|
|
Watergate
McCarthyism
The Scopes Monkey Trial
World War I
Southern Heritage And Tradition
One "country lawyer" from Morganton, North Carolina played a major role in
all of these events and his name was Sam Ervin, Jr. "Playwright Steve Bouser
and professional actor Gary Lee Smith have done a masterful job of bringing Sam Ervin's wisdom, charm,
mountain humor, heartache and passion to life in this entertaining and
insightful play, 'Senator Sam'."
Starring Gary Lee Smith as Senator Sam
Ervin, Jr.
Jim Cavener (Asheville Citizen Times) wrote,
"...The play will leave the audience asking: where is Senator Sam (or his
likes) now that we really need him? ..."
Perry Tannenbaum (Fort Mill Times) called
Senator Sam a "homespun treat!"
For Theatres,
Universities and Colleges: The show can be a part of a theatre's
regular season or adapted for performance on most existing sets and even a
bare stage so it’s perfect for a special performance, event, fund raiser.
For other
venues: The show is extremely
versatile. Even if you don't have a stage, lighting system or sound
system, the staging of Sam can be adapted to any size lecture hall,
conference room or meeting space.
 Provides information and bio's regarding the Actor, Director, Writer
and the Senator himself. |
Provides information about the 90 minute production.
Primarily
performed at theatres, colleges, universities, civic organizations, bar
associations, law conferences and occasionally high schools.
This web page also provides links to other outstanding live theatre
organizations, reviews, articles and excerpts from the Senator Sam
script. |
 |
 Provides information about the 45 minute production that is
mostly performed at high schools. This version has been adapted
from the 90 minute production and focuses primarily on the educational
and historical aspects of the play. This web page also gives links
to reviews and articles regarding the performance of Senator Sam. |
|
 Images from a performance of Senator Sam |
 Questions or Comments |
|
A
Note From Kenneth Kay
Director
I am pleased to give my support to, not only the play
Senator Sam,
but also Gary in his performance of the role. Throughout my many years
in this business as an actor, director and artistic director I have read
thousands of scripts and when it comes to one-person plays it has always
been difficult to find one that will hold an audience’s attention for
nearly two hours. Senator
Sam accomplishes this with
smooth transitions and intriguing flashbacks. It takes the audience on
a journey through this amazingly witty character’s life that was filled
with tragedy, confrontation and a lot of humor.
Another difficult hurdle when producing
and directing a one-person play is finding an actor that can bring the
play to life and sustain that energy through the entire show. Gary
truly captures Sam Ervin’s easy-going,
down-home personality and sly humor.
The best compliment regarding Gary’s
performance in this role doesn’t come from me but from an old, long time
friend of the Ervin family. After seeing the show he came up to me and
said, “Thank you. I haven’t seen my friend Sam in a long time but I got
to visit with him for a couple of hours here tonight.”
|
A note from Steve Bouser
Author of "Senator Sam"
So much depends on sheer
happenstance. My newspaper career happened to take me to Morganton,
North Carolina, in June 1973. That happened to be the month when the
Watergate hearings, starring Morganton’s favorite son, Sen. Sam J. Ervin
Jr., were at their nationally televised peak. Ervin also happened to be
one of the three trustees of our paper, The News Herald, giving me many
chances to hear him tell his “stow-ries” over a “bourbon and ging’ale.”
The more I supplemented my own still-vivid
recollections of the “stowries” by reading every available book written
by or about the late senator and talking with others who knew him, the
harder it was to believe that nobody had written this play before. I
can’t say it wrote itself, but the raw material was there in spades: all
the drama, character and humor any writer could ever hope for.
|
|
Reviews and Articles About
"Senator Sam"
 | Read a review from the August 2005 performance of Senator Sam
|
| Read reviews from the 2006 Stoneleaf Theatre Festival performance
of Senator Sam :
|
Recommended Live Theatre Links
| The Blowing Rock Stage Company is one of the finest professional
theatres in the southeast and is located in the mountains of Sam
Ervin's home state :
|
| In Greensboro, NC is the Triad Stage professional theatre.
It has some of the best and most creatively directed plays in the U.S.
:
|
| If you're in the Eastern Panhandle of Florida be sure to see
the live theatre that's offered at the Dixie Theatre located in
Apalachicola :
|
| Looking for something fun to do this summer in the Miami area?
Have a blast and stay cool by going to the award winning City
Theatre's Summer Shorts series. :
|
| Don't Care for "Musical Revues"? This show will change your
mind!! "A Dash Of Rosemary" takes you on a journey through the
life of Rosemary Clooney with a wonderfully written story backed by
some great songs. See how to book it for your theatre:
|
|
|
