Spring 2015 Issue of the Foundation’S Newsletter
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April 2015 SOCIETY BOARD PRESIDENT Jeff Kennedy [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT J. Chris Westgate [email protected] SECRETARY/TREASURER Beth Wynstra [email protected] INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY – ASIA: Haiping Liu [email protected] INTERNATIONAL SECRETARY – Provincetown Players Centennial, 4-5 The Iceman Cometh at BAM, 6-7 EUROPE: Marc Maufort [email protected] GOVERNING BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR: Steven Bloom [email protected] Jackson Bryer [email protected] Michael Burlingame [email protected] Robert M. Dowling [email protected] Thierry Dubost [email protected] Eugene O’Neill puppet at presentation of Monte Cristo Award to Nathan Lane, 8-9 Eileen Herrmann [email protected] Katie Johnson [email protected] What’s Inside Daniel Larner President’s message…………………..2-3 ‘Exorcism’ Reframed ……………….12-13 [email protected] Provincetown Players Centennial…….4-5 Member News………………….…...14-17 Cynthia McCown The Iceman Cometh/BAM……….……..6-7 Honorary Board of Directors..……...…17 [email protected] The O’Neill, Monte Cristo Award…...8-9 Members lists: New, upgraded………...17 Anne G. Morgan Comparative Drama Conference….10-11 Eugene O’Neill Foundation, Tao House: [email protected] Calls for Papers…………………….….11 Artists in Residence, Upcoming…...18-19 David Palmer Eugene O’Neill Review…………….….12 Contributors…………………………...20 [email protected] Robert Richter [email protected] EX OFFICIO IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT The Eugene O’Neill Society Kurt Eisen [email protected] Founded 1979 • eugeneoneillsociety.org THE EUGENE O’NEILL REVIEW A nonprofit scholarly and professional organization devoted to the promotion and Editor: William Davies King [email protected] study of the life and works of Eugene O’Neill and the drama and theatre for which NEWSLETTER his work was in large part the instigator and model. Editor: Jo Morello [email protected] The Eugene O’Neill Society publishes this newsletter and the scholarly journal The Eugene O’Neill Review twice each year for members. Please direct newsletter correspondence to Secretary/Treasurer Beth Wynstra at 26 Salem End Lane, Framingham, MA 01702 or [email protected]. © 2015 by the Eugene O’Neill Society. All rights reserved. A Message from Society president Jeff Kennedy A few of us went backstage and met Major centennials: Brian Dennehy, who graciously took Provincetown, MA photos and welcomed us after giving a We have some major centennials to bravura performance. celebrate in the near future that highlight the Society in important Comparative Drama Conference ways. First, we’ll meet in Just two weeks later, many of us were Provincetown from July 9-12 for a in Baltimore at the Comparative casual but exciting summer conference Drama Conference, again enjoying co-sponsored with the International being together, sharing and receiving Susan Glaspell Society to celebrate the th important scholarship, participating in 100 birthday of the Provincetown discussions, and convening for our Players. Details appear on pages 4-5, annual Society Business meeting. and I hope that many of you will Dear O’Neill Society Members: decide to join us (and if you are, I Special thanks to David Palmer and highly recommend you secure your Happy Spring! (or as we call it here in Chris Westgate for organizing and accommodations ASAP!). Phoenix, early summer…it’s 92 de- moderating panels at the conference, grees as I write this!). I hope the thaw- particularly “Visions of Tragedy in Our activities will include roundtable ing process is well in progress where American Theatre,” which I and a panels, a walking tour of important you are after such a cold and long win- number of our members participated Players’ sites, a beach celebration of ter for many of you. For those of you in. the first plays, a visit to the who teach, the end of the semester is Provincetown Museum (which at hand, paper and project grading is in Annual Business Meeting highlights the Players and their wharf full flower, and graduation ceremonies While at the Conference we convened playhouse) and the Provincetown loom ahead. As we move into the for our annual Society Business Library, performances at the summer, we have many exciting things meeting and accomplished much. We: Provincetown Theatre of four one- before us as a Society. acts, and a closing brunch celebrating voted to extend our Presidential our Societies. What a great mid- The Iceman Cometh terms to three years (to match summer event this is going to be! As reported in more detail elsewhere the cycle of Society-sponsored in this newsletter, it was wonderful to conferences); (Continued on page 3) host 30 of our members to see the elected our new officers; stunning performance of The Iceman approved a new Cometh at the Brooklyn Academy of membership dues Music in March. Not only was it great structure; and to enjoy the fellowship of being with reported and discussed the each other for this special event, but I many challenges and was so struck by the energy of the opportunities that face us audience to see this monumental as a Society. O’Neill play; it was electric, like when audiences are anticipating seeing a hot, I was thrilled at the new Broadway musical, and it stayed attendance, the level of this way through all three discussion, and the helpful intermissions! What a joy to feel this input and suggestions from our for an O’Neill work; I felt later we Eugene O’Neill, seated on bunk, appears in his first membership. should have had brochures to pass out production, Bound East for Cardiff, staged on a to everyone to join the Society! wharf in Provincetown in July 1916. Eugene O’Neill Society Page 2 April 2015 President’s message (continued) Society prepares for Centennial celebrations in Provincetown and worldwide (Continued from page 2) appropriately (or send a check to our secretary at Major Centennial: Worldwide the address in the next Next, we want to remind you that column). 2016 is the centennial of O’Neill’s first play being produced by the Players, After 13 years of no and we’re encouraging theatres all increase, we have just over the U. S. and the world to voted at our business program O’Neill plays into their meeting to raise our dues seasons to mark this. Why don’t you (though not for students), The Facebook page of the Eugene O’Neill International consider sending an email or letter to but this won’t take place Society on April 12, 2015. the theatres in your area encouraging until next year. Even with this? Chris Westgate can provide you this increase, we still have some of with a letter to send if you’d like as we the lowest dues of any significant How to Renew really focus our energies on this society currently. I’ve devoted Your Membership important milestone to promote myself to working on this issue and O’Neill. I’m even hosting an O’Neill will be writing individual letters to Memberships in the Eugene Festival in the city of Phoenix in Fall our lapsed members, encouraging O’Neill Society are offered at 2016; maybe there’s something you them to get up-to-date on their the current rate through De- can do to make an effect on your membership status. Also, if there are cember 31, 2015: community as well. issues that have caused you to decide Level of Membership not to rejoin, I really hope that you’ll General $ 35.00 I want to close my greeting with a share these by writing to me at Student $ 15.00 serious “in-family” matter that I hope [email protected]. Emeritus $ 25.00 you’ll give your attention to. The Sustaining $ 50.00 Eugene O’Neill Society has never Our dues primarily go toward the Lifetime $ 500.00 focused on financial matters or spent expense of producing and distributing Two members, much of our energies fund-raising. The Eugene O’Neill Review, the one household $ 45.00 However, we are in a serious financial premiere journal on O’Neill situation simply because the majority scholarship in the world, the receiving After selecting your desired of our members have not paid/ of which is one of the primary benefits level of membership, you may renewed their dues for this year. In of membership in our Society. renew in one of two ways: fact, currently LESS THAN HALF the number of people who attended our I’m looking forward to seeing many of ■ To renew online, click HERE. conference last June have renewed you this summer in Provincetown. If ■ To renew by mail, write a their memberships. you haven’t done so, please join (by check payable to the Eugene “liking”) our Society Facebook page at O’Neill Society and send it to I’ve chosen to believe thus far that this “Eugene O’Neill International Society,” Beth Wynstra, Secretary/ situation has been about busy people where news items and pics are shared Treasurer, 26 Salem End Lane, just neglecting or forgetting to take on a regular basis, keeping you in care of this, but now we’re in such a Framingham, MA 01702. touch with our members and our serious situation that we can no longer activities. Also, watch in the near Please direct any questions ignore it, regardless of the reason. So, future for a launch announcement about membership renewal to I’m now imploring you to check to see about our new Society website, which Beth Wynstra if your dues for this year have been is in the works! [email protected] paid and, if not, please go to our Jeff website and pay your dues Eugene O’Neill Society Page 3 April 2015 Conference: Provincetown Players Centennial, July 9-12 Susan Glaspell and Eugene O’Neill Societies co-sponsor conference By Jeff Kennedy, Ph.D.