Meet Eleanor Roosevelt, October 14, 2007
Meet Eleanor Roosevelt: Wife, Mother, and First Lady
Performed and co-authored by Elena Dodd.
Directed and co-authored by Josephine Lane.
Sunday, October 14, 2007, 2:00 p.m., Community Room
Needham Free Public Library, 1139 Highland Avenue, Needham, MA
Free and open to the public
Refreshments
Sponsored by the Friends of the Library
On Sunday, October 14 at 2:00 p.m., Friends of the Needham Public Library will introduce “Eleanor Roosevelt” at her personal best in the Community Room of the Needham Free Public Library. The program, “Meet Eleanor Roosevelt: Wife, Mother and First Lady,” is an historical portrait in the format of a lecture tour. The one-woman show, directed by Josephine Lane of Brookline, MA, and performed by Elena Dodd of Boston, MA, is co-authored by Lane and Dodd.
“Mrs. R.” talks about the four decades of her marriage to Franklin D. Roosevelt. With a frank, often humorous look at some of her struggles, she recalls her years as a timid young wife and mother, “life in a goldfish bowl” as First Lady, and her journey toward personal fulfillment. Her own story merges with that of America, because of how she used her unique position to care about all people, without discrimination.
Director Josephine Lane, an actress since childhood, performed in Boston and New York, premiering new plays and touring schools. Recently she has coached professional actors in Boston. Actress Elena Dodd worked with People’s Theatre in Cambridge, MA, CityStage and New African Company in Boston, and Whetstone Theatre Company of Brattleboro, VT. She is a member of The Streetfeet Women, a Boston-based company of writers and performers. Lane and Dodd’s script is based on Eleanor Roosevelt’s Autobiography, works by Joseph Lash, and research at the Roosevelt estate in Hyde Park, NY. Development of the piece was supported in part by the American Association of University Women and the Polaroid Foundation.
Following the performance, Ms. Dodd answers questions from the audience, and encourages people to share their memories or anecdotes about Eleanor Roosevelt. A relative might have been her student before she became First Lady. A veteran of the Pacific theater in World War II might have spoken about her visit to the soldiers. Someone might recall reactions to her controversial magazine or newspaper columns. Even forty-five years after her death, Eleanor Roosevelt’s legacy remains vibrant.
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For general information about programs sponsored by the Friends of the Library and the schedule of future programs, click here.