FAME (they’re not going to live forever)
Letters about fame from the famous
Real letters by real people, read by great actors in a two-hour performance, Letters Aloud was founded in 2013 by Paul Morgan Stetler as a way to connect a live audience to famous (and infamous) historical figures through their intimate personal correspondence. Funny and poignant, with live musical accompaniment and a dynamic slide show, a Letters Aloud evening is guaranteed to inspire! As one fan said, “It’s like literary crack.”
In 1968, Andy Warhol said, “In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” His prediction of fame’s fleeting nature in our celebrity-saturated culture could not be more true. Through the personal letters of those who sought and achieved greatness—including Mr. Warhol himself—Letters Aloud’s FAME (they’re not going to live forever)—letters about fame from the famous examines the very human condition of celebrity and the lessons it teaches.
From humble beginnings to adoring fans to looking back on achievements and lessons learned, these dramatic readings chart the course of celebrity through the correspondence of luminaries like Stephen King, Andy Warhol, Elvis Presley, Emily Dickinson, Frank Lloyd Wright, Marilyn Monroe, and Tom Hanks, to name a few.
Before the event: Explore the installation The Art of Communication in the Center for Creative Connections and write a letter to a work of art.