Musical ‘Song of Myself’ celebrates America
By Kevin Duggan Sing a song of ourselves!
An international theater
group will perform its musical,
multilingual take on Walt Whitman’s
classic poem “Song of Myself” at two
Brooklyn events this month, in celebration
of the Bard of Brooklyn’s
200th birthday. The Compagnia de’
Colombari show “More or Less I Am,”
at the Brooklyn Public Library on
May 18, and Fort Greene Park on
May 26, aims to remind audiences of
Whitman’s vision of America, which
highlights diverse individuality and
also community spirit, according to
the show’s director.
“Whitman talks about the greatness
of the individual and the community
and he interweaves these two,
so there’s a declaration of interdependence,”
said Karin Coonrod. “It’s
important for us to heed the call that in
our birthright was the coming together
of the individual and the community.
He starts the poem with the pronoun ‘I’
and ends it with the pronoun ‘you.’ ”
Coonrod said she was struck by
the lyricist’s egalitarian approach to
America’s diversity.
“Whitman wrote democracy on the
page by having people next to each
other. The opium eater, the five friendly
matrons, the president, and the guy
who’s a convict,” she said.
During each hour-long show,
the group will recruit a few audience
members to perform parts of the
poem, so that Whitman’s words will
ring out through the voices of different
types of people.
The 15 actors will also perform
verses translated into Spanish and
Portuguese, and Coonrod hopes that
audience members can read sections
translated into Chinese, Persian, and
other languages. This section demonstrates
that Whitman is a poet for
anyone who wants to build a home
in the New World — a message that
is especially important during a time
of political hostility towards immigrants,
she said.
“This is thinking of him as the
poet laureate of the Americas. Having
so much Spanish in our community, I
wanted to insert some political challenges
COURIER L 46 IFE, MAY 10-16, 2019 24-7
here,” she said. “At this time
when immigrants are considered lesser
than or there’s a fear of the other
that’s being stoked.”
The show also features classical
music, songs inspired by Whitman’s
time, including a sea shanty, and a few
verses by two modern-day poets.
“More or Less I Am” at Brooklyn
Public Library 10 Grand Army Plaza
at Eastern Parkway in Prospect
Heights, (718) 488–1000, www.bklynlibrary.
org. May 18 at 2:30 p.m. Free.
At Fort Greene Park At the steps
near Myrtle Avenue and St. Edwards
Street in Fort Greene. May 26 at 7:30
p.m. Free.
By Kevin Duggan Hurray for the birthday bard!
Brooklyn’s beloved poet
Walt Whitman was born on
May 31, 1819, but celebrations of his
birthday are happening all month
long! If you want to join the troubadour’s
bicentennial birthday party,
here are some events you should
check out:
Bard of boats
New York Harbor Channel honors
Whitman’s bicentenniel this
weekend at American Veterans
Memorial Pier in Bay Ridge, with
a recitation of his poem “Crossing
Brooklyn Ferry” and a commemoration
ceremony, followed by a celebration
of those who work in the
harbor today.
11 a.m.–1 p.m. at the Veterans
Memorial Pier (Bay Ridge Avenue at
the water in Bay Ridge, www.newyorkharborchannel.
com). Free.
The Brooklyn Public Library’s
will celebrate Whitman with a host
of free talks, readings, and analysis of
the Bard’s work at its Central branch
on May 18–19 (see address in story
above). Highlights will include:
‘Song’ writing
Poet Marvin Bell discusses
Whitman’s signature style, then leads
a workshop where participants can
try writing free verse for themselves.
May 18 at 10:30 a.m. in the
Trustees’ Room. Free.
Wilde desire
Literature scholar Andrew Rimby
investigates the meeting of Whitman
with Irish writer Oscar Wilde, during
the latter’s stateside tour during
the 1880s — the two queer writers
may have had done more than just
talk during their private conference!
May 18 at 10:30 a.m., second
floor. Free.
Beard of Brooklyn
The hirsute poet gets his due
at the “Walt Whitman Beard and
Moustache Competition,” which will
recognize beautiful beards in eight
categories, including “The Barbaric
Yawp,” for best natural moustache.
June 8 at noon at Fort Greene
Park’s Monument Steps (enter at
Myrtle and N. Portland avenues in
Fort Greene, www.bklynlibrary.org/
event-series/whitman-200). Free.
By Julianne McShane Move over
Shakespeare —
now there’s something
Molière!
A new theater company
hopes to boost the work of
17th-century French playwright
Molière by launching
annual productions of
his plays in Prospect Park.
Molière in the Park will kick
off with a fund-raising performance
on May 18, followed
by two free readings
of “The Misanthrope” at the
park’s LeFrak Center. The
woman behind the series
said she wants to bring some
fresh dramatics to Brooklyn’s
Backyard — and the French
satirist is perfect for these
fraught political times.
“I live very close to the
park, and I always thought,
why doesn’t this park have
its own free summer theater
festival?” said founder
Lucie Tiberghien, who lives
in Prospect Heights. “I think
Molière plays ask a lot of
pertinent questions about
who we are as a people and
as a society, and our power
structures.”
The comedy of manners
follows Alceste, the titular
“misanthrope,” who refuses
to conform to the ways of
upper-class society, an attitude
that complicates his
relationship with Célimène,
the refined woman he loves.
The reading will remain true
to the original, translated text,
but Tiberghien plans to focus
on Célimène — played by
“Orange is the New Black”
actress Samira Wiley — and
to emphasize her perspective,
which often gets overshadowed
by Alceste’s ranting
and raving, she said.
“I feel like the play is
always about him, but the
character of Célimène is
extraordinarily important,”
Tiberghien said. “Whether
this is seen through the lens
of gender or race, your ability
to be vocal and criticize, the
way that Alceste does in the
play, is very attached to your
level of privilege and power.”
Molière may be less
known to American audiences
than Shakespeare,
but his lessons are just as
universal, said the artistic
director. For instance, “The
Misanthrope” offers an
important lesson in understanding
other people’s perspectives,
Tiberghien said.
“What’s great about the
play is that it presents all
these different points of
view and forces you to think
through where you stand,
and where other people
stand,” she said.
The director aims to stage
a full Molière production each
year, and hopes the shows
will bring Brooklynites of
all types together to take in
the stories.
“I like the idea of people
coming together to meet each
other and have a conversation
and laugh,” she said.
“I think laughter is huge —
there’s a community aspect
to it that I’m really excited
by, and I think Brooklyn is
so rich in people and culture
and diversity.”
“The Misanthrope” at the
LeFrak Center at Lakeside
(171 E. Drive in Prospect
Park, enter on Ocean Avenue
between Parkside Avenue
and Lincoln Road, www.
moliereinthepark.com). May
18 at 7 p.m. $150. May 19–20
at 7 p.m. Free.
No holds bard: Theater group Compagnia de’ Colombari will perform a tribute to Walt
Whitman’s poem “Song of Myself,” titled “More or Less I Am,” at Brooklyn Public
Library on May 18 and at Fort Greene Park on May 26. Stephen Bateman
Drama queen: Prospect Heights resident Lucie Tiberghien founded
Molière in the Park, a new company that will stage the 17th century
French playwright’s work annually. Moliere in the Park
Brooklyn bard: Poet Walt Whitman was
born 200 years ago on May 31, and Kings
County is ready to throw him a party!
Brooklyn Historical Society
Acting out
WALT COUNTRY
Whitman sampler
Summer theater group to
bring Moliére to P’ Park
/
/moliereinthepark.com