I’m too late to shill this local theatre production, which is a shame, but it looks as though there are other dates for Wyomingites to attend. It’s a live reading of Stephen Vincent Benet’s epic poem, with choral accompaniment. An unusual spectacle but an interesting one.
“John Brown’s Body” was originally produced for the stage in 1953. It tells the story of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry on through the battle of Gettysburg and the emancipation proclamation. In the Simpsons’ production, these events are blended with the stories of soldiers and families who witnessed these events firsthand. The adaptation comes out of Yale University, according to Lynne Simpson.
“There are no time-specific costumes, but we have been working to learn a lot of the lines and there will be a lot of effects and music to highlight the story and make it dramatic,” Lynne said.