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Giving voice to ‘The People’
By Lisa | January 9, 2008
from boston.com
Never mind the New Hampshire primary, the real agents of change were at the Cutler Majestic Theatre yesterday. In words and script, Mother Jones, Eugene Debs, Martin Luther King Jr., Marian Wright Edelman, and Langston Hughes were all on stage as the taping began of “The People Speak,” the miniseries based on BU professor Howard Zinn’s book “A People’s History of the United States.”
Their words were given voice by a collection of left-leaning Hollywood heavies, including Danny Glover, Viggo Mortensen, David Strathairn, Josh Brolin, and Marisa Tomei. A project that’s been discussed for more than a decade, “The People Speak” is being produced by Chris Moore, former Project Greenlight partner of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
The celebs recorded two shows yesterday. Two more will be taped in front of a live audience today.
Widely admired by liberals since its publication in 1980, “A People’s History” is a collection of the letters, speeches, and last words of agitators, activists, soldiers, and slaves. “These are the people who have given us whatever liberty and freedom we have in this country,” Zinn explained by way of introduction. “Patriotism doesn’t mean obedience to government.”
The actors, some of whom signed on to the project years ago, were dressed casually and read from scripts. If they muffed a line - as Mortensen did during a reading about Shay’s Rebellion - they just kept going. The most affecting performances were delivered by Mortensen, Michael Ealy, and Glover, who read the Hughes poem “Ballad of Roosevelt.”
Boston native Dan Fireman, whose Artfire Films is among those bankrolling the project, told us all the celebs, including Benjamin Bratt and musician John Legend, both slated to perform today, are working for scale. Many rearranged their schedules to take part.
Other performers pitching in include Jasmine Guy, Reg E. Cathey, Harris Yulin, Mike O’Malley, Martin Espada, and Kathleen Chalfant.
Spied in the audience yesterday afternoon was Ike Williams, Zinn’s longtime lawyer and literary agent, and Zinn’s wife, Roslyn.
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Brief Marisa interview on February 6th, 2008
Topics: Articles & Reviews, Other Projects |
March 7th, 2008 at 2:27 am
First of all… Beautiful blog! You have great taste and flair, very nice.
I am a revolutionary, an agitator in the modern era. My cause has been the chasm that exists between the music industry (specifically), and the major label faction.
I am not behind any ridiculous kind of fight to control some portion thereof, I am behind the realization that on a global scale there is room for another supplier of quality entertainment other than the monopoly mentality that we now live under as entertainers and sellers of musical and other related product.
And for this I have been laughed at, spit on, and crucified in a number of ways, but I can tell you from the heart that one person CAN make a difference, and us TOGETHER are unstoppable!
So I hope that people see this film of yours and identify with their personal struggles whatever they are, and that they find the power within themselves to stand up and do what is right! God bless you. And yes, there is a God!