Thursday, August 16, 2007

On Becoming Jane Addams

Soon after I became awaare of the new movie Becoming Jane [Austen], starring the lovely Anne Hathaway, I was asked to become Jane--not Jane Austen, but Jane Addams, of Hull House fame. Since my acting and modeling skills are in the zero range, and I don't even walk gracefully these days, I was taken aback.

It seems that the Illininois Woman's Press Association, of which I am a member, is staging a short historical skit at the National Federation of Press Women's 2007 conference in Richmond, VA, in September, and the scheduled Jane Addams portrayer cannot attend. Jane was an early member of IWPA (established in 1885).

Since Jane Addams was not known for physical beauty, but for her monumental achievements in social work and for being the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and since the assignment involves only a brief walk across the stage, I agreed.

I'll wear a long green skirt, a high-necked white blouse trimmed in green, and perhaps even a wig! Stay tuned for a report on this event in late September, perhaps including a photograph of me in costume. As Jane Addams proved, there's nothing like exploring new horizons!

Copyright 2007 by Marlys Marshall Styne

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

congratulations! This is very exciting news indeed! Will you be starting a senioractor blog soon?

seniorwriter said...

Believe me, writing is my thing, not acting. If I can walk across the stage without tripping, I'll consider that good acting! It's not like I'll have a speaking part.