NEA’s Big Read Begins in January

As 2007 draws to a close, Door County is gearing up for its January celebration of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, part of a nationwide National Endowment for the Arts initiative called “The Big Read.” Starting on January 7, Door County residents and visitors will read and explore Steinbeck’s classic 1939 novel together through a month-long series of special events hosted by well-known public venues throughout the peninsula.

The Door County Big Read Kickoff will take place at 6:30 pm on Monday, January 7, at the Door County Auditorium in Fish Creek. Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton will introduce this evening of festivities, and a highlight will be a talk by Norbert Blei about Steinbeck, his background, career and the circumstances that led him to write The Grapes of Wrath. In addition, Scott Wakefield will sing a Woody Guthrie Song or two.

The exploration of The Grapes of Wrath actually will begin a bit earlier that day with “Living, Breathing & Acting ‘The Grapes of Wrath’” at The Clearing in Ellison Bay. A plethora of programs will round out an entire month of events scheduled in Door County for The Big Read. (See accompanying schedule for more details.)

The Big Read was designed to restore reading to the center of American culture, encouraging reading for both pleasure and enlightenment, and through Door County’s January events, audiences will find The Grapes of Wrath to be an excellent choice. Steinbeck intended for readers to be active participants in his work and to engage with the novel on every level. That moment of reader participation is critical, and it sets The Grapes of Wrath apart from countless contemporary works.

Peninsula Players Theatre in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, is one of 127 community organizations nationwide to receive a Big Read grant for the first six months of 2008.

To learn more about Door County’s January program for NEA’s The Big Read, and for updated information about scheduled events, please visit http://www.peninsulaplayers.com.