MEET WILLIAM SAROYAN IN HIS OWN WORDS
By Eric Vollmer
Palisadian-Post
http://www.palisadespost. com/content/index.cfm?Story_ID=3831
April 16 2008
CA
Voice In The Well Productions will present a Read All About It Literary
Cabaret Tribute to celebrate the memory of writer William Saroyan on
Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore.
This is a sneak preview of the show, which will also be presented on
Wednesday, April 23 at 8 p.m. at the Pacific Resident Theatre (701
Venice Blvd.) as part of a festival to accompany the production of
Saroyan's Pulitzer prize-winning play, 'The Time Of Your Life.'
Born in Fresno of Armenian parents in 1908, Saroyan found his lasting
theme in the immigrant's heartfelt quest to fulfill the American
Dream. Though his childhood was overshadowed by his father's death
and the five years he spent in an orphanage, Saroyan grew up to be
a larger-than-life figure who combined the high-spirited verbal
flamboyance of Walt Whitman with the bohemian vigor of a Zorba
the Greek.
Through song and story, Voice In The Well performers will recall
inspired feats from his lively imagination.
Hank Saroyan, the Emmy award-winning producer and director, will be
on hand to offer fond family reminiscences about his own fabled uncle.
Largely self-taught, Saroyan started his writing career with a
marathon undertaking in San Francisco, where he declared that he
would conceive and write an original story a day for thirty straight
days. The result, 'The Daring Young Man On The Flying Trapeze,'
and that story collection--combined with his sheer bravado--made him
world-famous in 1935.
Actor Lee Boek will present an adaptation of Saroyan's tall tale about
'Ramon Internationale,' a Filipino wrestler who brought the City of
San Francisco to its knees. John Frank and Dalia Vosylius will offer
a concert reading of his moving one-act play, 'Hello, Out There.'
William H. Bassett, who played Saroyan's 'Kit Carson' in his college
days, will provide the audience with a glimpse of that hifalutin'
character.
Jacqueline Mahoney will sing 'Come On-A My House,' a quirky and lively
pop song that Saroyan co-wrote with his cousin. It was made famous
by George Clooney's aunt, singer Rosemary Clooney, in the Big Band Era.
Jeffrey Van Der Byl will close the show with a valentine of a story
that Saroyan wrote in honor his grandmother, Lucy Garoghlanian.
By Eric Vollmer
Palisadian-Post
http://www.palisadespost. com/content/index.cfm?Story_ID=3831
April 16 2008
CA
Voice In The Well Productions will present a Read All About It Literary
Cabaret Tribute to celebrate the memory of writer William Saroyan on
Friday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore.
This is a sneak preview of the show, which will also be presented on
Wednesday, April 23 at 8 p.m. at the Pacific Resident Theatre (701
Venice Blvd.) as part of a festival to accompany the production of
Saroyan's Pulitzer prize-winning play, 'The Time Of Your Life.'
Born in Fresno of Armenian parents in 1908, Saroyan found his lasting
theme in the immigrant's heartfelt quest to fulfill the American
Dream. Though his childhood was overshadowed by his father's death
and the five years he spent in an orphanage, Saroyan grew up to be
a larger-than-life figure who combined the high-spirited verbal
flamboyance of Walt Whitman with the bohemian vigor of a Zorba
the Greek.
Through song and story, Voice In The Well performers will recall
inspired feats from his lively imagination.
Hank Saroyan, the Emmy award-winning producer and director, will be
on hand to offer fond family reminiscences about his own fabled uncle.
Largely self-taught, Saroyan started his writing career with a
marathon undertaking in San Francisco, where he declared that he
would conceive and write an original story a day for thirty straight
days. The result, 'The Daring Young Man On The Flying Trapeze,'
and that story collection--combined with his sheer bravado--made him
world-famous in 1935.
Actor Lee Boek will present an adaptation of Saroyan's tall tale about
'Ramon Internationale,' a Filipino wrestler who brought the City of
San Francisco to its knees. John Frank and Dalia Vosylius will offer
a concert reading of his moving one-act play, 'Hello, Out There.'
William H. Bassett, who played Saroyan's 'Kit Carson' in his college
days, will provide the audience with a glimpse of that hifalutin'
character.
Jacqueline Mahoney will sing 'Come On-A My House,' a quirky and lively
pop song that Saroyan co-wrote with his cousin. It was made famous
by George Clooney's aunt, singer Rosemary Clooney, in the Big Band Era.
Jeffrey Van Der Byl will close the show with a valentine of a story
that Saroyan wrote in honor his grandmother, Lucy Garoghlanian.