Angela Peralta–”Hard Travelin”’–Woody Guthrie portrayed by (Randy Noojin)

 

Today’s performance at the Angela Peralta Theatre was the first Sunday afternoon Gordon Campbell sponsored production of the season.

Randy Noonjin portraying “ Woodrow Wilson Guthrie”

Above is a bit of information on the many talents of Randy Noonjin. 

Along with the play’s monologue were many of Woody’s songs which we were encouraged to sing along to.  Who hasn’t sung “This Land is your land” at some point in their life.

I do not buy season’s tickets to the Sunday performances but some of my friends do.  Today I purchased George and Sharen’s tickets as they have not arrived yet.  I had decided it would be nice to treat my sister-in- law Linda to a performance at the Angela Peralta theatre.  We are so lucky to have such a beautiful facility here in Mazatlan.

Today it was just Ruth, Linda and myself going to the performance.  The show starts at 12 noon so we were on the bus and heading downtown by 11am.  Here you can see Ruth heading down Constitucion towards the Plazuela Machado where the Angela Peralta is located.

Ruth took a couple pictures on my camera of Linda and I in front of the theatre but….they weren’t there so I don’t know what happened.  Our seats are on the right about 4 rows back from the front…super view.

First we were greeted by Gordon Campbell who thanked us all for coming (in English and Spanish) and then gave us a bit of history of the Sunday shows.  It is his mission to bring musical culture to the people of Mazatlan and he is doing a great job.  He did explain how important our patronage of these events is and encouraged us to keep coming.  He has been the conductor of the orchestra in the past but will now be a director and only conduct some performances.   A very warm, nice man.

Woody arrived on stage by trotting down the center aisle and greeting us as if we were in an American mineworkers union hall and we were the union workers. 

                  

Woody explained that his given name was Woodrow Wilson Guthrie after the American president but that he had shortened it up to Woody!

Below is an excerpt from Wikepedia….

Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (/ˈɡʌθri/; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, one of the most significant figures in American folk music; his songs, including social justice songs, such as "This Land Is Your Land", have inspired several generations both politically and musically.^[1][2][3] He wrote hundreds of political, folk, and children's songs, along with ballads and improvised works. His album of songs about the Dust Bowl period, Dust Bowl Ballads, is included on Mojo magazine's 100 Records That Changed The World.^[4] Many of his recorded songs are archived in the Library of Congress.^[5] Songwriters such as Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, Robert Hunter, Harry Chapin, John Mellencamp, Pete Seeger, Andy Irvine, Joe Strummer, Billy Bragg, Jerry Garcia, Jay Farrar, Bob Weir, Jeff Tweedy, Bob Childers, Sammy Walker, Tom Paxton and Andrew Jackson Jihad have acknowledged Guthrie as a major influence. He frequently performed with the slogan This machine kills fascists displayed on his guitar.

Guthrie was brought up by middle-class parents in Okemah, Oklahoma, until he was 14, when his mother was hospitalised as a consequence of Huntington's disease, a hereditary neurological disorder, and his father had to move to Pampa, Texas, to repay debts from unsuccessful real estate deals. During his early teens Guthrie learned folk and blues songs from his parents' friends. He married at 19, but with the advent of the dust storms that marked the Dust Bowl period, he left his wife and three children to join the thousands of Okies who were migrating to California looking for work. He worked at Los Angeles radio station KFVD, achieving some fame from playing hill-billy music; made friends with Will Geer and John Steinbeck; and wrote a column for the Communist newspaper People's World from May 1939 to January 1940. Throughout his life Guthrie was associated with United States Communist groups, although he was seemingly not a member of any.^[6] With the outbreak of World War II and the non-aggression pact the Soviet Union had signed with Germany in 1939, the owners of KFVD radio were not comfortable with Guthrie's Communist sympathies; he left the station, ending up in New York where he wrote and recorded his 1940 album Dust Bowl Ballads, based on his Dust Bowl experiences, and which earned him the nickname the "Dust Bowl Troubadour".^[7] In February 1940 he wrote his most famous song, "This Land Is Your Land", as a response to what he felt was an overplaying of Irving Berlin's "God Bless America" on the radio.

Guthrie was married three times and fathered eight children, including musician Arlo Guthrie. Guthrie died from complications of Huntington's disease. During his later years, in spite of his illness, Guthrie served as a figurehead in the folk movement, providing inspiration to a generation of new folk musicians, including mentoring Ramblin' Jack Elliott and Bob Dylan.                    

Woody Guthrie

Randy gave a very realistic portrayal of Woody Guthrie and his musical talent was obvious. 

As Randy chatted about Woody’s life in Oklahoma and the trials and tribulations of his travels he really brought him to life.

The screen behind him contained archived footage of the life and times that Woody lived in.  Above the screen his monologue was translated into Spanish and when we were asked to sing along the words were in both English and Spanish.  At the end of the performance he received a standing ovation and he returned for one more song….that we once again sang along to.   A thoroughly enjoyable well done performance.  I suspect that the politics of many of the people in attendance leant quite a bit to the left and that there was also huge support for unions as a whole. 

In the early years of my husbands employment with B.C. Tel there were many days of wages lost due to walk outs in support of union beliefs.  In the late 70’s even our children walked the picket line with their Dad.  Nothing good ever comes without sacrifice. 

Following the performance we wandered out into the Plazuela to look for a quick snack.  As the show had started at noon none of us had eaten lunch.

We sat down at one of the many restaurants that line the perimeter of the plazuela and ordered a drink and a bowl of soup.  This picture was taken by a kind lady at the next table.  She worried that her shaky hands would ruin the picture…not perfect but you get the idea. 

The lady on the left took the picture and you can see Gordon Campbell who stopped by to have a chat.  I assume that he knew both of these ladies.

So…we had a nice bowl of tortilla soup and it was time to head home.

Back up Constitucion to Benito Juarez and then over to the market to catch the Cerritos bus home. 

A thoroughly enjoyable afternoon and over the next couple of months I will try to attend a couple more performances.