Actress helps League of Women Voters get out the vote
Jenifer Maxson, who will perform ‘Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins,’ last spring at her Island home.
Inspire some. Infuriate others.
That’s the reaction from the audience Jenifer Maxson expects when she performs “Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins” at the Ram’s Head Inn this Sunday, October 26 in a League of Women Voters fundraiser.
Either way Ms. Maxson hopes the one woman show gets people to the polls November 4.
“I came late to my political fervor,” she said. Whatever one’s political persuasion, she believes it’s critical that people — especially young people who are casting their first votes — cast ballots.
Ms. Maxson has reached out to Shelter Island School social studies teacher Peter Miedema to ensure that students of his who will be 18 by election date have registered to vote. Indeed they have, Mr. Miedema told the theater artist.
Ms. Maxson came across “Red Hot Patriot,” written by twin sisters Margaret and Allison Engel, “by sheer accident,” she said. She was watching a documentary about Kathleen Turner, who starred in the play at the Arena’s Mead Center for American Theater in Washington, D.C.
The play is based on Texas journalist and author Ms. Ivins’ writings and speeches.
In August Ms. Maxson performed the one-woman show to a packed house at the Shelter Island Public Library as part of the Friday Night Dialogues series.
It recently occurred to Ms. Maxson that a repeat performance might be just the spark to fire up Shelter Islanders who otherwise would be tempted to sit out a mid-term election when there’s not a presidential vote or even balloting for local town officials.
But there’s a congressional seat up for grabs and balloting for New York’s governor, comptroller and attorney general as well as for New York State Senate and Assembly seats.
The event is set for Sunday, October 26, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $10. All proceeds will benefit the League of Women Voters.
