I Sing Walt Whitman! was the event. The Prescott Center For The Arts is downtown just a few blocks from Prescott's Whiskey Row. I didn't notice any cowboys in the small intimate theater. Perhaps they were out of uniform.
For my thirteen years of full time RV travel I had attempted to live Walt Whitman's Song Of The Open Road. If curiosity, observing, learning and adventure is part of that "song", then I was successful. This play was a great opportunity to round out my education of Walt Whitman after reading some of his books and books about him -- his life and his times.
John Slade plays the part of Walt Whitman (the only part) in this play. Written by Slade, he plays the Walt Whitman (resembling the iconic photo) talking about his life and his life's work -- Leaves of Grass. He responds to the critics and reviewers of his book. Whitman reads from his published works with the feeling of a revivalist minister. Part of the play is Whitman's life during the Civil War and a recollection of his admiration for Abraham Lincoln.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon with Walt Whitman.
John C. Slade has a wide range of talents from acting to directing. His talents are well represented in I Sing Walt Whitman!
In the course of my nomadic travels I had the opportunity to cross paths with Mobile Kodger Randy several times. I can remember several occasions as Randy recited selections from Walt Whitman. As I listened to Slade perform Whitman, I was having a time warp moment when I wondered whether that was Randy on stage. The delivery was eerily similar.
Hi Lloyd: and thanks for the mention. I love Walt Whitman and his exuberant poetry---It helped shape my outlook on life. I condensed the richest parts into a 40 minutes performance I still do on occasion. One year I toured the US doing a one man show. Would have loved to see Mr Slade's performance.
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