A brilliant one-man show based on the work of the foremost black writer of the 19th century. Winner of "The Scotsman Fringe First Award" at the Edinburgh Festival. Joseph Mydell creates an evocative portrayal of both the poet and turn-of-the-century America.

Joseph Mydell as Paul Laurence Dunbar in "Lyrics of the Hearthside" puts the poems, prose and songs of Dunbar together in an evening of highly dramatic impersonation: Dunbar alive. Dunbar on stage. Dunbar performing his own works as he did so often throughout America. After careful research Joseph has brought together Dunbar's works in dialect and standard English, including letters that are not only brilliantly entertaining but reveal the human, often angry and proud soul of Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Paul Laurence Dunbar was born in 1872 in Dayton, Ohio. Thirty four years later after his travels, fame and a broken marriage he was to die of consumption in his home town. Among his classmates were the Wright brothers of aviation fame, Orville Wright was a printer and assisted Dunbar in publishing one of the first black newspapers in America. Later, Dunbar published his first book of poetry which came to the attention of American dean of letters William Dean Howells, who said, "Dunbar was the only man of pure African blood and of American civilization to feel the Negro life esthetically and express it lyrically." Success followed and Dunbar became the foremost black writer of the nineteenth century publishing four volumes of poems, four novels, various prose works and lyrics to many popular songs.

Dunbar's manager, who also handled Mark Twain, brought him to Britain in 1897 and performed his work to enthusiastic audiences. He collaborated with British composer Samuel Coleridge Taylor on a song cycle and an operetta. He wrote lyrics for the Broadway show In Dahorney which came to London's Shaftesbury Theatre and later had a command performance at Buckingham Palace.

LYRICS OF THE HEARTHSIDE QUOTES

Joseph Mydell's dramatic impersonation of Paul Laurence Dunbar is a classic. Working with an almost delicate precision, Mydell elevates the material with a dazzling performance of wit and charm.

The Guardian

Lively, absorbing and perfectly judged performance. A fascinating portrait of a man and his society through powerful theatrical imagination.

Time Out

Haunting, disturbingly contemporary...simply not long enough.

Times Educational Supplement

Strikingly brilliant...Mydell is an intellectual, elegant and often hilarious performer. (Winner of The Scotsman Fringe First Award, 1980)

The Scotsman

Gripping, funny, moving and highly professional both in performance and technically. A theatrical experience..He is Paul Laurence Dunbar. (Awarded for "The best Solo-performance" by Festival Times at the 1980 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.)

Festival Times

Outrageously talented...his gracefulness, command and spirit are unassiailably inspiring..just too good to be missed.

West Indian World

Joseph Mydell as Paul Laurence Dunbar in "Lyrics of the Hearthside" puts poems, prose and songs of Dunbar together in an evening of highly impersonation: Dunbar alive...Dunbar on stage...Dunbar performing his works as he did throughout America and England. In England he collaborated with British composer Samuel Coleridge on a song cycle and an operetta and wrote lyrics for the Broadway Show "In Dahomey" which came to London's Shaftesbury Theatre and later had a command performance at Buckingham Palace.

Setting the Stage

Mydell's performance clever, inspirational

By Pat Rodabaugh

Joseph Mydell gave a stunning performance to an audience of approximately 200 people gathered in Founders Hall on Feb. 24, when he offered his '"Lyrics of the Hearthside," one of a number of special programs in the Blufton College Artist Series.

Mydell's dramatic interpretation of the poem, prose and songs of Paul Laurence Dunbar required an astonishing amount of memorization and mandated a supreme sense of timing, which the actor has mastered. For me, the most impressive aspect of Mydell's performance was his obvious empathy with Dunbar. For a span of about two hours, I could believe he was Paul Laurence Dunbar.

A GRADUATE OF THE NEW YORK University's School of the Arts, where his teachers included Lloyd Richards and Olympia Dukakis, Mydell has an impressive list of theatrical endeavors to his credit. This is One performer who has "paid his dues." He is a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company of Stratford on Avon and London. In America, he has performed at the Circle Repertory Company in New York and the New York Shakespeare Festival and he has toured for the National Endowment for the Arts Humanities Series. Mydell has appeared with the Lincoln Center Repertory and the Seattle Repertory Theatre.

Television appearances include major roles in "The March," the CBS mini-series "Shadow on the Sun" with Stephanie Powers, and the Hallmark presentation "My Africa."

Recent theatre credits include a successful run in London's West End with Steve Guttenburg in the acclaimed production "The Boys Next Door" and the title role in Brecht's "The Life of Galileo."

Mydell's "Lyrics of the Hearthside" won two awards at the Edinburgh International Arts Festival (including Best One Man Show) and after seeing his performance at Blufton College, I am not surprised.

Act One (Dunbar the Performer) introduces the Ohio-born writer/poet/actors works in both dialect and standard English. The recitations begin with slow, almost deliberate undertones of rhyme and rhythm. Mydell's voice has a distinctive resonant quality that soothes the ear and beckons to the audience to pay close attention.

The performance unfolds slowly; we see the bits and pieces of a personality coming together to shape and mold the contours of a human form. While we observe from the silent safety of our seats, the form takes on the features of a man of letters with a wild desire to create great literature and introduce new concepts to a growing nation. Dunbar's fierce determination to capture the essence of life in the South (and especially on the plantation) for the nineteenth century black population is evident in Mydell's interpretation of his poetry.

"Plantation Life" and "The War" were staged perfectly for an intimate theatre setting. Mydell's facial expressions are critical to the total experience of his recitations. Soft lighting and the play of shadows across his face were particularly effective and poignant.

Act two (Dunbar the Man) picks up speed and races through Dunbar's brief adult life. The second half of the show, although more theatrically contrived, I believe, than the first, elicited more emotional responses from the audience. I found Mydell's structuring of Dunbar's letters into an historic overview of his relationships to be a delightfully brilliant touch. Sprinkling touches of song and dance in between the letters adds just the right balance to the total performance.

"Alice Ruth Moore," "On Emancipation Day," and "Lil'l Gal" were all beautifully performed. Mydell's performance was my first introduction to Dunbar's work but, after hearing these particular pieces, I know I will have to read more of his poetry. He is said to be one of the foremost black writers of his time, publishing four volumes of poetry, four novels, various prose works and lyrics to many popular songs.

EVERY GOOD PERFORMER I'VE ever observed has left some special mark or characteristic in my memory bank. In the case of Joseph Mydell, it is his hands. Mydell's hands are incredibly expressive and graceful; like a dancer's hands. When he struts and strides with his walking stick, the cane becomes an extension of the long, slender fingers. To emphasize a point, to elaborate on an idea or just to point at a random member of the audience during a humorous point in his recitation, Mydell's hands make magical movements about his head, shoulders, and trunk.

If you missed Joseph Mydell's clever and stimulating performance, my brief review will not do him justice. He provided us with a thoroughly entertaining evening.

QUOTES
EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
FESTIVAL TIMES

LYRICS OF THE HEARTHSIDE
by
JOSEPH MYDELL

"Joseph Mydell's dramatic impersonation of Paul Laurence Dunbar is a classic. Working with an almost delicate precision, Mydell elevates the material with a dazzling performance of wit and charm."
-The Guardian

"Lively, absorbing and perfectly judged performance .... fascinating portrait of a man and his society through powerful theatrical imagination."
-Time Out

"Haunting, disturbingly contemporary.... simply not long enough."
-Times Educational Supplement

"Strikingly brilliant.... Mydell is an intellectual, elegant and often hilarious performer. (Winner of The Scotsman Fringe First Award, 1980)"
-The Scotsman

"Gripping, funny, moving and highly professional both in performance and technically.... A theatrical experience... He's Paul Laurence Dunbar." (Awarded for "The best Solo-peformance" by Festival Times at the 1980 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.)
-Festival Times

"Outrageously talented .... his gracefulness, command and spirit are unassailably inspiring....just too good to be missed."
-West Indian World

Joseph Mydell as Paul Laurence Dunbar in "Lyrics of the Hearthside" puts poems, prose and songs of Dunbar together in an evening of highly impersonation: Dunbar alive...Dunbar on stage...Dunbar performing his works as he did throughout America and England. In England he collaborated with British composer Samuel Coleridge on a song cycle and an operetta and wrote lyrics for the Broadway show "In Dahomey" which came to London's Shaftesbury Theatre and later had a command performance at Buckingham Palace.

Although I had heard of Paul Laurence Dunbar since I was quite young, it was not until I read one of his letters to his wife that I wanted to know more about him. The letter was so full of passion and wit. It was then I decided to put the man on stage. I wanted to show the mind behind such poems as "We Wear The Mask", "In The Morning", and "When Malindy Sings". Here was a man, African-American, born nine years after his parents had been freed from slavery, who went on to become the first national black poet; who made his living as a poet and writer. His friends ranged from the Wright Brothers in his home town of Dayton, Ohio to Frederick Douglas and W.E. Dubois. His travels took him from Dayton to The White House to London, England. He wrote in black as well as white dialect. His standard English poems covered a wide range of subjects, some pointedly romantic as well as ironic. He was a well-dressed, well-spoken man who loved down-home simple pleasures. He could be sharply critical and did not suffer fools, but was loyalty itself when it came to his friends. Dunbar’s human nature informed all his work, therefore I wanted to put Dunbar the man, in his own words on stage. I trust I have succeeded in doing this.

It was Dunbar that brought me to England which has been my home for the past twelve years. After researching Dunbar’s stay in England I was able to judge which of his letters would best reflect his stay there. The show since that time has had a large showing in England, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, and East and West Africa. It is a joy to finally bring Dunbar home.

Joseph Mydell