John Patrick

John Patrick, who received the coveted Pulitzer Prize for The Teahouse of the August Moon, in 1953, received the "William Inge Award for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theatre" at the "Tribute to Playwright John Patrick" on Monday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the William Inge Theatre. Patrick's many stage successes include The Willow and I, The Hasty Heart, The Curious Savage, and Everybody Loves Opal. His notable successes as a writer of films include Three Coins in a Fountain, Love is a Many Splendored Thing, High Society, Les Girls, and The World of Suzie Wong. Mr. Patrick attended "A Seminar with Four of America's Great Playwrights" and presented "Adapting plays for Motion Pictures" on Monday, April 14 at 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon in the Inge Theatre. He attended the "After-Theatre Supper" on Monday, April 14 at 10:30 p.m. at the Independence Country Club. Patrick returned to Independence for the 1994 Inge Festival and an updated bio is listed on that year's Festival page 1994 - Terrence McNally. He died in November of 1995.

Schedule of Events

The Fifth Annual
William Inge Theatre Festival and Conference
Schedule of Events
April 11, 12, 13, 14, & 15, 1986

1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.—REGISTRATION in the Foyer of the William Inge Theatre, Fine Arts Building.

2:00 P.M.—A LOSS OF ROSES by William Inge was shown

4:00 P.M.—Daniel Mann, noted director of stage and screen discussed the production. Mann directed the original Broadway presentation.

7:00 P.M.—DINNER WITH AMERICA’S AWARD-WINNING PLAYWRIGHTS. Special guests included Jerome Lawrence, William Gibson, Robert Anderson, John Patrick, and Director Daniel Mann. Independence Country Club.

1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.--REGISTRATION in the Foyer of the William Inge Theatre, Fine Arts Building. THE WILLIAM INGE COLLECTION opened to visitors. College Library, Academic Building.

1:15 P.M.—"WILLIAM INGE: PENN AVENUE TO BROADWAY." Lecture Hall, Academic Building.

1:30 P.M.—Tours of "WILLIAM INGE’S INDEPENDENCE." Met in Theatre Foyer, Fine Arts Bldg.

2:15 P.M.—Film, "COME BACK, LITTLE SHEBA." Lecture Hall, Academic Building.

2:30 P.M.—Tour of "WILLIAM INGE’S INDEPENDENCE." Met in Theatre Foyer, Fine Arts Bldg.

3:30 P.M.—Tour of "WILLIAM INGE’S INDEPENDENCE." Met in Theatre Foyer, Fine Arts Bldg.

7:30 P.M.—"A MUSICAL SALUTE TO BROADWAY AND HONORED GUESTS OF INGEFEST V." William Inge Theatre - Fine Arts Building. Reception in the foyer hosted by Independence Arts Council.

8:00 A.M. - 5:30 P.M.--THE WILLIAM INGE COLLECTION opened to visitors. College Library, Academic Building.

8:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.--REGISTRATION in the Foyer of the William Inge Theatre, Fine Arts Bldg.

9:00 A.M – 12:00 P.M.—"A SEMINAR WITH FOUR OF AMERICA’S GREAT PLAYWRIGHTS." Robert Anderson - "Writing for Television Production," Jerome Lawrence - "Writing for the Musical Theatre," John Patrick - "Adapting stage plays for Motion Pictures," William Gibson - "Taking RAG DOLLY to Moscow." William Inge Theatre, Fine Arts Building.

12:15 P.M. - 1:15 P.M.--HONORS LUNCHEON. Members of the Inge family and distinguished festival guests were recognized. Fireside Room, Student Union. FEE: $5.00

1:30 P.M. – 5:00 P.M.—CONFERENCE THEME: "Women in Modern American Drama and Film." Lecture Hall, Academic Building.

1:30 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.—SCHOLAR’S CONFERENCE - Session I. Lecture Hall, Academic Building.

3:30 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.—SCHOLAR’S CONFERENCE - Session I. Lecture Hall, Academic Building.

1:30 P.M. - 2:30 P.M.--"AN AGENT’S WORKSHOP FOR ASPIRING ACTORS, WRITERS, AND DIRECTORS" Presented by Sherri Mann, Los Angeles, California. Room FA1, Fine Arts Building.

7:30 P.M.—"A TRIBUTE TO PLAYWRIGHT JOHN PATRICK." Presentation of "The William Inge Award for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theatre" by the Honorable John Carlin, Governor of Kansas. There was a reception in the Foyer during Intermission. William Inge Theatre. Fee: $5.00

10:00 P.M.—AFTER-THEATRE SUPPER WITH JOHN PATRICK and other honored guests. Independence Country Club.

8:30 A.M. - 11:00 A.M.—REGISTRATION in the Foyer, William Inge Theatre.

9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.—THEATRE WORKSHOPS FOR ALL AGES. Daniel Mann conducted "Acting Techniques" and "Directing the Play." William Inge Theatre, Academic Building.

1:00 P.M. - 3:30 P.M.—"SHAKESPEAR IN WORKSHOP." John Green, Professor in Theatre, London England. William Inge Theatre, Fine Arts Building.

Festival Participants

1986 Special Guests and Festival Participants

Robert Anderson (Inge Award recipient in 1985) participated in "A Seminar with Four of America's Great Playwrights" and presented "Writing for Television Production" on Monday, April 14 at 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon in the Inge Theatre. See updated bio in 1998 - Stephen Sondheim.

Kansas Govenor John Carlin presented the "William Inge Award for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theatre" at the "Tribute to Playwright John Patrick" on Monday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the William Inge Theatre.

William Gibson's (Inge Award recipient in 1984) past stage successes include The Miracle Worker, Two For The Seesaw, Golda, A Cry Of Players, and the musical version of Golden Boy. In 1985, his commentary on nuclear war, Handy Dandy, was presented across the country. He participated in "A Seminar with Four of America's Great Playwrights" and presented "Taking Rag Dolly to Moscow" on Monday, April 14 at 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon in the Inge Theatre. For a complete bio, see 1984 - William Gibson.

John C. Green, of London, England is a Fulbright Exchange Professor in theatre teaching and directing at Pittsburg State University. His British experience includes acting, directing, teaching as well as serving as chairman of Performing Arts at Barking College of Technology, Romford, Essex, England. He has worked as a production assistant for BBC television in London as well as artistic director of the Little Theatre Workshop Children's Theatre of Edinburgh, Scotland. Mr. Green conducted the workshop "Shakespeare in Workshop" on Tuesday, April 15 at 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. in the Inge Theatre.

Eileen Heckart, took part in the Tribute to John Patrick on Monday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. See updated bio in 1997 - Neil Simon.

Shirley Knight, took part in the Tibute to John Patrick on Monday, Apirl 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the William Inge Theatre. See updated bio in 1995 - Arthur Miller.

Jerome Lawrence (Inge Award recipient in 1983) attended the "Dinner With America's Award-Winning Playwrights" on Saturday, April 12 at 7:00 p.m. at the Independence Country Club and participated in "A Seminar with Four of America's Great Playwrights" and presented "Writing for Musical Theatre" on Monday, April 14 at 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon in the Inge Theatre. See updated bio in 1996 - August Wilson.

Heather MacRae singer, actress and television personality, was the featured performer at the dinner party honoring the playwrights on Saturday, April 12. Her first theatrical experience was appearing with her famous parents, Gordon and Shelia MacRae, in Annie Get Your Gun at the Starlight Theater in Kansas City.

Sheri Mann presented "An Agent's Workshop For Aspiring Actors, Writers, and Directors" on Monday, April 14 at 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Building. See updated bio in 1995 - Arthur Miller.

Conference Scholars

1986 Conference Scholars 

Conference Director:
    Jackson R. Bryer, Ph.D presented "Women in Modern American Drama and Film." See updated bio in 1998 - Stephen Sondheim.

Scholars:
     Gene DeGruson presented "The Inge Collection: Its Origin and Scope" at Session II on Monday, April 14. See updated bio in 1995 - Arthur Miller.
     Joyce Flynn, Ph.D, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, presented "The America Within: Lula Vollmer's Dramas and Appalachian Life."
     Jane W. Lange, The University of California, Berkeley, CA, presented "Forces Get Loose: Social Prophecy in William Inge's PICNIC."
     Bruce J. Mann, Ph.D, Oakdale University, Rochester, MI, presented "Zelda, a waiting death, in Tennessee Williams' Clothes For a Summer Hotel."
     Ralph F. Voss presented Robert Brustein's 'The Men-Taming Women of William Inge': Half Right, But All Wrong?" at Session I on Monday, April 14 at 1:30 p.m. See updated bio in 1998 - Stephen Sondheim.
     Nancy O. Wilhelmi, Ph.D, Louisiana State University, Shreveport, LA, presented "Amanda's Self-Defeating Behavior in The Glass Menagerie."