[NEohioPAL]Our Work, Our Worlds, Women's Stories Performs at Kent Trumbull

[dnadon at kent.edu]

For Immediate Release

What=3A  Our Work=2C Our Worlds=3A Women=92s Stories
	A play adapted from oral histories from the Upper Ohio Valley

Where=3A Kent State University Trumbull Campus Theatre	=


When=3A  Wednesday=2C February 22=2C 2006	8=3A00 pm

Sponsored by Kent State University Trumbull Campus Theatre Department =


Contact=3A Dan Nadon
	    dnadon=40kent=2Eedu

Oral History Play To Be Presented =


When she was a child=2C Lois Rudibaugh wanted go to Africa to meet =

Tarzan=2E  Ethelberta Shaw longed to be an opera star=2E  She especially =

enjoyed the talent of Lily Pons=2E Cynda Watson=2C who grew up in the =

mountains=2C recalls her frightening journey through the fields to bring =

the cows to the barn to be milked=2E  Shivers went up and down her =

spine=2C and she looked over her shoulder to make sure no ghosts were =

following her=2E

These stories are part of  Our Work=2C Our Worlds=3A Women=92s Stories=2C=
 a =

play adapted from oral histories that will be presented as readers=92 =

theatre at the Kent State Trumbull Campus Theatre on Wednesday =

February 22  at 8=3A00 pm(=3F)  by the Oral History Players=2E

The play is adapted from oral histories of the Upper Ohio Valley=2E Kent =

State East Liverpool English professor Patti Swartz selected sections =

from oral histories collected by students=2C community members=2C and =

herself as a part of the Kent State East Liverpool/East Liverpool =

Historical Society Oral History Project=2E  =


The Historical Society along with Swartz=2C videographer Sherrill Shaw=2C=
 =

and students at Kent State have been collecting the stories for the =

past six years=2E  The histories include stories of work in local =

potteries=2C interviews with pottery owners=2C and local men and women =

from throughout the region=2E  The stories are rich in the history of =

family life=2C courtship=2C children=2C and work=2E =

  =

Whether speaking of an entire season of canned goods lost to a flood=2C =

a community coming together to help after a family disaster=2C or family =

gatherings where singing and conversation is the enjoyed by all=2C the =

stories are full of joy and sorrow=2C love and friendship as they mirror =

the lives of the tellers=2E

Childhood experiences are a principal focus of the play=2E  Jo Ann Bobby =

Gilbert recalls being impressed when her father appeared on TV after a =

mafia bombing that took place on their Youngstown street when she was =

a child=2E  Ann Palmer remembers a teacher that would let students study =

in the cloakroom=2C and one day forgot they were there=2E  Janet Kay =

Rohrbaugh recalls being the first baby of the new year=2C the pride of =

her family=2C and the gifts she received=2E

Rohrbaugh also remembers going to Rock Springs Park=2C a local amusement =

park=2C where her favorite ride was the airplanes=2E  She loved being so =

high in the air=2C with the wind in her face and whipping her hair on =

hot summer days=2E  June Burris recalls her husband having to rescue her =

daughter by taking the roof off of the doghouse after her daughter and =

a life size doll got stuck inside=2E  =


Patricia Bailey remembers the difficulty of going to college for a =

nursing degree when her children were young=2C and the joy that she and =

her family felt when she was named the Ohio Nurse of the Year after =

she began working in her profession=2E  Gina Gulutz and Jo Ann Bobby =

Gilbert recall important stories that have been part of their careers =

as journalists=2E  =


Joan Witt remembers that career options open to most women were =

limited in the 1950s and 1960s=2E  Women could work as secretaries=2C =

nurses=2C or teachers=2E  Witt says she knew what she didn=92t want to do=
=3A =

become a secretary like her mother and her aunt=2E

Women who were interviewed worked at a number of other occupations as =

well=2E  Women worked in the potteries=2C in agriculture=2C served in the=
 =

military=2C established trucking concerns=2C worked in advertising=2C in =

restaurants=2C established businesses=2C worked as CPAs=2C and=2C as Witt=
 =

points out=2C women were doctors=2C dentists and pharmacists in the East =

Liverpool and Wellsville area early in the history of women in these =

professions=2E  Whether women worked out of the home and cared for =

family or worked only in the home=2C the stories that they tell are full =

of the joys and sorrows of the region=2E  =


Whether the memories are of rides at Rock Springs Park during school =

and work picnics=2C going to the movies=2C family gatherings=2C childbirt=
h=2C =

work=2C or weddings=2C the stories speak to us of the strong people and =

the varied past and present history of our region=2E  Funny=2C sad=2C =

sometimes tragic=2C often joyful=2C the memories of area residents make =

the best kind of drama=3A real drama from life=2E

Swartz=2C who adapted the script from the over one hundred histories =

that have been collected=2C is acting in and directing the production=2E =
 =

Swartz holds a BA in theatre=2C and held a fellowship to the Cleveland =

Play House=2E  Doug Smith=2C a musician from Poland=2C Ohio performs musi=
c =

that sets or changes the scene=2C often his own original compositions=2E =
  =

Roxanne Burns and Karen Kotrba who have appeared in a number of oral =

history plays including the bicentennial play From Here=3A Stories From =

a Century of Ohio and the 2005 production=2C Families=2C Neighbors=2C =

Friends are cast members in this production=2E

The original production was supported in part by a grant from the Ohio =

Arts Council=2C a public agency in support of the arts=2C by the Office o=
f =

the Dean=2C Kent State University East Liverpool=2C and by private =

contributions and corporate donations=2E    =