1991 Nebraska Book Festival
September 27-28, 1st Annual
University of Nebraska at Omaha
“Nebraska: The Author’s State”
Schedule
Friday, September 27, 1991, Students’ Day
Student essay and creative writing competition (grades 7-12)
Willa Cather Speaks Betty Jean Steinshouer appearing in Omaha area
school performances. Sponsored by the Junior League of Omaha.
4:00 p.m. Bemis Gallery Talk. Cather photographer Lucia Woods.
7:00-10:00 p.m. Nebraska Literature Festival Reception—Bemis Gallery
8:00-9:00 p.m. Willa Cather Songs by John Kunz. Hilda Neihardt reciting
the poetry of her father, John G. Neihardt. Accompanied on guitar by her
son, Robin Neihardt.
Saturday, September 28, 1991
Concurrent sessions were held in rooms at the Milo Bail Student
Center, University of Nebraska at Omaha. For a list of activities
running all day, see the end of this page.
9:00-9:45
- A Lantern in Her Hand. Dialogue from the novel by Bess
Streeter Aldrich. Don & Sue Hill as Will & Abby Deal. Narrator: Diann
Gochenour.
- Loren Eiseley’s Nebraska. Panel discussion by Margaret Bohling, Paul Johnsgard and Mike Voorhies. Moderator: Jane Stilwell
Smith.
- Nebraska Writers: A Sample. Slide talk by Darlene Ritter.
Introduction to Nebraska’s famous authors.
- Storytelling Workshop.
Involves participants in storytelling. Mary Heise, Omaha Organization
for the Purpose of Storytelling (OOPS)
- Song of the Plains: The Story of
Mari Sandoz. Dick Cavett interviews Sandoz’s family and friends. NETV
video.
- Open Mike.
10:00-10:45
- Contemporary Poetry in Nebraska. Panel discussion by
William Kloefkorn, Hilda Raz, Don Welch. Moderator: Art Homer.
- Bess
Streeter Aldrich in Elmwood. Panel discussion by Dwight Clements, Don
Gonzales, and Carol Miles Petersen. Moderator: Rob Clements.
- Living
Theatre Workshop. Betty Jean Steinshouer discusses her dramatic
interpretations of Willa Cather and Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.
- Teaching
My Ántonia Workshop. Involves participants in techniques of teaching
Cather’s most famous work. Susan Rosowski, Willa Cather Foundation.
- Willa Cather: The Writer and the Word. Hastings College national
conference. Includes historical photos. NETV video.
- Readings: John Janovy.
11:00-11:45
- Mari Sandoz (Premiere). One woman performance by Laura
Marr. Written and directed by Doug Marr.
- The Art of Wright Morris. Panel
discussion by Fran Kaye, Robert Knoll, and Joe Wydeven. Moderator:
Barbara Allen-Langdon.
- Willa Cather and Women’s Art. Slide talk by
Evelyn Haller portrays quilt and rug making in Cather’s writing.
- Loren
Eiseley: A Modern Ishmael. Author Peter Heidtmann of Ohio University
discusses his book, published in 1991.
- Neihardt on Creative Writing.
John G. Neihardt discusses the art of writing. NETV video.
- Readings:
William Kloefkorn, Hilda Raz.
12:00-1:00
- Lunch.
- Voice of the Plains: John G. Neihardt. Biography of
Nebraska Poet Laureate. Interviews and the poet reading. NETV video.
- Readings: Don Welch, Nancy McCleery.
1:00-1:45
- Willa Cather Speaks. One-woman show created and performed
by Betty Jean Steinshouer. Improvisation with audience participation.
- Mari Sandoz: Then and Now. Panel discussion by Richard Neilsen, Barbara
Rippey, Helen Stauffer. Moderator: Ron Hull.
- Nebraska Mystery Writers:
Jean Potts and Patricia McGerr. Slide talk by Betty Levitov on the lives
and writings of these two writers.
- Poetry Writing Workshop. Involves
participants in approaches to poetry writing. Susan Aizenberg, UNO
Writer’s Workshop.
- Plains Images: The Photography of Wright Morris.
Morris discusses his unique approach to photography. NETV video.
- Readings: Roy Scheele, Donna Whitewing-Vandall.
2:00-2:45
- Willa Cather: Portraits of Nebraska. Panel discussion by
Susanne George, Robert Harwick, Susan Rosowski. Moderator: Bruce Baker.
- Playwriting in Nebraska. Panel discussion by Mimi Loring, Doug Marr, and
Megan Terry. Moderator: Doug Patersen.
- Malcolm X. George Garrison
discusses the life and ideas of influential Omaha native Malcolm X.
- Fiction Writing Workshop. Involves participants in approaches to fiction
writing. Lorraine Duggin, Nebraska Writing & Storytelling Festival.
- Conversations with Wright Morris. Morris discusses his 19th novel,
Plains Song for Female Voices. NETV video.
- Readings: Harry Eure, Marilyn
Coffey.
3:00-3:45
- John Neihardt’s View of Women. Panel discussion by Hilda
Neihardt and Willis Regier. Moderator: John McKenna.
- Viability of Small
Presses. Panel discussion by Harry Duncan, Dan Gleason, Bonnie
O’Connell. Moderator: Denise Brady.
- Tillie Olsen’s Omaha Heritage. Linda
Pratt discusses this prominent writer’s roots in Omaha’s Jewish
community.
- Mystery Writing Workshop. Involves participants in approaches
to mystery writing. Diane Kirkle, Nebraska Writer’s Guild.
- A Poet’s
Perception. Four poems by Nebraska State Poet, Bill Kloefkorn, with
visits to the Platte River and Sandoz’s gravesite. NETV video.
- Readings:
Michael Skau, Lorraine Duggin.
4:00-4:45
- 1931 Visit With Black Elk. Slide talk by Hilda Neihardt,
who was present during her father’s interviews with the Oglala Sioux
warrior and holy man.
- Contemporary Fiction in Nebraska. Panel discussion
by J.V. Brummels, Ken Flint, Melinda Murdock. Moderator: Diane Kirkle.
- Wright Morris’s Lone Tree. Slide talk by Nancy Johnson on the real and
imaginary in Morris’s descriptions of Central City (Lone Tree).
- Nature
Writing Workshop. Involves participants in approaches to nature writing.
Naomi Brill, Friends of Loren Eiseley.
- Past, Present, Future—Mari
Sandoz. Sandoz remembers storytellers of her frontier childhood, the
inspiration for her research & writing. NETV video.
- Readings: Susan Strayer Deal, James Reed.
5:00-6:00
- Nebraska Literature Festival Dinner Social Hour.
- Author
Book Signings, Bookfair and Exhibits.
6:00-7:45
- Nebraska Literature Festival Dinner. Guest speaker: John
Cole, Director, Center for the Book, Library of Congress. Program:
William Kloefkorn, Nebraska State Poet; Willa Cather Speaks by Betty
Jean Steinshouer.
8:00-9:30
- Ron Hansen Fiction Reading and Moving Company Dance
Performance (Strauss Performing Arts Center). Book signing following
performance: Nebraska, a short story by Ron Hansen, published in a
limited edition by Nebraska Book Arts Center.
- Making Friends With Water,
performed by UNO dancers and members of the Omaha and Winnebago tribes.
Poetry by Laura Tohe; choreography by Josie Metal-Corbin; music by Roger
Foltz.
“Family Activities” (free admission)
9:00-5:00
- Children’s Center: Story reading and storytelling by various
celebrities, writers and OOPS storytellers.
9:00-3:00
- Native American Tipi. Phyllis Stone, Rosebud Sioux, shares Plains
Indian heritage with tipi visitors.
9:00-1:00
- Book Arts Demonstrations. Open house at Nebraska Book Arts Center,
small press publisher of Ron Hansen’s short story, Nebraska.
3:00-5:00
- Winter Thunder. Emmy gifford Children’s Theater performance of Mimi
Loring’s adaptation of Mari Sandoz’s novella. Story of school children
and their teacher lost in a Sand Hills blizzard.
- Children’s books at the Bookfair
Festival Sponsors
Nebraska Center for the Book, University of
Nebraska at Omaha, Nebraska Humanities Council, Alternative Worksite,
Bemis Foundation, Junior League of Omaha, Lincoln City Libraries
Foundation, Heritage Room, Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Department of
Economic Development, Division of Travel and Tourism, UNO’s Committee on
Research
Coordinator: Kira Gale
Photos
View/print Festival photos
[pdf].
Festival program
View/print Festival program
[pdf].
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