So goes my favorite verse of “Irene, Goodnight,” in the version my grandpa plays guitar to in our music sing-alongs when we visit his house. My earliest memories of him are singing and dancing with my friends on our solid wood coffee table while he entertained us with Pete Seeger classics and Beatles jams.
My grandparents were active in the anti-war movement in the 1960s and related to the messages of folk music inspired by the plight of the migrant farm workers of the Dust Bowl. Just as my grandpa played “This Land is Your Land” in the 1960s after the Dust Bowl, the messages of the music of the era remain relevant to this day.
My grandparents were active in the anti-war movement in the 1960s and related to the messages of folk music inspired by the plight of the migrant farm workers of the Dust Bowl. Just as my grandpa played “This Land is Your Land” in the 1960s after the Dust Bowl, the messages of the music of the era remain relevant to this day.
The folk songs that accompany the traveling Joads on their quest to California in The Grapes of Wrath remind me of my grandparents and their belief in the power of compassion, social justice, and love to transform our world.
In 1986 when I was 16 years old, I had to read The Grapes of Wrath for my English literature class. Living in Belleville, Illinois, just across the river from St. Louis, I found the best way to absorb this massive tale was to read it aloud while wandering around our house and driving my family crazy.
-- Sara Phelps (Ensemble)
Most of my time here at UC Davis has been spent in the physics department learning about Schrödinger's equation, Einstein's theory of relativity and how that relates to current problems in physics, thermodynamics—you know, all that fun stuff.
I was looking for a way to mix it up a little when my professor suggested I audition for The Grapes of Wrath. Terrified, I originally intended to sleep through my audition. However that seemed rather implausible considering my audition was at 7 p.m.
A few days after my audition and call-back, I was at a fraternity meeting when I got an email informing me that I had actually gotten a part (much to my surprise). Thus, here I am, having the time of my life playing Connie Rivers.
-- Kyle Roddy
(Connie Rivers)
I was either wearing stirrup pants with an over-sized sweater or my absolutely fantastic paisley jeans and teal button-down blouse with the collar turned up. My hair was spiral permed and cut in an asymmetrical style. I wore very large earrings. I tried out the dialects reading close to 90% of the novel aloud.
Little did I know that the reading assignment and the paper I would then write on Steinbeck's women would prove to be the beginning of my research for playing Ma Joad.
Little did I know that the reading assignment and the paper I would then write on Steinbeck's women would prove to be the beginning of my research for playing Ma Joad.
-- JanLee Marshall (Ma Joad)
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