February 24, 2007

This week Tony has invited Thurston Moore for an interview. Moore, who along with his late wife Georgianna (1927-2001), founded the non-profit performing arts organization Tennessee Players, Inc. http://tennesseeplayers.org/

Under Georgianna's theatrical direction the company presented productions throughout Middle Tennessee and neighboring states, including memorable presentations for Nashville's Two River Mansion's "Christmas Open House," where Georgianna's original Civil War Drama, Willie's Comin' Home, premiered. Dr. Goodheart's Medicine Show was presented at the Nashville Convention Center and the creativity and talents of Tennessee Players were vividly showcased in 1988 when they presented An Evening of Entertainment to aid Nashville's PBS station's membership drive, featuring 29 performers in 24 theatrical skits: "To give or not to give. "For several years Tennessee Players sponsored weekend bus tours to Outdoor Dramas with on-board and on-location entertainment. Their weekly radio program, The Theatre Scene, hosted by Georgianna, ran for more than three years and their acclaimed programs are in the archives of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Foundation and the Museum of Television and Radio in New York City. In 1993 Thurston's original drama, Lincoln and the Civil War, with Georgianna portraying Mary Todd Lincoln, premiered at the Tennessee Performing arts Center. Words of Albert Schweitzer and the Music of Bach premiered in 1995 and in l996 Lincoln and the Fisk Jubilee Singers was presented with the world-famous singers at Fisk University, another Thurston Moore original production. It was in 1958 when Thurston saw the Oscar-winning film for "best documentary," Albert Schweitzer, and became deeply influenced by Dr. Schweitzer's life and philosophy of Reverence for Life. Thurston's life's work is keeping Schweitzer's words and spirit alive, and one of his proudest accomplishments was his association with Norman Cousins for the book, The Words of Albert Schweitzer. In 2000 Thurston produced Symposium 2000 - World Peace through Reverence for Life, celebrating the 125th birthday of Schweitzer's birth and the 250th anniversary of Bach's death. That 16-day event in Nashville was sponsored by Vanderbilt University. Thurston first thought of a World Peace 2000 event back in 1987 with encouragement from Norman Cousins. Georgianna and Thurston have worked in theatre in Kentucky (where they were born), Colorado, Connecticut, and New York City, before moving to Nashville in 1983. In Connecticut, Georgianna was the director for three seasons of the Children's Theatre Wing of the famed New Canaan Town Players. Memorable productions she directed for Tennessee Players, and produced by Thurston, include Harvey, Death Takes a Holiday, and You Can't Take It With You.
Georgianna's personal fulfillment was "encouraging community theatres and nurturing the growth of new talent." Actor Tom Dolan wrote after her death, "What she taught me was to look from within and pull life's richness out. She always saw beyond the obvious and into the soul of what could be. Her goal was simply the enjoyment and betterment of mankind. Her energy, excitement and caring always recharged your soul. "Tennessee Players' motto is: "To create something beautiful for somebody else."

In addition, Dawn will interview Vanderbilt University student Jennifer Hirsch. Jennifer recently participated in the Freedom Ride re-enactment.

Dawn will also check in briefly with a group of women friends who are at the UN for 10 days petitioning the UN for a Dept to represent women.

As usual we will have some live music by Tony and Bongo Boy.....and Dawn on her infamous egg.