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Son House, Taken by Dick Waterman (His Long-Time Manager) in 1965 Beside the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Is Easily One of My Favorite Images of the Iconic Bluesman

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Son House, Taken by Dick Waterman (His Long-Time Manager) in 1965 Beside the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Is Easily One of My Favorite Images of the Iconic Bluesman DISCOVERY GUIDE Student Matinee Series 18/19 SEASON 01 Dear Educators,, This photo of Son House, taken by Dick Waterman (his long-time manager) in 1965 beside the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, is easily one of my favorite images of the iconic bluesman. There are more active photos of him – caught mid-strum in concert, for example, or deep in conversation with other legends (such as John Fahey, Mississippi John Hurt, or Skip James, who was “rediscovered” in 1964 on the exact same day as Son) – but this one speaks to me. There is something in his look that grabs my attention – it is a singular combination of grace, dignity, wariness, and a depth of knowledge. When you stop to consider that Son’s life spanned almost the entirety of the twentieth-century (he was born in 1902 and died in 1988), his proximity to one of America’s most cherished symbols of democracy assumes an even greater poignancy. Son experienced the American South when it was still in the throes of the bitterness brought about by Reconstruction; he experienced some of the most naked forms of racism, such as the institution of Jim Crow laws; and he was present at the dawn of our modern-day concepts of celebrity – a world away from the days of playing music simply to make a few dollars, drink a bit of whiskey, and (perhaps) meet a pretty woman. When asked to share some of his thoughts about working on Revival: The Resurrection of Son House, Billy Thompson, the play’s Musical Director, seemed to have this in mind when he commented on Son’s journey through the century and it’s resonance with contemporary audiences. “Son,” said Thompson, “was a diamond in the rough – I hope that people see that in this story. I also hope that audiences can see part of our history as a nation through Revival, and understand that Son House was a founding father of modern music. We want them to feel an emotional connection to Son and his music.” One of the joys in having a connection to Revival since its initial stirrings in 2009 has been redefining my relationship with Son House and his music. I’ve been accumulating records for the better part of 40 years and am continually surprised, in going through my collection, to see just how many times his songs have been covered by artists that I admire, and to consider how much of the music that I love shares an artistic DNA with this man. And the deeper I continue to dig, the connections – I’m sure – will be all the richer. Your students, of course, are only at the beginning of their own journeys and have so many discoveries (and rediscoveries) ahead of them. We’re so glad that you have chosen to bring them to this production, and to share the work and life of Son House with them. We’re confident that his story will remain with them long after they’ve left the theatre. The following documents and resources are available at www.GevaTheatre.org/engage-learn/programs-for-students/: Eric Evans • College and Career Readiness Anchor • Discussion questions Education Associate Standards for high school audiences • Cast photos [email protected] • A PDF version of this guide • Student matinee etiquette guide for • Works cited students (585) 420-2035 • Extended Son House biography • Student matinee policies for educators A note about the use of the word “rediscover” in this guide: While many articles, books, and documentaries often make reference to Son’s “rediscovery” by three white men in June of 1964, that word, we believe, takes away from the fact that Son possessed his own agency to take advantage of whatever prospects came his way. In the instances where we have chosen to use the word “rediscover,” we have employed quotation marks to indicate it as a reflection of its common usage at the time of Son’s reemergence. “Yeah, be a part of history, that’s what Son want more than anything. Too many times being colored you feel like a piece of glass. Folks look right through you.” – Willie Brown 02 Synopsis Revival: The Resurrection of Son House begins with the legendary blues singer and guitarist Eddie “Son” House on the banks of the mighty and fabled Mississippi River, surrounded by the remnants of centuries of journeys. As the story shifts to an undefined version of the afterlife, Son is joined by six powerful – and opinionated – spiritual figures. This is Son’s Judgment Day and the six angels, gods, and deities have arrived to weigh his deeds, both good and bad, and rule if he is worthy of spiritual redemption. After much debate, it is decided by the angels that the best way to truly judge the man is to travel back to many of the pivotal moments in his life and inhabit them as the individuals who shared those events with Son, allowing them access to his thoughts, feelings, and intentions at the time. They examine his time in the Mississippi Delta as a preacher, as well as his life- altering introduction to blues music; they revisit his relocation from the South to Rochester, his two distinct brushes with fame, his frequent encounters with racism (often in the guise of Jim Crow laws), his multiple love affairs, his battles with alcohol and religion, and his life-long spiritual quest, all in an effort to give them a complete picture of the enigmatic singer, and to decide upon his otherworldly fate. Revival celebrates the complicated and singular life of Son House, his unique body of work, and his enduring influence on generations of musicians. Revival Development Timeline Geva has long played a role in the development of new work, both as a host for workshops and as the producer of World Premieres, and Revival: The Resurrection of Son House takes its place in that history. Similar to last season’s production of The Agitators: The Story of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass by Mat Smart, which explored the work and friendship of those two historical icons, Revival is a local story developed in Rochester and created with the input of people with vast knowledge of Son House. It is, of course, only fitting that Revival will receive its debut in Rochester for Geva audiences. In a 2015 article in American Theatre magazine, Geva’s Literary Director and Resident Dramaturg, Jenni Werner, who was instrumental in the development of the script, noted that she hopes Revival will continue a dialogue not only about Son House, but “about what Rochester means, and how we can play a part in telling the city’s story. We’re storytellers, and we want to continue telling the story and connecting with our community as we tell it.” December,,2013: Geva receives a $100,000 Cultural August,,2015: Second four-day workshop, also directed Creative Collision grant from the Rochester-based Max by Greer. Then, Journey to the Son festival. On day one of and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation to support the the festival, a reading of the play is performed to a sold-out Journey to the Son festival, which will include a reading of audience. a Geva-commissioned script based on the life of long-time Rochester resident, Eddie “Son” House. January,,2017: Glover works with collaborator Ed Stern on a new draft, adding the Seraphim to the story of Son August,,2014: Geva commissions Keith Glover, both a House. playwright and blues musician, to write a play about Son House. Geva had previously produced Glover’s play, Thunder October,,2017: Geva commits to produce the play in an Knocking on the Door. upcoming season. September,,2014: Skip Greer, Geva’s Director of July/August,,2018: Third four-day workshop of the play Education/Artist-in-Residence, and Jenni Werner track Son in New York City. No audience and no music, just working on House’s roots by taking a research trip to Mississippi and the text, which is draft 12 of the play. Glover directs. Louisiana, meeting Dick Waterman (Son’s former manager) March,,2019: Fourth four-day workshop of the play in in Oxford, Mississippi, spending time in Clarksdale and the Rochester. Staff invited to hear the play and music together. surrounding areas, and then meeting up with Keith Glover The draft at this workshop is the 15th draft of the play. in New Orleans. Glover returns to Rochester with Greer and Werner, and meets people familiar with Son and his work, March,,2019: Glover continues to revise the script. including author Daniel Beaumont, musicians Brian Williams and Joe Beard, and music store owner and former concert April 2,,2019: Rehearsals for Revival begin in Rochester, promoter Armand Schaubroeck. directed by Glover. May 1,,2019: First preview performance June,,2015: First four-day workshop of the play, with no audience. Skip Greer directs. May 4,,2019: Revival opening night “And even if the plagues of heaven continue to rise against me I will continue to sing the blues!” – Son House 03 “Expensive Music”: From Revival’s Creators, Once Geva commissioned Keith Glover to write the script for Revival, he quickly enlisted the help of his long-time musical collaborator, Billy Thompson. Below, Keith and Billy share some of their thoughts about Son House’s life and music, and why he remains relevant over thirty years after his death. Keith Glover Billy Thompson On writing and directing the play Keith: I think the advantage for me in these roles is I never began the play deciding to direct it.
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