Cottonwood AZ (January 12, 2019) – On Thursday January 24th at 7 pm at Studio B in Old Town Center for the Arts in Cottonwood there will be a celebration of the birthday of author and environmental activist Ed Abbey. Several of Sedona’s most notable voices will lend their talents so that the words of Edward Abbey can be heard once again. Abbey’s works, both fiction and essays concern themselves with preserving America’s wilderness and bolstering individual liberties. Abbey’s most famous works were the nonfiction classic Desert Solitaire and the novel The Monkey Wrench Gang a call to militant defense of the earth. Abbey was famous for confounding his enemies and inspiring his admirers.
The show will celebrate the words of Edward Abbey as well as showcase the words of fellow environmental writers such as Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, Jane Goodall, Sitting Bull and many others. In the spirit of Ed Abbey there will be songs written by Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, and fellow Arizona activist Katie Lee.
Jerome city manager Candace Gallagher was a large part of last year’s very successful show and will once again lend her talents again to this year’s show as both a singer and an actress. As a special treat visual artist, spoken word performer and traveling troubadour Wendy Harford will join Candace in rousing renditions of several classic songs hoping the audience will sing along. Violinist Sonja Whisman is both a teacher and a professional musician who has appeared on a variety of stages performing a variety of musical styles and organizers are thrilled she will be lending her talents to this year’s show.
Sedona is home to James Bishop Jr., author of the best biography of Ed Abbey ever written, Epitaph for a Desert Anarchist. Bishop had unprecedented access to Abbey’s personal papers, photos, friends, family and acquaintances while writing this classic biography. Bishop will be on hand to lend his own words, thoughts and memories to the event.
John Soderberg is an amazing sculpture but is probably most famous for his Merlin sculpture out in front of Whole Foods. Soderberg is as famous for his charity work as he is for his sculptures. With a big booming voice and a charismatic aura he seared the words of Ed Abbey into the hearts of the audience last year and it was easy to invite him back for this year’s show. This year Soderberg will be reading the words of Abbey, Wallace Stegner, and Aldo Leopold.
Kate Hawkes made an immediate splash on the Sedona scene both as founder of Red Earth Theater and organizer at The Hub. When she discovered there was going to be a show about Ed Abbey, she insisted on being a part of the production. Abbey’s words are near and dear to her heart and she wanted to make sure these words were heard and not forgotten.
Like last year’s show, this year’s show was organized by Gary Every who hopes that he has written a show that is both energetic and inspiring. Mr. Every has won several journalism awards for his reporting about the southwest. He performs across the state and is probably best known locally for being the host of the Poetry and Prose Project at the Sedona library.
Won’t you join us for a birthday celebration of the words of Edward Paul Abbey and Friends. Organizing this show, they hoped that hearing the words of Edward Abbey would once again inspire people to action and passionate defense of wilderness. Tickets are $15 ahead of time and $20 the day of the show. Tickets are available online through Brown Paper Ticket at https://www.brownpapertickets.
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