The June 26 performance of Judith Deem Dupree's
I Sing America was breathtaking in more ways than one. Over fifty backcountry residents gathered in the Pine Valley Clubhouse to experience the patriotic extravaganza of theater, art, and music. Eight local readers brought Judith's book alive as they portrayed Amerigo Vespucci (Duane Mason), the Narrator/Protagonist (DeBee Trant) and the Chorus (Christine Siders, Shontel Grivno, Mike Trant, Johnnie Jones, and Robert Rubin). Behind and emphasizing the words they read were musical selections as varied as Dvorak's "New World Symphony," Pete Seeger's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?" and Disney's "A Pirate's Life for Me" as images depicting our nation's history flashed on two large screens: Revolutionary War, Lincoln and the Civil War, the Mall of Washington DC, slaves and soldiers, school desegregation, the Mississippi River, Disneyland, poverty-stricken neighborhoods, and, finally, scenes from September 11. The spectators were silent, spellbound by the performances, by the breadth and scope of our nation's history, our nation's people.
Dianne Holly and Judith Deem Dupree
was adapted from the book by Judith Deem Dupree by Dianne Holly (pictured above) who also directed the performance and arranged the visuals and musical background to Judith's poetry. In Judith's book, Amerigo Vespucci, for whom our country is named, views aspects of our history and of our present, commenting upon it with wisdom and in truth. As the Narrator attempted to question Vespucci or explain situations to him, we were drawn into seeing our country through a stranger's eyes, eyes that marveled at the beauty of our land but which also deplored the bloodshed, hatred, and violence that has been also been part of our past and our present. The commentary was well-taken by those who experienced the performance, who went away not just entertained but thinking, perhaps the overall goal of both the writer and the director -- a goal in which they succeeded admirably.
We can only hope that
I Sing America will be performed for more than the fifty souls who experienced it last Friday evening as it is a beautiful and thought-provoking production that well deserves a larger audience.
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MECAC also thanks Douglas Edward Harrison (Sound Design), Allen Harnetaux (Sound Engineering), and Tammy Mason (Slide Technician).
With gratitude we also note: Linda Berardi (Pine Valley Clubhouse Manager), Larry McNamer (CBC Technical), Tony Neff of
The Back Country Messenger, The Valley Views, and
The Alpine Sun.
We also thank Margo Kreger of Lake Morena for the display of her beautiful art (pictured behind Dianne and Judith in above photo).
