Chester and Grace: The Real American Tragedy

4/8/06- THE YEAR OF THE AMERICAN TRAGEDY


THE YEAR 2006 IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT YEAR IN HERKIMER COUNTY AS WELL AS CHENANGO COUNTY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THIS YEAR MARKS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN TRAGEDY MURDER. AND THERE ARE PLENTY OF EVENTS PLANNED FOR THE YEAR AHEAD.

THE CENTENNIAL OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF IN DECEMBER, 2005 WITH THE PREMIERE OF TOBIAS PICKER'S OPERA "AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY" IN NEW YORK CITY, AND LAST SATURDAY, THE EXHIBIT, "THE AMERICAN TRAGEDY CENTENNIAL: THE MURDER THAT WILL NEVER DIE" OPENED AT THE HERKIMER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. ABOUT 70 PEOPLE ATTENDED THE PREMIERE OF THE EXHIBIT, MYSELF INCLUDED. IN FACT, I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO SEE IT. IT WAS REALLY BEAUTIFUL. I NEARLY TEARED UP A COUPLE OF TIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN I VIEWED THE PANEL ABOUT GRACE BROWN, THE VICTIM OF THIS AFFAIR. I MANAGED TO GET SOME PHOTOS OF THE EXHIBIT AS WELL.

THERE ARE MORE EVENTS IN THE COMING MONTHS. THERE IS A MEMORIAL BEING PLANNED FOR GRACE UP AT BIG MOOSE LAKE ON JULY 11, THE ANNIVERSARY OF HER DEATH AT THE HANDS OF HER LOVER, CHESTER GILLETTE, WHICH INCLUDES A WREATH BEING LAID INTO THE LAKE BY A DESCENDANT OF THE WOMAN WHO HEARD GRACE'S FINAL SCREAM. THERE IS ALSO A DINNER THEATER EVENT PLANNED IN OLD FORGE AND IN DOLGEVILLE, WHICH INVOLVES THE READING OF GRACE'S FAMOUS LOVE LETTERS TO CHESTER. THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER PLAY BEING PLANNED FOR NOVEMBER BY THE ILION LITTLE THEATER CLUB CALLED "CHESTER AND GRACE." JENNIFER POKON, THE PRESIDENT OF THE ILION LITTLE THEATER CLUB WILL BE PORTRAYING GRACE IN BOTH PLAYS AND FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, SHE DOES A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF PORTRAYING HER. SHE WAS THE ONE WHO GAVE ME A COPY OF GRACE'S FINAL LETTER AND TO THANK HER, I GAVE HER A COPY OF MY "VALENTINE TO GRACE" BLOG THAT I WROTE ON MY OTHER BLOG SITE ON YAHOO 360. HER PHOTO IS POSTED ON THE TOP RIGHT CORNER OF THIS BLOG ENTRY.

THE REAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE CENTENNIAL EVENTS WILL BE THE TRIAL REENACTMENTS CALLED "THE PEOPLE VS. GILLETTE." THE PERFORMANCES WILL BE HELD AT HERKIMER COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE, A THEATER IN OLD FORGE, AND AT THE HERKIMER COUNTY COURTHOUSE, WHERE THE ACTUAL TRIAL TOOK PLACE IN 1906. THE COURTHOUSE PERFORMANCE WILL PROBABLY BE THE BIGGEST DRAW OF THE WHOLE CENTENNIAL YEAR. AT THE LAST MEETING, I GOT A FIRST LOOK AT THE TICKETS TO THE REENACTMENTS AND THEY LOOK BEAUTIFUL.

THERE WILL BE MORE UPDATES ON THIS SITE AS I GET THEM.