Margaret Gohane met me uh answered my questions, took me around town. Uh I was working on my dissertation on uh at the University of Texas at the time. Margaret uh was very gracious. She took me out to the cemetery. It's the first time I saw Ing's grave site and he been gone only about a year at that time. And uh I'll always remember coming to Independence uh on that occasion. On another occasion that's important in my memory, uh the festival had just gotten underway by this time, but it was about 1981 and Paul Fry, who was the media person at uh Independence Community College. Uh one summer that summer I visited he showed me Mike Wood's documentary uh from Penn Avenue to Broadway uh and that was fine documentary. It's still a fine documentary and uh that was another time when I came early to independence and I cherish both of those memories because people in independence went out of their way to help me uh with my scholarship. What's one of your favorite stories about one of the honored playwrights? I'll never forget 1989 when Horton Foot uh was the honore. And uh I mean this is the man who wrote Tender Mercy's. This is the man who wrote the screenplay for To Kill a Mockingbird. And that was the year that my biography of William came out. And uh I was thrilled because Hortonfoot wanted me to autograph a copy of my book for him. Uh he knew the they knew each other back in the 50s, early 50s in New York. And I I think that was one of many highlights uh about uh a playwright who was honored. important foot was a gentleman and gracious and one of one of the finest uh the group that's been honored. How has the festival been important to you as a theater scholar? The most important thing in independence for me in the festival is the William collection. uh it is the world's largest uh depository of ine materials and it was a gold mine for me as a biographer. I came here and uh in one room I was able to learn an awful lot about William Ming uh because of the collection. Another important thing about the festival to me as a scholar is that it gave me contact uh with some people who knew William in wor with William in playwrights like Jerome Lawrence and uh Robert Anderson u William Gibson u directors like Daniel man and performers like Shirley Knight. uh I met these people and was able to talk with them uh in a leisurely sort of way uh at the at the festival. So the inj festival has always been important to me as a scholar and every year the scholars conference uh is a important highlight.

What do you look forward to each time you return to Independence? I like the ambiencece of this festival. It is a small town and there are good people who work hard to make this a successful event. Um, I really like being in Independence uh every April. I also enjoy the scholars conference. As I said, it's always great to see Jackson Brier uh and uh appreciate all the things that he has done for the scholars conference of this festival. What's unique about the festival? Robert Anderson put it best. He said that uh the only other hometown that honors its native son playright with a festival in his name is Stratford on Avon. Um it's a great little festival with some some really important memories. Who are the locals you've gotten to know over the years and what did they contribute to the festival? There are so many people that have contributed over the years. Margaret Gohane who really uh was the energizing force at the beginning of this festival. uh Jody McDow, Jill Warford, Ken Brown, Tim Emir, uh the Roth Gibbs, the Allison's, uh Lois Lesman, Peter Ellenstein, Bruce Peterson, uh Hannah Joyce Hovind. Uh there are so many people. This is really a great community effort.

What is your first remembrance of coming to Independence? First time I came to independence was the summer of 1974. I was uh working on my PhD at the University of Texas at the time and um I wanted to see hometown and I was put in touch with Margaret Goheen who was my host that afternoon. She took me around town, answered my questions, very, very gracious uh woman, very dedicated to William Inge and what he meant to this community. She took me out to the cemetery and I got to see his grave site. Uh Inge had been dead only about a year at that time. It just meant a lot to me that someone in the community cared that much and uh and was willing to give me a kind of personal tour. A couple of years later, I was u in town a hot summer day. I needed to see Mike Wood's documentary uh Pen Avenue to Broadway and Paul Fry, who was the media uh expert at the college at that time, uh set me up in a room, air conditioned room, and I got to watch that wonderful documentary. Uh and both both cases these were local people who took time uh to answer my questions and accommodate my interest in William and I'll always be grateful for that and that's come to emblematize the whole city of independence for me over the years. People being friendly and helpful.

What's one of your favorite stories about one of the honored playrs? Well, there are many great memories I have about honored playwrights, but the one that sticks out for me the most in 1989, the the honore was uh Horton Foot, and this man who had written the screenplay for Tequella Mockingbird had written Tender Mercy's uh asked me if I would autograph a copy of my book on William Ming for him. Uh that was a great honor for me and I'll never forget it.

How has the festival been important to you as a theater scholar? Well, the most important thing about the festival is the William Ming collection. By coming to the festival every year, I get to revisit the collection. uh the the collection is the single largest depository of William material in the world and it was invaluable to me as a biographer of William and over the years uh it has continued to grow and another thing about the festival I have been able to meet and talk with other playwrights directors performers people in the theater who knew William Ming uh Jerome Lawrence, Robert Anderson, and William Gibson among playwrights, uh, director Daniel Man, uh, and, uh, the actress Shirley Knight. Being able to, to talk with these people in a sort of relaxed atmosphere at the Inge Festival was very valuable to me as a scholar. What do you look forward to each time you return to independence? I love to return to independence. Uh the festival ambience is wonderful. It's a small town. Everyone is really friendly, really helpful, and there's so many things going on. Uh a real highlight for me each year is the scholars conference and being able to see and hear Jackson Brier again and appreciate all the things that Jackson has done for the festival and the scholars conference.

What's unique about the festival? Robert Anderson put it best. He said that uh Independence is the only uh place that honors its native son uh playwright with a festival in his name other than Stratford on Avon. Words to that effect. Uh it's a very special community, a very special festival, and uh anybody who comes here once wants to come back again.

Who are the locals you've gotten to know over the years and what do they contribute to the festival? There are so many people who have make this festival important in the past and and in the present. Uh in the past, people like Margaret Gohane, Jodie McDow, and Jill Warford uh did a wonderful job of keeping the festival started up and going along. local uh community people like Ken Brown, Tim Emer, the Roth Gibbs, the Allison's, Lois Lesman, um wonderful people who have contributed and uh Peter Ellenstein and Bruce Peterson and Hannah Joyce Joyce Hovind are still keeping that tradition alive. What's unique about the festival? It's the only uh Robert Anderson said it's the only uh other home just forget about it. What's unique about the inch festival? Robert Anderson said the only other hometown that honors its native son playright is Stratford on Avon. Uh I don't know whether that's actually true or not, but it it embodies how great this festival is.

Who are the locals you've gotten to know over the years and what did they contribute to the festival? There's so many. Margaret Goheen and Jody McDow, Jill Warford uh among of the folks who uh started the festival up and kept it going. local uh citizens like Ken Brown, Tim Emmert, the Allison's, uh the Rothgs, Peter Ellenstein, Bruce Peterson. Um these are these are all people who continue to make contributions.