Did you miss the performances in the MN Fringe? Don't worry, the Fringe Hangover is coming in early September - your chance to see a recording of the staged show.
COLORADO TOUR
Catch this performance as it travels around the West Central region of the state!
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9/5 - 6pm @ Grand Mesa Arts Center, Cedaredge
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9/6 - 10am @ Blue Sage, Paonia
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9/7 - 1pm @ Montrose Senior Center, Montrose
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9/8-9 - Grand Junction Chautauqua, Grand Junction
Against the Odds:
Rachel Carson and the Writing of SILENT SPRING
“Nothing I could do would be more important.”
Rachel Carson overcame personal and societal obstacles that would have stopped most of us. She persevered to write Silent Spring and become the “Mother of the Modern Environmental Movement." How did she go from writing best-selling books about the sea to writing about pesticides? This is her story of writing a book that would change the world.
Performance includes a Q&A with both Rachel Carson and Katie Knutson.
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To learn more about the performance, request a video sample, or book Katie, click here to connect.
Rachel Carson
Before 1961, Rachel Carson was best known for her poetic, accessible writings about sea life that encouraged countless average Americans to think and care about nature. Those three best-selling books about the sea helped the public understand the ocean, its life, and its evolution. When the National Council of Women announced that Rachel Carson had won their Book Award for The Edge of the Sea, the caption read, “Miss Carson has successfully invaded a man’s field, and with a poet’s eye, a scientific mind, and a woman’s intuition, has taught the world to wonder.”
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When Carson connected the mysterious deaths of animals to the new chemicals widely used by the government and individuals, she reluctantly began writing Silent Spring. Her well-written, thoroughly-researched book, which was first previewed in The New Yorker, became an immediate best seller. Still considered one of the most important and influential books in US History, Silent Spring prompted an outcry from chemical companies. Carson faced the attacks on her character and gender with grace, humor, and dignity – rebuffing propaganda with facts and studies. She testified before the House and Senate on the dangers of DDT and similar broad-spectrum chemical pesticides shortly before her death in 1964.
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Now considered the mother of the modern environmental movement, Rachel Carson made our world a safer place. The formation of the EPA and Greenpeace, the Environmental Defense Fund, the Endangered Species Act, and the banning of DDT can all be tied to Carson's work, even if she did not live to see these fruits of her labor. In this performance, you will meet Rachel Carson after the publication of Silent Spring. She will share about her writing process and the obstacles she had to overcome to complete the book. You may also have the chance to ask questions of Rachel Carson and/or Katie Knutson.
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Learn more about Rachel Carson in this short video designed for kids:
Audience Reviews
"I was captivated by Katie Knutson's portrayal of Rachel Carson. One of the most rewarding [nights] I've spent in a long time."
~ Anonymous, Humanities North Dakota
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"Loving Portrait of a Quiet Woman"
"This show is a carefully crafted portrait of a quiet, heroic woman we should all know better. The research and details draw you directly into a critical moment in her story."
~ Brian Carling, MN Fringe
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"Provocative and Timely"
"This is an absolute must see!!! Katie Knutson captured the essence of Rachel Carson. Silent Spring is so much more than a classic, inspiring book. And this depiction of its urgent message is more timely than ever before. While calm and focused, it really packed a punch. Everyone should know about Rachel Carson. Her lesson is more poignant today than ever before."
~ Darla Swanson, MN Fringe
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"There is a mastery of control within "Against the Odds" that makes it engaging because of its authenticity. Knutson's thorough research of her character is personified with the clear scripting of this work. She focuses on the work that leads to "Silent Spring" and avoids going into a false heightened drama. The show is compelling and provides an introduction to Carson and her significant work."
~ Kim Nofsinger, MN Fringe
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"Katie Knutson is a highly skilled storyteller and social activist who brings often overlooked author and brilliant environmentalist Rachel Carson back to life in an exquisite piece of theater. The show has no loud noise, no gut busting laughter, no sex or drugs but what it does have is the story of a brave woman who, while dying of breast cancer, opened the world's eyes to the peril of DDT and other forever chemicals. I loved every minute of the show."
~Howard Lieberman, MN Fringe
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