the Distance (novel) by Hernan Diaz
In the Field Between Us (poetry) by Molly McCully Brown and Susannah Nevison
Lone Women (novel) by Victor LaValle
The New Wilderness (novel) by Diane Cook
Nobody Gets Out Alive (short stories) by Leigh Newman
North Woods (novel) by Daniel Mason
The Quickening (nonfiction) by Elizabeth Rush
The Seed Keeper (novel) by Diane Wilson
You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World (poetry anthology) edited by Ada Limon
Returning books:
An American Sunrise (poetry) by Joy Harjo
The Bear (novel) by Andrew Krivak
Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude (poetry) by Ross Gay
The Grapes of Wrath (novel) by John Steinbeck
The House on Mango Street (novel) by Sandra Cisneros
Lab Girl (memoir) by Hope Jahren
Their Eyes Were Watching God (novel) by Zora Neale Hurston
When the Emperor Was Divine (novel) by Julie Otsuka
The NEA BigRead welcomes applications from a variety of eligible organizations, including first-time applicants; organizations serving communities of all sizes, including rural and urban areas; and organizations with small, medium, or large operating budgets. Applicant organizations will collaborate with a broad range of partners—including a community library if the applicant itself is not a library—to offer events and activities that engage the whole community. Read more about eligibility and how to apply in the guidelines on Arts Midwest’s website.
Applicant Resources:
A webinar for potential applicants will take place on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. ET. Register here.
If you have additional questions, you can join Arts Midwest staff for office hours on November 19 and December 10—access the guidelines for more details and to register.
Did the story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and a fourth person in a fiery furnace “walking in the midst of the fire” told in Daniel 3:16-28 help inspire Robert W. Service (January 16, 1874 – September 11, 1958) to write “The Cremation of Sam McGee”? I’d tell you if I knew.
Posted 10-11-24
When the world was newer to all of us
By Steven Brodsky
Photo by Steven Brodsky
… some of this column’s readers experienced the gathering of leaves in grade school.
A memory of gathering leaves as a child may have been dormant till now, as dormant as a deciduous tree that will have shed all of its leaves for winter.
Same can be said about the capacity to enjoy a more youthful sense of wonder while engaged in the non-cleanup (no rake in sight) activity of gathering leaves.
Posted 9-29-24
With autumn nigh
By Steven Brodsky
… “leaves that are green” are turning brown.
The Paul Simon song embedded above includes the words “like a poem I meant to write.” The sadness of those words are tempered a bit if you consider (as I do) that Simon’s poetic impulse was nicely channeled into the creation of this song. Granted, the speaker in the song may not be the songwriter.
For poets, leaving some poems unwritten can be tragically sad.
Time does hurry on.
Photo by Steven Brodsky
Posted 9-18-24
The 20th annual Poetry Out Loud competition to take place during the 2024-2025 school year
By StevenBrodsky
… Details about the competition appear in a press release that was issued on September 4, 2024 by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the Poetry Foundation.
From that press release:
Washington, DC and Chicago, IL—The 2024-2025 school year marks the 20th anniversary of Poetry Out Loud®, an arts education program and dynamic poetry recitation competition for high school students that lifts poetry off the page, creating community and connection. A partnership of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Poetry Foundation, and state and jurisdictional arts agencies, Poetry Out Loud takes place in all 50 states, American Samoa, District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Schools and organizations are encouraged to contact their Poetry Out Loud state coordinator to get involved in this year’s competition.
In addition to $50,000 in prizes and stipends awarded annually to competitors and their home communities—including a $20,000 prize for the National Champion—Poetry Out Loud provides free poetry education resources nationally, including lesson plans and other educational materials for teachers and organizers, tips on reciting, and an online anthology of more than 1,200 classic and contemporary poems.
20 Years of Impact
In 2004, the Poetry Foundation and NEA began developing and piloting a first-of-its-kind national poetry recitation program for high school students; Poetry Out Loud launched at the start of the following school year in 2005. Since then, the program has reached more than 4.4 million students and 81,000 teachers from 20,000 schools across the nation.
“As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of Poetry Out Loud, we honor the program’s lasting impact on students. Through the power of words and performance, young people are developing public speaking skills and self-confidence, the ability to connect with peers and leaders, and an appreciation for diverse perspectives and interpretations of the world around us. These are skills that will serve them well in any career or endeavor they may choose to pursue,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD. “We extend our gratitude to our partners at the Poetry Foundation and the stewards of this program—the students, educators, parents, and our state coordinators—and look forward to working together through many more years of Poetry Out Loud.”
A study completed in 2020 found that participation in Poetry Out Loud can help schools become more vibrant learning spaces and support students in their academic, literary, and social-emotional development.
“I want to underscore how special Poetry Out Loud is as a platform for expression and learning for our nation’s youth,” said Michelle T. Boone, Poetry Foundation president and CEO. “Participants go beyond developing an appreciation for poetry—they discover how it can be a powerful tool for building compassion and empathy, self-reflection, and finding meaning in the world. Each time I attend a recitation, I learn more about what is important to this generation and come away with a new understanding of familiar poems as presented through their voices. I eagerly look forward to another 20 years of Poetry Out Loud.”
How to Participate
Poetry Out Loud starts at the local level in a classroom, school, or an area organization. Students memorize and recite poems they select from the Poetry Out Loud anthology of classic and contemporary poems. Winners then may advance to a regional and/or state competition, and ultimately to the National Finals.
To register for the 2024-2025 program, schools and organizations should contact their state arts agency. Students from all types of high schools are welcome to participate, including public, private, parochial, independent, charter, and homeschool. Non-school organizations, such as after school clubs, libraries, or nonprofit organizations, may choose to run Poetry Out Loud as well. Students unable to participate at their school or a local organization should contact their state Poetry Out Loud coordinator to discuss other opportunities for inclusion in their state’s official competition.
The 2025 Poetry Out Loud National Finals will take place May 5-7, 2025, in Washington, DC. A total of $50,000 in awards and school or organizational stipends will be awarded, including $20,000 for the National Champion, and $10,000 and $5,000 for the second- and third-place finalists. The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded for Poetry Out Loud. The Poetry Out Loud National Finals are administered by Mid Atlantic Arts.
Join the 20th anniversary celebration on X (Twitter) and Instagram using #POL2025, #POL20Years, and #IAmPoetryOutLoud and follow the National Endowment for the Arts and Poetry Foundation at @PoetryOutLoud, @NEAArts, and @PoetryFound.
Posted 9-8-24
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has scheduled eight Story Time With The Educator sessions, August – December 2024
By Steven Brodsky
From a Friends of the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania press release that was issued on July 31, 2024:
Story Time With The Educator. Children ages 2 through preK enjoy the reading of an engaging featured book, followed by a fun craft activity. Register for the Saturday programs on Eventbrite. Friday story times are walk-in registration.
“Birches,” a song by Bill Morrissey, had been referenced in the main section of this column. I believe that Bill Morrissey probably titled the song as a nod to the same-named Robert Frost poem. Bill Morrissey spoke of the impact of Robert Frost’s poetry in an interview: “And then, as I got older, people like Robert Frost really hit me.” Bill Morrissey’s “Birches”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5n5ceAv_Bc&ab_channel=BillMorrissey-Topic. I never had an opportunity to interview Bill Morrissey.
Posted 3-26-24
A recitation of W.H. Auden’s ‘O What Is That Sound’
By Steven Brodsky
… A great recitation of this unsettling poem:
Tomorrow is the birthday of W.H. Auden (February 21, 1907 – September 29, 1973).
Posted 2-20-24
Tracked and found a lost dog
By Steven Brodsky
… during a recent snowfall.
After finding the dog, turned around and noticed the tracks of the dog and my own in the snow “stretched out upon the world.”
Read the poem aloud; it’s not difficult to hear its musicality and to see the gorgeous imagery conjured by: “The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.”
Upon seeing the moon on special evenings, people sometimes sing the quoted line from the Noyes poem in the manner that Phil Ochs did on the linked recording, implicitly acknowledging the effectiveness of the poem and the song.
Posted 1-27-23
One can only imagine
By Steven Brodsky
… how great Hubert Selby Jr.’s novel Seeds of Pain, Seeds of Love (the working title) would be if the novel had been completed.
Revisiting this reading by Selby of a few pages from the incomplete manuscript of the novel because the pages and the reading are powerful and not everyone here now watched the reading when a link to it was originally posted, and because the writing exemplifies what can be achieved by someone who never completed formal education beyond the eighth grade and who had some huge personal challenges, and because I hope that the reading will inspire writing by some of you, but be aware that the reading contains a depiction of violence upon a juvenile by a parent and adult language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0wAJ8AFRmQ.
Seamus Heaney was born in Northern Ireland on April 13, 1939. He passed away on August 30, 2013.
Posted 2-2-22
A Conversation With Author Adriana Trigiani
By Steven Brodsky
Adriana Trigiani is a New York Times bestselling author. Her books have been published in thirty-six countries. Among her titles are: The Shoemaker’s Wife, All the Stars in the Heavens, Big Stone Gap, Lucia, Lucia, and the memoir Don’t Sing at theTable. She’s written for television, the stage, and wrote (and directed) the movie Big Stone Gap. Kiss Carlo is Adriana’s seventeenth novel.
You are very much identified with the category of women’s fiction. When you first started book writing, did you envision that your creative output was going to especially appeal to female readers as it has?
I hoped it would, and I crossed my fingers and aimed for it. You see, in my estimation, women need a respite and reprieve in this weary world, a place to go in their imaginations in ways that men do not. We need the lush worlds of fiction and the lessons of novelists to encourage us to examine our own lives and choices, artfully, spiritually, and in solitude- in peace and quiet- subject to reader. So, I’m thrilled to be considered a contributor to the genre called women’s fiction.
What percentage of your readers is female?
Probably most.
Very much enjoyed Kiss Carlo. There’s beauty in the story and its telling—sufficient to satisfy most female and male readers.
Thank you. The central character in Kiss Carlo is Nicky Castone, home from the war, back driving a cab in South Philly, engaged to Peachy DePino, and terrified that he is making all the wrong choices with his life. I began with the intention of writing a novel about how Nicky was mothered by every woman in his life- and it turned out to be a novel about seeking your bliss. Though, I’m sure, as you’re reading, you see the narrative ribbon of maternal pride, control and love through Hortense, Aunt Jo, Mamie and Peachy. It’s all there. And if men choose to pick it up- they’ll find a feast of meaning.
(Have Charles Bukowski’s poem “Bluebird” in mind in pleading the Fifth about whether this interviewer had tears in his eyes upon reading one or two book scenes involving Kiss Carlo character Mrs. Hortense Mooney.) This novel is historical fiction, opening in 1949. South Philadelphia and Roseto, Pennsylvania are major locales. Italian-American life in those communities, as it was in the ‘40s and ‘50s, comes alive in its pages. The book is rich in references, specific and accurate. Adriana, what research did you do?
I am a devoted and thorough reader when I do research- I also seek out folks who were alive during the period which I am living in (imaginatively of course). I find the combination of studying autobiographies of the period, culture, fashion, style, politics and religion of the time are inspiring and helpful. I walk in the steps of the characters, which spiritually gives me something tangible to feel, which leads me to feeling that there is something to do, which in turn makes me feel that I am there,in that world in 1949. For someone who wouldn’t know a Pontiac from a Ford in real life, I become a car nut when I’m writing fiction. I get heavily invested in cars. In terms of fashion, I become obsessed with a particular article of clothing- in Kiss Carlo, it was hats for women and for men. But, once I’ve had my fill of facts and stories and photographs, I put everything aside and let the characters take me into the world of their lives, and it’s as real to me as the one I’m living in at this moment. That’s the magic of writing novels, if there is any pixie dust at all to this process.
I really imbed in the locations of my books. Roseto, Pennsylvania and Roseto Valfortore, Italy are places of origin for my father’s father and my dad, and his family and for me- so I am eager to write about places I know intimately. South Philly is a bouquet of memories- as we had cousins who lived there, and as children, my parents brought us there- so it was a glamorous place to me, exotic. My grandfather’s life resonated in this story, in ways that I can’t even calculate- I did a lot of holding his pipes and inhaling the scents of his Blackjack tobacco, not much left in the pouch, but enough to inspire me to press ahead.
Oh, and I’m thrilled you had a few tears while reading. It’s what I hope will happen- that you are moved emotionally while reading my books- that’s the highest compliment you can pay me.
The work and challenges of a fictional South Philadelphia Shakespeare-producing theater are depicted in Kiss Carlo. I imagine that writing about theater in this novel, had much personal resonance for you given your earlier involvement with theater and your continuing experience as a literary artist. If so, please tell us about it.
Well, I began as a playwright, and imagine I will always be one. The world of the theater is one of my favorites to write about, as I know it intimately, and am at home there. The theater holds two important things for me- its familiarity and its possibility. I am at home in any theater. A blank space is heavenly to me. The possibilities, which come in the process, are endless and surprising. I bring the theater, the discipline of it, to every aspect of my life and work. When I write novels, I am longing to be in the theater, but I use the tools I learned there in the novels- hopefully giving my reader a sense of scope, with lush stage pictures and good dialogue to keep them dazzled by the storytelling. That’s my hope.
Of the characters in Kiss Carlo, which do you most identify with?
All of them.
Why?
I have to understand what motivates every character so each one feels alive, on a journey and indispensable. Each character must be built from the soul outward. I see them and hear them each in their own voice, with their own particularity. Each character has to be completely new, I believe that’s one of the reasons that readers continue to pick up my books. I aim to keep things fresh.
You’ve been publishing a book a year since your first novel was released. Has this routine unfolded organically? If not, what drives it? How do you manage to be so creatively prolific?
I believe there are no limits to the power of the imagination. The hardest aspect is the sitting for hours on end- but I have learned to counter that with physical movement, which helps. I am prolific because I don’t know how much time I have. Fear drives me, Steven. Fear has always driven me, and I imagine, when I get to the end, it will evermore. I am working on not being afraid of dying. Both of my parents were resplendent in the transition from life to death, so I have my work cut out for me!
You are in the midst of a book tour for Kiss Carlo. Do you write while touring?
I write poetry while touring. I work in other forms when I’m on the road. I meet old and new friends and it’s a wonderful mix of visiting the past and living in the present which makes me want to come up with beautiful ways to write about them and the experiences of the road, so I do it in verse. Now, I’m not saying this poetry is any good, but it is writing!
What are optimal writing conditions for you?
Quiet. Solitude. Good tools. Pens. Legal pads. Notebooks. I’m surrounded by books. I have a big table. Bright sunlight. My office. Bliss!
What is your writing schedule like and how disciplined are you in keeping to it?
I’m very disciplined. I let fear dictate my schedule- I keep to my contracts, which I use as my own checks and balance system. I have to work seven days a week. The heft of the hours is during the week- usually a full 8 hour workday. Weekends- lighter but I read and re-read and edit.
What stimulates your creativity?
I want to describe everything to my reader- people, the soup a character eats, the patina of the fabric on the chair upon which she sits, the scent in the air- so life really stimulates my creativity. But so does sleep- and my dreams, and the longing of what never can be, never will be, but must live somewhere, so it winds up in my books because it has to- because it is on fire within my imagination fuels my storytelling, therefore my creativity. When I write, a character can sweep me into a time and place where life is lush, or perhaps awful, but I am there, and that grows my imagination in ways I can’texplain, butdictates my desire to keep at it, to get better, to write more in order to connect more deeply with the reader.
Does the writing process sometimes intrude while you are engaged in social and other non-solitary activities?
Any writer will tell you, you can never turn it off. The work plays like a tune in your head, all day and all night. I can be walking around and something in the moment will trigger an idea, and suddenly, I’m off. My husband recognizes “the signs.” I talk to myself sometimes. I tap my fingers as if it’s Morse Code for later, when I can record an idea on paper. It sounds intrusive, but I’ve been this way all of my life- there’s the world in front of me, and the world inside me- and they co-exist until one takes precedence over the other, but they are always operating in tandem.
Some writers feel that discussing works in progress dissipates creative energy. Do you feel that way?
Sometimes. I don’t talk about works in progress much because when I have, they never end up to be what I’ve shared- and then it becomes, whatever happened to- and that’s just annoying.
What can you tell us about your current writing project?
It’s a big epic about two people who find each other and try to make a life together.
What supports you emotionally in your work as a writer?
I consider my work as a writer a job of service. I’m here to make readers laugh and cry and connect. I’m not interested in writing books that amuse me, but reach her, the person who picks one of my books up and is looking to be transported from this reality to another one. I want her to immerse herself in a story waiting that will hopefully enchant, amuse, delight and lift her out of her responsibilities, grief and disappointments and into a place and time that has nothing to do with this weary world. So, I guess, I am emotionally supported by my reader, who needs me to give her a good book to read.
How satisfying is your writing life?
I am so very blessed and so very, very lucky. I never dread my job- I go to it with all I’ve got, still as eager today as I was the first time I wrote a story when I was 11. I like the process. It’s not easy, but I’m not one for ease, I prefer a challenge. Writing has fed my intellect, grown my imagination and fueled my faith. I have no complaints about it- not one.
Do you have any regrets about being a writer?
The sitting is tough. But, I saw a commercial on TV where there’s a desk that goes up and down and you can stand and write. I might try that gizmo. But I don’t have any regrets about writing other than the sitting.
What are some of the most gratifying things readers have said to you during the Kiss Carlo book tour?
You’ve got me with this question.As much as I take delight in having made you weep a couple times while reading the book, I wish I could share what my readers give me- in terms of their own experiences and points of view and passion for life without weeping myself- but too late. I’m crying. I have a deep loyalty to my readers. They’ve been with me nearly twenty years now, and it’s an abiding relationship in my life- author and reader, that just grows ever deeper with each book. There’s a shorthand and an honesty- when my reader doesn’t like something, she is vocal about it. When she connects and loves something- she can’t wait to tell me. I have found more sisters on the road, more honorary aunts and grandmothers, muses and inspirations, angels and teachers through these books, than I could have ever dreamed of, or imagined. They have given me everything, therefore I owe them everything.
My mother Ida Bonicelli Trigiani was a librarian, and she taught me to revere the written word, to respect authors, and honor the library. After she died, I realized that it was she that had planted this sense of wonder in me, not only about life, but about books and the people that read them. I had several tour stops after her death in August of 2017, two in fact, a few days after her funeral- in libraries. Of course, they offered to cancel the events- but I needed to be with readers in the library- my friends, my girls- it was their strength and wisdom that pulled me through- and like good friends do, we laughed and remembered- they remembered their moms and I talked about mine, and we connected and connected and connected. And God willing and the creek don’t rise, we always will.
A Conversation With Willy Vlautin, Author of ‘Don’t Skip Out on Me’
By Steven Brodsky
Willy Vlautin is an artist of integrity and intensity. Readers of his books and those familiar with his songs from his work with the bands Richmond Fontaine and The Delines know this. Willy is the author of The Free, Lean on Pete, Northline, The MotelLife, and the just-released Don’t Skip Out on Me. A movie adaptation of Lean on Pete is days away from its theatrical release; it’s aptly named Lean on Pete. I’ve long wanted to see Lean on Pete transformed into a movie. In a 2010 radio interview with Willy, expressed my admiration for the book and told him of my hope that it would one day morph into a movie. That hope has been realized.
My invitation to Willy to do this Entertainment, Culture andMore interview was overdue—mea culpa, dear readers.
The releases of Don’t Skip Out on Me and the movie Lean on Pete arepractically concurrent (and exciting). Willy, how areyoustaying grounded?
Ha, it’s pretty easy to stay grounded because nothing much ever changes with me. I just hide out and work on my novels and songs. Sometimes I do alright at it and other times I don’t. I also have three horses and, man oh man, they keep you humble.
The central character of Don’t Skip Out on Me, Horace Hopper, is a heroic and tragic figure. Abandoned by his parents, he seeks to disidentify from his Paiute and Irish roots. He fabricates a Mexican persona and leaves Nevada ranch life to pursue “greatness” as a professional boxer.Negative self-image and accompanying doubts travel with him on his journey, though he’s buoyed and guided by principles of a self-help book. How did this character come to you?
I’ve always been interested in identity. One of the questions in the book asks, is Horace Native American or Irish? Does he have to be either? What is he? Maybe genetically he’s part Native American and Irish but he has no ethnic community or culture to fall back on, to guide him. He, like so many Americans, is a combination of things. After a few generations the old ethnic culture and identity begin to fade. It can get lonelier and more isolating. When we meet Horace, he’s just a lonely young man who likes heavy metal and is in love with the ideal of Mexican boxers. He was raised to be ashamed of himself and he sees the ideal of the Mexican boxer as a way out. He’s desperate enough to think he can change his identity to become Mexican and desperate enough to believe in a self-published self-help book called THE B.O.A.T –Believe, Overcome, Aspire, Triumph. Building the Champion Inside You.
As to where he came from, well I’m a lot like that kid. I never felt like I fit and I was always looking for a quick fix solution. I was always sure there had to be an easy way to fix myself without having to look inward. Becoming someone else was always such a great dream. And I admired Mexican boxers because they are so damn tough and I ain’t tough. So it all just sorta fell into place.
Where did you acquire knowledge of desert ranching?
I asked around some, read some, and watched from afar quite a bit. I have been in love with the high deserts of the West for most of my life so learning about that segment was a joy. I wrote the first section of the book thinking of Robert Laxalt, the great Basque Nevadan writer. His father was a sheepherder and Robert Laxalt wrote about their experience in THE SWEET PROMISED LAND. So that first section in DON’T SKIP OUT…is for him.
And of the kind of boxing world that Horace entered into?
I’ve followed boxing on and off for years, since I was a kid. I subscribed to The Ring magazine for years and I’ve always read about it even when I’m off going to fights. Plus, it’s hard to be a boxing fan in the NW. Not a lot of fights happening. But when I first came to Portland there was a decent Golden Gloves boxing community. I’d always go to those matches and while there I’d see the great Portland writer Katherine Dunn in the back, always in dark sunglasses and always writing about whichever fight she saw. She was so damn cool. Just the best. As a fan of novels about boxing, I’d always wanted to write one myself and this one’s it.
Isolated ranching work and solitary time of the writing life have similarity. How conscious were you of this when you were writing Don’t Skip Out on Me?
The idea of loneliness and isolation are themes in the book. I think nearly every character deals with loneliness. Some are literally isolated like Victor and Pedro, some are in self-imposed isolation like Mrs. Reese, some are stuck like Mr. Reese, and some are isolated by shame and self-hatred like Horace. I’m not sure I ever thought of it connected to writing but it’s probably in there somewhere although I got to say I never get tired of loneliness of writing. I never mind that part.
Mr. Reese, a sheep rancher, is the kind of person that many people will wish they had in their own upbringings. Was there a prototype for Mr. Reese in your own life?
He’s fictional. I wish I’d known a guy like that. If I had I probably wouldn’t be a haggard wreck of a writer/musician! My idea with him was, can a decent good old man save a failing, dented young man? There’s such a cost for scarring up a kid the way Horace has been scarred up. Even the love of this old couple who want to give Horace all their possessions and their hearts can’t beat Horace’s scars. Even the decency and dedication Mr. Reese shows to Horace might not be enough to save the kid.
When writing, what is the degree to which you emotionally engage with the experiences of your characters?
I always write them for myself, so I’m invested. Writing these stories help get me through. Being around Mr. Reese reminds me to be kind and decent and being around Horace inspires me to try to be my own sorta champion. Here’s this kid who doesn’t self-destruct under his pain but tries to be a champion. He tries the best he can, for who he is, to rise above his situation and the pain he’s in.
What was most challenging about Don’t Skip Out on Me?
The boxing and the ranching were the two hard parts of the book. Later on, it became a struggle to let Horace be Horace. I liked the guy so much that it was hard to let him make some of the decisions he’d eventually make. I knew he’d make them but it was hard to take. In general, all novels are difficult. They always start out easy and then slowly I seem to beat out the easiness and they become a real struggle to finish.
What flowed most easily?
Ha, the same things that were hard, the ranching and the boxing! I loved writing both those things, they’re just hard to get right.
A soundtrack for Don’t Skip Out on Me, by your band Richmond Fontaine, is downloadable for book buyers. Speak to us about the soundtrack.
All my novels start as songs. I’ll write a few tunes about a general idea and sometimes that will get me going on a book. But after that phase I usually stop writing songs set in the world of the book. It was different with DON’T SKIP OUT ON ME. It just felt like music from the very first page. It’s a story dipped in melancholy, and I think because of that the instrumental songs appeared with each chapter. When I got the novel into working shape I gave a copy of the book to each of the guys in RF. We’d quit playing by then but we are all pals and they were nice enough to do it. It was so damn fun. I brought in around 20 pretty rough instrumentals and the guys tricked them out. We rehearsed harder than we had in a while and knocked out the record pretty quick at a great studio here in Portland called Flora. My hope has been that after you’ve read the novel you’ll sometimes listen to the soundtrack and the characters and the world of the novel will come back to you. They will stay alive a bit longer.
Were you present during the filming of Lean on Pete? (Lean onPete is the second movie adaptation of a Willy Vlautin novel.)
They were nice enough to let hang around as much as I wanted. I checked out some of the race scenes and a couple others. I had a friend who was working on the movie too, so all in all it was a good time. But in the end, it’s not my project and I didn’t want to get in anyone’s way so I didn’t stay around too much.
Have you given thought to writing a sequel to any of your novels?
Sometimes I think about writing about Frank Flannigan from THE MOTEL LIFE and maybe I will someday. There are side characters I’d also like to write more about. Earl Hurley from THE MOTEL LIFE and Lonnie Dixon from LEAN ON PETE and DON’T SKIP OUT ON ME. But that’s about it. I will leave Charley Thompson from LEAN ON PETE alone and let him live with his aunt in Laramie forever, and Allison Johnson I just want her to be alright in Reno with Dan Mahony so I won’t mess with her again. Both her and Charley are too beat up and if I continue to write about them they’ll just get more banged up.
What might your next novel be about?
I have a few things I’m working on but I’m just not sure which one will be the right one.
You’ve been author touring Don’t Skip Out on Me. (This Harper Perennial release is Willy’s first hardcover book.) Where has this tour taken you and what have you most enjoyed about it?
I’ve been driving around the West and I love that. I drive myself so I stop wherever I want and explore little towns and take pictures. I listen to music and audiobooks all day. It’s pretty nice and the West is so amazing. I could spend my life driving it and never get bored. And then at night I stop by a bookstore and get to be in a room with people who love books. So it ain’t bad, except bookstores don’t have beer and I end up buying a trunk full of books.
The NFL has been shaken by Colin Kaepernick’s controversial decision to take a knee during the national anthem to protest against police brutality. Superstar running back Luis Moreno, who is all about his game – and his paycheck — has joined a new team with championship aspirations. But America’s leadership is changing, and when painful new reality hits close to home, Luis is forced to ask whether politics have a place on the field, and if he is willing to risk his career to take a stand for his own community. This November, InterAct Theatre Company produces the American Premiere of this gripping stage narrative in “Moreno.”
“I am unusually excited to be directing MORENO for a whole lot of reasons,” says director Seth Rozin. “First, the play is so incredibly timely. Despite being set in 2016, the play feels urgent and current because we’re in the middle of both football season and a Presidential election, again, with one of the same central characters sending shock waves through our daily lives. And, of course, the struggle for racial equity and social justice is ongoing and incremental, which is one of the sobering realities illuminated by MORENO. Second, I’m a huge football fan (Go Birds!) and I love exploring the intersection between sports and politics. And third, I’m chomping at the bit to work with this cast, which includes three of my favorite local actors — Frank Jimenez, Gabriel Elmore and Abdul Sesay. So, MORENO is a win-win-win for me!”
If You Go:
Performances run Nov. 1 – 24 at The Proscenium Theatre at The Drake. Preview nights even feature free ice cream from Scoop DeVille with a signature flavor created just for the show. For tickets and showtimes, visit https://www.interacttheatre.org/moreno
Philadelphia-based Arden Theatre Company presents the second production of its 2024/25 season with two-time Pulitzer winning playwright Lynn Nottage’s Intimate Apparelon the Arcadia Stage. Intimate Apparel is based on the life of Nottage’s great-grandmother, a seamstress at the turn of the 20th century.
Directed by Amina Robinson, the first Black woman to win a Barrymore Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical for The Color Purple, the powerful production unfolds with performances now through Dec. 8.
The time is 1905. The place, the Lower East Side. Sewing beautiful lingerie gives Esther Mills, an African American seamstress, an intimate look at the lives of her clientele, but she yearns for a story of her own.
“The language, story, characters, and structure of this piece itself, is an exercise in exploring the innermost complexities of desire, fear, and longing that driveus in life. Set in New York 1905, the story of Esther is equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful, begging the question, ‘What are you willing to risk to get what you want out of life?’” – Director Amina Robinson
Zuhairah plays Mrs. Dickson in “Intimate Apparel” at the Arden.
This stellar cast features Brandi Porter (Esther), Zuhairah (Mrs. Dickson), Akeem Davis (George), Julianna Zinkel (Mrs. Van Buren), David Pica (Mr. Marks, and Donnie Hammond (Mayme).
If You Go:
Single ticket prices vary by performance and start at $37. Tickets are available online at ardentheatre.org.
Arden Theatre Company is at 40 N. 2nd St., Philadelphia
Post-Show Talkback| Monday, Nov. 11, 2024 at 7 p.m.
Teen Night | Saturday, Nov.16, 2024 at 7 p.m. $15 tickets and a post-show talkback for Teens 13 – 18 years old.
Young Friends Night! | Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 at 7 p.m. Use code: YFARDEN for $30 tickets (Arden Young Friends is designed for audience members 40 and under and includes a pre-show networking event). Click here to purchase tickets.
Post-Show Talkback| Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024 at 2 p.m.
