Elizabeth Bissette in Nashville, Tennessee created Lonesome Liz's Mojo Sideshow...
She Explains, "The Mojo Sideshow began as a series of poems I composed for National Poetry Month, (they have a poem a day challenge each year). Each day in the month of April, I wrote a poem about a different Sideshow character. I later approached Richmond's Gallery 5 with the suggestion it be added to their Carnival of 5 Fires. The result was a multi-media show that included art by Wes Freed, Molly Crabapple, myself and others based on the characters. I added a central thread to the poems, creating a Southern Gothic Faust tale with my Outlaw Country persona, Lonesome Liz, as a modern Faust, in this case meeting the Devil at the Crossroads. The play also featured an Outlaw Country/Gospel score performed by JB Beverley, (Hank III) and myself, along with other talented local actors and dancers.
Why did you decide to do this project? I wanted to see what would happen if I wrote a poem every day!
How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? During the course of the writing, I had the amazing opportunity for feedback from Beat Poet Charles Plymell. A few months ago, I took the play back out with the idea of revising it as a Wild West show. I not only again had his marvelous input, but he introduced me to another Beat Poet, who is a Grandson of Cole Younger. With their encouragement, a new production is almost finished. This time the central tale is that of the James/Younger Gang. Coincidentally, Cole Younger and Frank James had their own Wild West Show for a time. Bob Ford, James' killer, made himself a Sideshow act.
See more of Liz's Sideshow HERE.
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| Mojo Sideshow Sign by Wes Freed |
Why did you decide to do this project? I wanted to see what would happen if I wrote a poem every day!
How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? During the course of the writing, I had the amazing opportunity for feedback from Beat Poet Charles Plymell. A few months ago, I took the play back out with the idea of revising it as a Wild West show. I not only again had his marvelous input, but he introduced me to another Beat Poet, who is a Grandson of Cole Younger. With their encouragement, a new production is almost finished. This time the central tale is that of the James/Younger Gang. Coincidentally, Cole Younger and Frank James had their own Wild West Show for a time. Bob Ford, James' killer, made himself a Sideshow act.
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| Deanna Danger as the Magician's Assistant |
See more of Liz's Sideshow HERE.
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