South Carolina – Performers and Authors

HMS Queen Charlotte - Performances include: Live performance: “Her Majesty’s Tree” and digital media, produced for Tree Lightings, and Christian events. Also produce events for philanthropy, women’s empowerment, STEM education, music, and arts appreciation. –

Bio: HMS Queen Charlotte – at age 17 in Germany, Charlotte advocated for peace in a letter to the King of Prussia, asking him to stop his wars. This letter so impressed Britain’s Queen Mother that Charlotte was quickly betrothed to the young King George III. As Queen, Charlotte served as the Patroness of Botony and the Fine Arts; she supported Mozart, the Royal Academy of Art, and charity and education for young women. Queen Charlotte decorated the first magical Christmas tree, starting the tree trimming traditions celebrated today.

Molly Bloom - Performance includes: The live performance of  “Molly Bloom’s Soliloquy”, with violin music, produced for Bloom’s Day celebrations, literary or Joycean events and women’s studies.

Bio: Molly Bloom - Joyce’s wife and muse, Nora Barnacle, inspired his fictional character Molly Bloom. Nora and Molly did and said what they wanted, revealing truth, innocence and their ignorance.

One such personality is Fannie Lou Hamer, voting and women’s rights activist who fought tirelessly to achieve voting rights for Black Americans. She was arrested, jailed, and severely beaten, which left Fannie Lou with a lifetime of injuries. She fought against racism throughout Mississippi as she helped pave the way for the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Gwen’s presentation as Mary McLeod Bethune gives testimony to the hardships Bethune faced as she struggled to open a school for Black girls in 1904 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Education was of utmost importance to her.

Gwen shares the wit and wisdom of Sojourner Truth who was born into slavery in Ulster County, NY around 1797 and given the name Isabella Baumfree. We follow her life’s journey as she sojourns around the region spreading God’s truth, thus renaming herself, Sojourner Truth. Truth was a powerful orator and determined in the pursuit for freedom for herself and others.

Although you might recognize a drop of humor in Gwen’s presentations, that is not to say that there was anything humorous in the life’s experiences of the women she portrays. Rather, understand that to make it through tough times, it often helps to laugh in the face of hardships and adversities.

Gwen’s presentations also include representations of Zora Neale Hurston, Madame C. J. Walker, and one-woman dramatic pieces suitable for Juneteenth events, Christian faith organizations, as well as Kwanzaa celebrations – content modified, if necessary, for children and adults. Contact Gwen for more details.

Three lecture tops are currently available:

1- Great Ladies of the American Revolution

Women wanted independence just as much as the men. The impact that ladies had on the revolutionary effort did not take center stage and has been underrated. The involvement of some of these women has not been as recognizable as others but they all had one thing in common, patriotic passion.  These women were steadfast, dependable and assisted in every way imaginable, many even risking their own lives and fearing for their personal safety. Martha Washington speaks about a number of these great ladies and what they did for the cause.

2- Martha Washington – HER LIFE

Martha's happy childhood, her courtships, her children, grandchildren, friends, and her heartaches are subject of this one hour lecture. This remarkable life did not unfold as she would have liked but great happiness was found along the way. Determined to be happy and cheerful, Martha made the most of her days on earth and was granted, in her obituary, this grand notation: "

SHE WAS THE WORTHY PARTNER OF THE WORTHIEST OF MEN."

3 - The First, First Lady - Martha Washington

Martha Washington's eight years as the first, First Lady were extremely difficult for her, but she viewed it as a duty to her husband and she learned to make the most of her situation. By the time she arrived at the capital, her husband's secretary, who had lived in Europe, created a series of rigid protocol rules that she found especially limiting of her, particularly the one which forbade her and the President from accepting invitations to dine in private homes. She often felt isolated, lonely, and frustrated with the way the press portrayed her husband. This is an in-depth look at Martha’s eight years as she made her way as the first lady of a new land. There were no guidelines to help her navigate these new political waters. She had only her past experience and common sense to help lead the way.

www.marthawashington.com www.maggieworsdale.com www.travelingliterarytheater.com