By Thomas Gibbons

BACKSTORY by thomas gibbons Your behind-the-scenes look at TimeLine productions YESTERDAY’S STORIES. TODAY’S TOPICS. From Artistic Director PJ Powers a message \ Dear Friends, its people part — through protests In an interview with Gib- liberty and and struggle, on the streets bons (included in this issue Following closely on the A House With No Walls ignites justice, and and in the courts, through a of Backstory), he said: heels of Gore Vidal’s Week- a discussion that people are a union that civil war and civil disobedi- “I’m always happy when end, we are delighted to could be and ence and always at great someone tells me that after bring you another new play normally too timid to talk about should be risk — to narrow that gap seeing one of my plays, they — the Chicago premiere of perfected between the promise of went for coffee and argued A House With No Walls by in public. Or even in private. A over time. And yet words our ideals and the reality of for two hours. I feel like I’ve Thomas Gibbons. You might discussion I admit we’ve had too on a parchment would not their time.” given them their money’s already be familiar with be enough to deliver slaves worth.” Gibbons’ Permanent Collec- rarely in this theater. These words are deeply rel- from bondage or provide tion and Bee-luther-hatchee, evant to Gibbons’ play. His That is also our intent at men and women of every which were produced in I write this in mid-Septem- We first read this play characters — representing TimeLine, and we hope color and creed their full recent seasons at North- ber, just days after the first nearly a year ago and two generations 200 years that Gibbons, and our cast rights and obligations light Theatre in Skokie. A rehearsal for our produc- decided in early Janu- apart — aim to do their part and production team, have as citizens of the United House With No Walls joins tion. As I told the cast and ary to produce it. At the (often against opposing given you plenty of fodder States. What would be them to conclude his trilogy production team, one of the time (pre-Iowa Caucus) it points of view) to narrow for a prolonged discussion. needed were Americans of plays dealing with race in many reasons TimeLine was seemed unlikely that an the gap between the prom- in successive generations Best, America. drawn to A House With No African-American presi- ise of ideals and the reality who were willing to do their of their time. A House With No Walls is Walls is because it ignites a dential candidate would inspired by a recent event discussion that people are make a historic rise and in Philadelphia when the normally too timid to talk have a chance to become new Liberty Bell Center was about in public. Or even in our nation’s leader. (I real- Special Events and Resources to be built near the site of private. A discussion I admit ize that many of you are President George Washing- we’ve had too rarely in this reading this after Election ton’s house — a plot of land theater. Day so my apologies for not the conversation yet knowing how the story that included slave quarters. For a company devoted plays out.) A heated debate erupted to exploring history, we At TimeLine we look Line Board member Peter Post-Show Discussions in that community (and regret that we haven’t And on a day last March forward to the chance to H. Kuntz, admission to this On Thurdays, Nov. 6, 13 expanded nationally) about spent enough time tackling (coincidentally in Phila- engage our audience in con- event is free. Visit our Web and 20; Sundays, Nov. 23 how a museum celebrating aspects of history that can delphia), that presidential versations inspired by our site at timelinetheatre.com and 30 and Wednesday, American liberty and free- be easier to avoid than candidate gave an atten- productions. We hope you to learn more. Dec. 10, stay for free post- will join us for these special dom should acknowledge to address head on. Race tion-grabbing speech, Company Member show discussions moder- events during the run of A and, perhaps, honor the relations — good, bad and, reminding us of the work of Discussion ated by a TimeLine Com- slaves who lived there. House With No Walls: pany member and featuring at times, quite ugly — are our founders in that city of The heart of TimeLine is our members of the production Gibbons, a Philadelphian part of the social fabric of liberty. He noted that, “The Sunday Scholars Series Company members, who staff and cast. himself, crafted this play to America. Just in the last year answer to the slavery ques- After the show on Sun- shape the artistic vision and explore not only that debate on the highly visible stage tion was already embedded day, Nov. 16 is our Sunday choose the programming. Other Resources of a presidential election, within our Constitution — a but also the struggle of two Scholars Series, a one-hour On Sunday, Dec. 7, join Historical lobby displays, the best and worst of biases Constitution that had at its of the slaves who lived and panel discussion featuring them for an informal post- a study guide and much and behaviors have been on very core the ideal of equal worked on this plot of land experts talking about the show discussion about how more are available online at display in our 24-hour news citizenship under the law; a in 1796. themes and issues of the A House With No Walls came timelinetheatre.com. cycle and YouTube’d society. Constitution that promised play. Moderated by Time- to TimeLine’s stage. The Liberty Bell Center the controversy The “Hell of Slavery” and the “Heaven of Liberty” Historic Park, denied they they argued, but that he were ignoring slavery: “We freed his slaves. hat began as an effort Rediscovery of the on the mall of the new are in vehement agreement Organized Protest and a to correct the his- President’s House Liberty Bell Center. Lawler’s that you must interpret W Government Mandate torical record erupted into a research indicated that the slavery at this site. But does or 10 years, beginning controversy about how the site included a smokehouse that require a structure or ichael Coard, an in 1790, Philadelphia story of slavery in America F converted for use as slave grid in the pavement? … The attorney in Philadel- was the nation’s capital M should be told. quarters. Ironically, the site question is, if you dug down phia, founded Avenging The while construction was of the slave quarters is just a and found a few bricks Ancestors Coalition (ATAC) In 2000, construction completed on Washing- few feet from the entrance [representing where slaves around June 2002. On began on the Liberty Bell ton, D.C. Robert Morris, to the center. lived], which we would ar- June 11, ATAC held its first Center in Philadelphia. Part a merchant known as the gue you’re not going to find, protest at the Liberty Bell of a $300 million redesign “Financier of the American Historians and would that add to the story site. Coard was determined of Independence Mall, the Revolution,” volunteered his Activists Converge of slavery?” that visitors would know building would become the house to President George espite the urging that in order to walk into new home of the Liberty Washington. It was here, In May 2002 it appeared of Lawler and other the “heaven of liberty” at Bell. The center is part of in what became known as D there might be an end to historians, the National Park the center, they first had to Independence National His- the President’s House, that the controversy. The park Service declined to mark the cross the “hell of slavery.” toric Park, which is adminis- Washington would create service agreed that it would footprint of the President’s While the memorial at the Liberty tered by the National Park the modern presidency. rework “the interpretive In July, the House Appro- House, believing it would Center will be the first national Service. memorial commemorating the lives ideas for the Liberty Bell priations Committee passed And it was to this house that create design confusion. of slaves, other groups have erected Center to include a fuller an amendment instructing The Liberty Bell was forged he would bring nine slaves. markers such as this one at Mount The fact that there were discussion of slavery.” the National Park Service to in 1751 to commemorate the Vernon. When erected, this was In 1951, the last remaining once slave quarters on the thought to be the first memorial of commemorate the exis- 50th anniversary of William Some historians and activ- walls of the President’s site caught the attention of its kind in the United States. tence of the first executive Penn’s Charter of Privileges, ists worried that this would House were torn down black citizens and activ- mansion and the slaves who which was Pennsylvania’s be no more than a small during the creation of ists. Gary Nash, a history conjunction of liberty and worked in it. The design of original constitution. This plaque barely noticed by Independence Mall. No one professor at the University slavery on the same site!” that commemoration would enduring symbol of Amer- visitors. They argued for a recognized the historical of California at Los Angeles continue to cause debate.

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