Annie Proulx

[Oregondoggie]

Tonight, Annie Proulx led off the 2011-22012 season of Portland's Arts & Lectures to a sold out house of over 2500.
In a relaxed and twinkling mood, she spoke for an hour about herself and her writing with an understandable emphasis on a new work under way whose theme is world-wide forest degradation. The loss of chestnuts, elms, butternuts, etc.. Then the microphones were opened up for questioning.

I was the first to step forward: "Ms. Proulx," I said, "The Laramie Project, the play based on the murder of Mathew Shepard, has become a formidable vehicle against Gay bashing and hatred. I know you have said, unlike Charles Dickens, story telling trumps social issues, but given that Brokeback Mountain changed many lives, brought resolution to long lost love, would you bless a stage version that could be performed in rural colleges and by local theater groups? If not, why not?"
With a big smile, she said at the moment no one except some Finns are interested. She looked at me. "If you are in theater, perhaps you can take on Brokeback Mountain!" She then went on to recall seeing the Laramie Project in the town of Laramie and the reaction of the local people. After the program I caught her exiting the stage door. I gave her a post card from Hamley's Saddle Store. "In honor Ennis Del Mar," I said. "Why I didn't know Hamleys was still around," she said grinning like the cheshire cat. "Sure are", I said. "Over in Pendleton. Love Brokeback Mountain," I said. "Like to leave copies in motels on top of the Gideon Bibles!" We shook hands and she was off.

[BayCityJohn]

get it in writing.

[BayCityJohn]

It sounds like she's open to the idea because of the way you presented it.

[Oregondoggie]

She sure had a cowpoke's handshake!

[BayCityJohn]

So... handshake sealed the deal??

[BayCityJohn]

This is showing up on Google searches for Annie Proulx, so you need to move quickly.

[Oregondoggie]

Great news.  Diana Ossana just responded on Facebook to my account about last night:   "Hmmm....maybe she's had a change of heart....thanks, Larry! I will definitely look into this."

[BayCityJohn]

Tue, Oct 25, 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm

It's a new season of Portland Arts and Lectures, a series of conversations with notable writers, presented by Literary Arts. Tonight's guest is Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx.

http://www.opb.org/radio/programs/portland-arts-and-lectures/
Live stream:   http://www.opb.org/programs/streams/

[Heath4Ever]

An interesting excerpt of an interview with Annie Proulx in Melbourne, Australia where she talks about Brokeback Mountain.  Apologies in advance if this has already been posted here.  The interview was conducted in March 2011.

I like Ms Proulx's no nonsense approach to life and would love to meet her!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpCaQSRwdd0

[Ellen (tellyouwhat)]

So isn't it just amazing that Annie Proulx is the librettist of the Brokeback Mountain opera that will be performed in Vancouver and also in Spain?

In English, I presume -- she has stated that she didn't want anyone else to do the libretto, and that she wants the opera to avoid the sentimentality of the film.

What an amazing turn for her career, it must be very gratifying.

http://cityoperavancouver.com/brokeback-mountain/annie-proulx

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Practically perfect people never permit sentiment to muddle their thinking.
                                                                                                     -- Mary Poppins

Even Mary had a "moment."

[Heath4Ever]

Annie Proulx sat down to talk with James Xiao in 2011, Sycamore Review’s  fiction editor at the time, before a live audience at Purdue University.  You can click on the following link to listen to audio clips from the conversation:

http://www.sycamorereview.com/2011/02/interview-with-annie-proulx/