Two modern-day pioneers from our neighborhood took to the road last year to teach Texas history from a woman’s perspective.
Now they’re bringing their show back home.
Writer/producer Neila Skinner Petrick, who lives in the Casa Linda area, and actress Joan Jenkins of Lakewood bring their one-woman play to Fair Park’s Hall of State for five performances at 10 a.m. March 7, March 21, April 4, April 25 and May 2.
The play, “Woman of Texas,” is a factual drama based on Petrick’s 1995 novel, “Jane Long of Texas.” Jane Wilkinson Long, and 1830s heroine, was one of our state’s first female entrepreneurs and a confidante of Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston and Ben Milam, says Petrick, who researched her character for about eight years.
“I love Texas history, and it seemed to me there were no women lifted up as pioneers. Jane Long was one,” Petrick says. “I thought it was time to tell a story about a heroic woman.”
The play is performed solely by Jenkins, who takes the audience through Long’s life.
“We have done about 35 performances since last year, and Joan has had many standing ovations,” Petrick says.
Petrick, who has a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, also writes scripts for children’s and corporate videos. Her hero is Thornton Wilder, the author of “Our Town,” she says.
Before becoming self-employed, she was a public information officer for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which provides disaster relief.
Jenkins has a Ph.D. in modern European history and teaches at Collin County Community College. She has been acting since her first role as a singing cucumber in the third grade, when she and her classmates performed “Peter Rabbit.”
For nearly nine years, Jenkins has been a member of Howard and the Fine Sisters, a Dallas-based musical comedy group that often performs at the Pocket Sandwich Theater on Mockingbird.
The two women also are creating a play called “High Flyer” about the life of Katherine Stinson, a Texas who has one of the first female pilots in the United States and who Petrick says broke several flying records.
They also recently released a video and study guide about Jane Long, which they will promote through mailings to schools, libraries and historical societies, Petrick says.
Tickets for the “Woman of Texas” performances at the Hall of State are $2, and reservations are required. Large school groups are booking seats, and the show is likely to sell-out, says Laura Tankersley, the Hall of State’s education director.
“Kids really seem to love it,” Tankersley says about the play. “It’s very visually stimulating. I think it’s a great educational tool.”
Call 214-823-7644 to make reservations. To reach Petrick, call 214-328-7612.
NEWS & NOTES
ST. PATRICK’S DAY
St. Patrick’s Day Parade: This annual Greenville Avenue tradition is scheduled Saturday, March 15, beginning at 11 a.m. Proceeds benefit the YMCA, Greenville Avenue Area Business Association, and Greenville Avenue Urban Design Project. The parade begins at Blackwell Street and proceeds southbound to Yale Boulevard. Applications are available by calling 214-368-6722.
THEATER
Dallas Theater Center: The Dallas Theater Center showcases Keith Glover’s “Thunder Knocking on the Door,” a musical fantasy rooted in delta blues. The production is directed by Marlon McClinton, with musical direction by Olu Dara. Performances run through Sunday, March 9, at the Kalita Humphrey’s Theater, 3636 Turtle Creek. Single ticket prices range from $16 to $44.50. For ticket information, call 214-522-TIXX.
THE DALLAS ARBORETUM
Dallas Blooms Festival: This year’s spring floral exhibit, entitled “Planet Blooms,” runs March 1-April 6. “Planet Blooms” boasts millions of tulips, daffodils and azaleas. Patrons can expect to meet characters such as Galileo the Galactic Gardener and Planet Blooms heroes such as Allen Azalea and Mars Mums. The Arboretum is located at 8525 Garland Road, next to White Rock Lake. Doors are open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3 for children 6-12. Admission is free for Arboretum members and children under 6. Parking is $2. For more information, call the Arboretum at 214-327-8263.
LIBRARY ACTIVITIES
Book Review Series: Writer Mary Ficklen, whose column “Of A Certain Age” appears in the Dallas Morning News and other Texas newspapers, will discuss her column at the Lakewood Library Tuesday, March 18, at 1:30 p.m. Ficklen’s column deals with the realities and fears of aging. Ms. Ficklen is a former Lakewood resident. For more information about Ficklen’s visit or the Lakewood Library Friends volunteer group, contact Betty Brown at 214-670-1376.
Free Adult Programs: The Skillman Southwestern library, 5707 Skillman at Southwestern, hosts two adult programs during March. On Saturday, March 1, the library sponsors a photography class from 3-4:30 p.m. taught by award-winning photographer Joseph C. Mitchell. Mitchell will discuss photographic composition, money-saving ideas and advanced tips. Bring your camera. On Saturday, March 22, at 2:30 p.m., Georgeann Elliott Moss of Dallas Water Utilities will present a seminar about using water effectively and economically to create a beautiful landscape. The seminar is entitled “Learn to Drought-Proof Your Landscape with Xeriscape.”
Throughout the month, the library features a handmade pottery exhibit in the lobby display case. Library hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The library is closed Thursdays and Sundays. For information, call 214-670-6078.
EXHIBITS
Photography Exhibit: The 5501 Columbia Art Center, 5501 Columbia, showcases photographer Judith Golden in a retrospective exhibit of her works from the past 25 years. Golden studied Art History at the Art Institute of Chicago and is a professor of art at the University of Arizona; her work explores a variety of personal themes. The exhibit runs through June 7. For information, call 214-823-8955.
