Based on the Book by Edgar Lee Masters, A Newly Adapted Stage version by Felicia Pfluger
Ghosts rise from their graves to come alive on stage. Freed from the shackles of life,, this one evening, these restless souls confide and confess their deepest secrets, unrequited dreams,and warn the living
In 1915, just three hours away from us, in Lewistown, Illinois… the “American Shakespeare”, Edward Lee Masters, decided to write an expose on the darker side of small-town Americana. The seismic shock spanned nearly a century, in Spoon River Anthology.
This haunting collection of monologues once banned and now celebrated, still ripples across time. Each character is tied to a real-life person that once walked this earth. At present, forty of these “real characters” have been mapped to tombstones in the cemetery on “The Hill”.
In writing this stage adaptation, I took time to “get to know” the 212 “residents” of “Spoon River”, the intertwining stories of , and happiness and grief…. And… in the afterlife… on stage before you. For each character has raw emotion with real strengths and weaknesses. In what you are about to see, the LATTE teens rose to the challenge to bring these 100 complex characters from the ether to life. And to bravely learn their stories…
I tried to give each of these Souls a “voice”… and closure that they may never have received while breathing. Examining the past can shine a glimmer of a spotlight on the present… and theater allows us introspection into our own strengths and weaknesses, triumphs and potential pitfalls, from the safety of a darkened auditorium.
And, once again, I am amazed by the growth, integrity, and strength of these exceptional teens who dream, live, and breathe theater and have LATTE running through their veins… Who support each other protectively, and truly do their best to do what I always preach: “Be their best selves”. So, get ready for a spooky glimpse into the past in Illinois. We have had fun creating Spoon River for you. Enjoy the magic!
~ Felicia Pfluger
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