Dinner With Washington Irving
Join some of the Celebrating Irving: The City and The Man committee for a "No Host-individually paid" dinner with John Dennis Anderson at Angelo's, 1330 W. Pioneer, this Friday at 6pm. John will be in Irving from Massachusetts for two appearances as Washington Irving.
Sat., April 13, at 10am, he will present "Washington Irving at the Irving Arts Center" where storytelling and history come alive. Young guests from the audience will be invited to join him onstage for the presentation. Hands on art will also be included in this free event.
Sat., April 13, at 2pm, a second appearance by John will be "A Conversation with Washington Irving" as the Chautauqua program at the South Library, 601 Schulze Drive at 2pm. This event is free. We would love to have you join us and to meet John Dennis Anderson. He is Professor Emeritus of Emerson College in Boston. A performance studies scholar , John has presented his one person shows as authors Henry James, William Faulkner, Washington Irving, Robert Frost, Charles Dickens, and many others across the United States. One of his goals now is to present Washington Irving at the Alhambra in Spain.
Please RSVP for the dinner to Mary Higbie 972-816-1324-cell by Thursday noon. We hope to also see you at one of John's performances on Saturday. See the website jdanderson.org/washington-irving.php or the attached for a bit of history of John Dennis Anderson as Washington Irving.
More about John Dennis Andserson:
Since 1998, John Dennis Anderson has presented interactive solo performances as writer, historian, and diplomat Washington Irving (1783-1859). As Irving, he lectures and answers questions from the audience in character. The performance explores Irving’s roots in New York City and the Hudson Valley—the inspiration for his iconic tales “Rip van Winkle” and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
Irving’s eventful seventeen-year sojourn in Europe (1815-1832) brought him first bankruptcy, then literary success with The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, and extensive travels (including a Spanish idyll that produced Tales of the Alhambra). Returning to America in 1832, Irving traveled in the West and wrote A Tour on the Prairies and other books about adventurous enterprise after settling at Sunnyside, his cottage on the Hudson River. His diplomatic service included serving as Minister to Spain from 1842-1845.
Anderson's performances as Irving are often accompanied by workshops about his life and work. Venues for these performances, often with the sponsorship of humanities councils, have included universities, libraries, museum, and theatres.
Performance venues include: