I finally finished cataloging the contents of J's main scrapbook (and my eyes are super relieved). I've already added the relevant items to her Master Timeline. This mini-project dates back to January and I'm glad that it's in the rear view mirror. It consumed a substantial amount of time. Moving forward, I can focus on … Continue reading Milestone! Milestone! Milestone!
Tag: Musical Theater
Wedding Announcement
I just found a wedding announcement for J + R. The information was printed in a newspaper hundreds of miles from her hometown of Memphis. It was tucked into an article about her new husband's theatrical pursuits in said other city. Here is a partial clipping.
A List of Lists
I am an inveterate list maker down to my core. Of all the things that are "my" thing, it is one of the top things. This natural mindset has already come in handy during the early days of my book project. However, I'll need to harness it even more going forward. Writing the biography of … Continue reading A List of Lists
[Research Notes] Setting Up Google Alerts
Researching J also means looking into the lives and careers of her producer-musician husband, R, and his first two wives (both singer-actresses). They're all links in the same chain, after all. Although I'm not to the point where supporting players in her life are the focus of my work, when that time comes I don't … Continue reading [Research Notes] Setting Up Google Alerts
J Having a Ball
This is another image of J from my archives. I don't know what production this photo is from, but I hope to figure it out in time. I'm not sure about the circumstances of this performance, but my instincts tell me that this was likely from a local Memphis amateur production in the years leading … Continue reading J Having a Ball
Begin Anywhere
And so I did... Let's back up. I've been cataloging the contents of J's main scrapbook for nearly a month. It's slow going and hard on the eyes, so it's not an everyday thing. Far from it, actually. There are plenty of other related tasks to do, meaning I'm almost always busy. New things crop … Continue reading Begin Anywhere
Three Questions: January 2021
Recently on my main site, A Small Press Life, my blogger friend Ruth (of Silver Screenings) asked a few excellent questions regarding my feelings about J. The helpful exchange got me thinking about the relationship between biographers and their subjects, especially when those subjects are long-dead. (For context, I was born four years after J's … Continue reading Three Questions: January 2021
Research: January 2021
Two weeks ago, I decided it was time to catalog the contents of J's main scrapbook. This is the perfect mini-project for cold winter evenings. I actually really enjoy the work, as I'm the sort of person who finds comfort in the tedious. Aside from to-be-expected hand-cramping and a bit of eye strain, I look … Continue reading Research: January 2021
Why I’m Writing This Book…
Why am I writing a book about an obscure musical theater performer whose career started approximately a century ago? The genuine answer is long and complex. I'll dig deeper into that conversation in the future. Today, I'm talking about the idea of distilling my motivation into an easily digestible statement--the kind that I can repeat … Continue reading Why I’m Writing This Book…
The Serendipitous Scrapbook
This little book doesn't seem very promising, does it? 7 1/2 x 9 1/2. No cover. What did it look like the day it was purchased? Was it colorful? Textured? Patterned? We'll never know. Why was it preserved? It looks like trash, inconsequential. Maybe it meant something to someone, long ago. Let's find out. 120+ … Continue reading The Serendipitous Scrapbook
Alternative Muses 