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Kathy Jackson was a member of the Governor's Summer Youth Program and an actress in the EcoTheater group. She played John Henry in a number of performances of the play "John Henry" by Maryat Lee. She remained involved with EcoTheater for more than eleven years and continued for some time after Maryat Lee's death.Maryat Lee (born Mary Attaway Lee; May 26, 1923 – September 18, 1989) was an American playwright and theatre director who made important contributions to post-World War II avant-garde theatre. She pioneered street theatre in Harlem, and later founded EcoTheater in West Virginia, a community based theater project.Early in her career, Lee wrote and produced plays in New York City, including the street play “DOPE!” While in New York she also formed the Soul and Latin Theater (SALT), and wrote plays centered around the lives of the actors in the group.In 1970 Lee moved to West Virginia and formed the community theater group EcoTheater in 1975. Beginning with local teenagers from the Governor’s Summer Youth Program, the rural theater group grew, and produced plays based on oral histories collected from the local community. Each performance of an EcoTheater play involved audience participation and discussion. With the assistance of the Humanities Foundation of West Virginia, guest scholars became a part of EcoTheater.

EcoTheater actress Kathy Jackson likely in Hinton, W. Va.

Identifier:
049830
Collection Number:
A&M 3300
Title:
EcoTheater actress Kathy Jackson likely in Hinton, W. Va.
Date:
ca. 1975-1989
Creator:
likely Fran Belin
Description:
Kathy Jackson was a member of the Governor's Summer Youth Program and an actress in the EcoTheater group. She played John Henry in a number of performances of the play "John Henry" by Maryat Lee. She remained involved with EcoTheater for more than eleven years and continued for some time after Maryat Lee's death.Maryat Lee (born Mary Attaway Lee; May 26, 1923 – September 18, 1989) was an American playwright and theatre director who made important contributions to post-World War II avant-garde theatre. She pioneered street theatre in Harlem, and later founded EcoTheater in West Virginia, a community based theater project.Early in her career, Lee wrote and produced plays in New York City, including the street play “DOPE!” While in New York she also formed the Soul and Latin Theater (SALT), and wrote plays centered around the lives of the actors in the group.In 1970 Lee moved to West Virginia and formed the community theater group EcoTheater in 1975. Beginning with local teenagers from the Governor’s Summer Youth Program, the rural theater group grew, and produced plays based on oral histories collected from the local community. Each performance of an EcoTheater play involved audience participation and discussion. With the assistance of the Humanities Foundation of West Virginia, guest scholars became a part of EcoTheater.
Acquisition Source:
Lee, Robert
Acquisition Method:
Gift
Medium:
print
Projects:
West Virginia History OnView