​Sewanee Spoken Word Presents ‘The Strange, the Crazed, the Queer’

by Kevin Cummings, Messenger Staff Writer

David Landon, a theatre legend in Sewanee, will perform “The Strange, the Crazed, the Queer” at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 18, at Sewanee Spoken Word in the Blue Chair Café & Tavern.
Landon, who recently retired after more than four decades as a Sewanee theatre professor, first developed and directed “The Strange, the Crazed, the Queer”—featuring the poetry of Tennessee Williams—with a group of professional actors in New York City.
“I have long been an advocate and admirer of Williams’ poetry, believing that Williams—like Shakespeare—was first of all a poet, and that the poetic power of his
language is essential to his greatness as a playwright,” Landon said. “Audiences will recognize in his poetry many of the qualities of his work as a playwright: the rich, extravagant flights of language and powerful rhythms in which his characters articulate their situation.”
Williams, whose grandfather attended The School of Theology, left the rights of his plays, poems, letters and other works to the University of the South.
A veteran of professional and university theatre, Landon, 78, is very familiar with Williams’ work. He appeared in the world premiere of Williams’ autobiographical play, “The Parade,” in Provincetown, Mass., as well as performing in several productions of “Hotel Plays,” an evening of Williams’ one-act plays, in Provincetown, Sewanee and New Orleans. His other Williams’ roles include “Big Daddy” in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” at the University of Virginia, and “Mitch” in “Streetcar Named Desire” at the University of South Carolina.
Landon will also direct a production of “The Strange, the Crazed, the Queer,” at the Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival this September on Cape Cod.
Brooks Egerton, one of the organizers of Sewanee Spoken Word, praised Landon’s work, and said his performance is part of the overall mission of the bi-weekly event.
“We want to stimulate and showcase writers and spoken-word performers in the Sewanee area,” he said. “There is so much talent here, on campus and off. An example of off-campus talent: residents at Rivendell Writers’ Colony, who come from all over the country, have performed to raucous applause at some of our recent gatherings. I’m on that organization’s board and hope to see more such cross-pollination.”
Sewanee Spoken Word, former known as Sewanee Poetry Night, has been a fixture at the Blue Chair for more than two years.
“We changed the name because great writing comes in so many shapes and sizes,” Egerton said. “We’ve recently heard terrific excerpts from novels, plays and narrative nonfiction in addition to poetry and short fiction. Poetry remains central to what we do.”
The event is free. For more information or to join the roster of readers, email <FogPoets@gmail.com>. Open mike follows the scheduled performances.
2024 March
2024 February
2024 January
2023 December
2023 November
2023 October
2023 September
2023 August
2023 July
2023 June
2023 May
2023 April
2023 March
2023 February
2023 January
2022 December
2022 November
2022 October
2022 September
2022 August
2022 July
2022 June
2022 May
2022 April
2022 March
2022 February
2022 January
2021 December
2021 November
2021 October
2021 September
2021 August
2021 July
2021 June
2021 May
2021 April
2021 March
2021 February
2021 January
2020 December
2020 November
2020 October
2020 September
2020 August
2020 July
2020 June
2020 May
2020 April
2020 March
2020 February
2020 January
2019 December
2019 November
2019 October
2019 September
2019 August
2019 July
2019 June
2019 May
2019 April
2019 March
2019 February
2019 January
2018 December
2018 November
2018 October
2018 September
2018 August
2018 July
2018 June
2018 May
2018 April
2018 March
2018 February
2018 January
2017 December
2017 November
2017 October
2017 September
2017 August
2017 July
2017 June
2017 May
2017 April
2017 March
2017 February
2017 January
2016 December
2016 November
2016 October
2016 September
2016 August
2016 July
2016 June
2016 May
2016 April
2016 March
2016 February
2016 January
2015 December
2015 November
2015 October
2015 September
2015 August
2015 July
2015 June
2015 May
2015 April
2015 March
2015 February
2015 January
2014 December
2014 November
2014 October
2014 September
2014 August
2014 July
2014 June
2014 May
2014 April
2014 March
2014 February
2014 January
2013 December
2013 November
2013 October
2013 September
2013 August
2013 July
2013 June
2013 May
2013 April
2013 March
2013 February
2013 January
2012 December
2012 November
2012 October
2012 September
2012 August
2012 July
2012 June
2012 May
2012 April
2012 March
2012 February
2012 January
2011 December
2011 November
2011 October
2011 September
2011 August
2011 July
2011 June
2011 May
2011 April
2011 March
2011 February
2011 January
2010 December
2010 November
2010 October
2010 September
2010 August
2010 July
2010 June
2010 May