Interview with Donna Porterfield, February 13, 2016

Interview Summary

Donna Porterfield describes her career at Roadside Theater. She describes how she came to Roadside, as well as Roadside?s early touring days and the adventures she and her colleagues shared. Porterfield goes in-depth about the funding and structural issues Roadside Theater faced. She also goes in-depth with a multitude of projects by Roadside ranging from the play ?Junebug/Jack? to ?Calls From Home?. She details many of the other theaters and groups Roadside has worked with including Appalshop, Idiwanan An Chawe, and Pregones Theater. Throughout, Porterfield articulates the importance of local politics and social justice within Roadside Theater?s work.

Interview Keyword

Appalachia June Bug Productions Storytelling Story circles Oral tradition National Endowment of the Arts Socioeconomic class

Interview LC Subject

Appalshop, Inc. Roadside Theater (Organization : Whitesburg, Ky.) Theater. Zuni language Incarceration issues Race relations--Appalachian Region Plays.

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.