By Eva Trieger in San Diego
Do you remember all of the hullabaloo that accompanied our country’s bicentennial year? 1976 saw the launching of Operation Sail. Tall ships filled our harbors in New York and Boston. Television miniseries created shows like Roots to bring our nation’s history to us at home. Fireworks were televised from our capital and the Smithsonian brought us the Folklife Festival to demonstrate our proud heritage of becoming a vibrant, liberated democracy.
As we approach our 250th anniversary, there appears to be a dearth of celebratory events or awareness. It seems to me that we need a boost and reaffirmation now more than ever before. Well, fortunately for San Diegans, look no further than Write Out Loud to remind us of the pride, strength and integrity that built our democracy and put us on a trajectory towards independence in this land of opportunity.
This immensely talented group of storytellers has but one mission: “to inspire, challenge and entertain.” Lest you think they just tell stories, allow me to enlighten you. These individuals provide windows into the souls of those who came before us, live among us and will survive us. Through imagery, dialect, provocative content and energy, this small cadre of actors, writers and raconteurs deliver whole new worlds to local audiences.
Veronica Murphy agreed to talk with me via telephone last week, to share her excitement about the programming Write Out Loud has created for this very special American birthday. Three different programs will celebrate real American heroes who sculpted our country through their bravery and insightful words. Many of these individuals are not just white, male soldiers. In fact, Write Out Loud intentionally selected little-known people and brings us pieces that are unexpected.
We the People, Life and Liberty will open June 8th. This performance will be held at the new Dottie theatre, part of the Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center in Liberty Station. It will celebrate the African American heroes who fought in the Civil War. The program will toast courageous women such as Deborah Sampson, who joined the Continental army under the pseudonym Robert Shurtliff. Her disguise went undetected until she was injured.
Another important woman, named Mary Goddard, was a printer. This role was not one held by women. A book, The Revolutionary Mary, tells of her role in printing the Declaration of Independence. Two other women who significantly impacted our American history include poet Phyllis Wheatley and First Lady Abigail Adams. Through each of these biographical tales, we learn about the grit and vision upon which our country was built.
A second exciting offering, created in a partnership with Scripps Ranch Theatre. will be performed on June 14th at 2pm. Dear Doc is a collection of letters from San Diegans written during World War II. Over 5,000 letters were collected by Dr. Lauren Post, a World War I vet and geography professor at San Diego State University. The letters were originally published in The Aztec (school newspaper) either in full or excerpted. The missives contain personal anecdotes, some with humor, others with sadness and uncertainty.
A patron, Jonnie Wilson, collected these letters and followed up on the authors in their post war years. This show was inspired by Lisa Shapiro, whose book entitled No Forgotten Front: From Classrooms to Combat, was written to commemorate all of the people who’ve sacrificed for our democracy. Tickets may be purchased at https://scrippsranchtheatre.org/showtickets/.
A third tribute to our 250th makes excellent use of our area libraries. American Literary Heroes enjoys support from the National Endowment of the Arts and will run from June through September 2026. This production is a selection of 45-50 minute presentations of actors embodying our literary greats.
The shows include Emily Dickinson, Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain and Walt Whitman. These four authors were selected because they made an impact on our country and, in some cases, globally. While some of the writing and authors are controversial, they all are deeply woven into the fabric of our diverse and nascent country. Some works reflect the growing pains and struggles of Americans seeking independence and autonomy.
One common thread linking these authors is their exploration of humanity. Twain is known for his stance on slavery influenced by his conscience. Thoreau wrote about civil liberties. Whitman observed the divisiveness caused by the Civil War and the suffering that it caused. Dickinson’s involvement in nature and the environment reflects our interdependence on the earth and helps define our place on the planet.
The actors, directed by Veronica Murphy and Rachel Van Wormer, are no strangers to Write Out Loud or Twainfest. Rhianna Basore wrote and performs Emily Dickinson. Richard Platt wrote the script performed by Steve Smith as Henry David Thoreau. Rachel Van Wormer wrote Mark Twain’s story for Paul Maley and Todd Blakesley both wrote and embodies Walt Whitman.
These American Literary Heroes shows are free and open to the public. Additionally on the website, individuals and groups have an opportunity to arrange for the performers to visit them by submitting a request form at writeoutloudsd.com.
Let’s make a joyful noise. You only turn 250 once and what better way to celebrate our democracy than by saluting those who’ve made it possible? All of those who came before us and dared to challenge the status quo have made it possible for us to form a more perfect union. We’re not there yet, but preserving what we have is a solid step in the right direction.
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Eva Trieger is a freelancer specializing in the coverage of the arts.