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Ansel Adams’ photograph of the statue
of the beautiful woman backed by oil derricks was taken in 1939 on Signal
Hill in Great Women of the Oil Fields, the original one-woman historical drama by
Laurette Willis brings the rollicking history of (MORE INFORMATION
BELOW) |
L aurette W illis’
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Oil’s Well – That Ends Well! Three
women. Three different stories. One thing in common: OIL! Boom
or Bust – gushers and dry wells – from boom town to ghost town. You’ll discover the vital role oil played
in We
begin in the 1930s in Nancy tells us, “We went from having barely enough to get along to having more than we ever dreamed of. Grandpa said we had ‘Too much.’” The
man who dug the well and struck it rich was the famous (and fictional) oil
tycoon J.B. Bridges of BoomTown Oil, known by all as “the little man in the
big Stetson hat.” Next
we’ll travel back to the mid-1920s and meet J.B.’s flamboyant wife (former bad Shakespearean actress), the
lovable Margaret Bridges. We’ve been
invited to Margaret and J.B.’s housewarming – er – mansion-warming party. In
her own unique way “Maggie,” in full flapper attire, shares the story of how
she and J.B. worked rigs in Discover
the poignant secret that links Margaret to the next character Laurette brings
to life, “Queenie.” Tough as an old
boot, Queenie is an oil fields cook for BoomTown Oil serving the pipeline
workers. It’s now 1943 and we learn
the vital role petroleum will play in winning the war – or losing it. It
seems Queenie has worked almost every major oil boom over the last 40 years –
ever since she was a little girl and lost her Daddy in a boiler explosion at
the huge Spindletop gusher in Beaumont, Texas in 1901. Set a
spell as Queenie cleans tables between shifts and shares some of the
experiences “black gold” has given her.
She tells us about the man she loved, her husband Luke who was “a
shooter… a powder monkey – you know KA-BOOM
– a nitroglycerine expert!” “Luke’d
come home all dirty an’ covered with oil,” Queenie says. “I’d rub his arms an’ legs down with burlap
sacks to try to git the oil off. There
warn’t no warshin’ it off, even if there’d been enough water, and there never
was. An’ laundry?! Dogs! There warn’t hardly no laundry able to be
done. Why, in the early days, Luke’d wear his overalls ‘till he
couldn’t stand ‘em no longer – or ‘till they could stand up theyselves! Then he’d jes’ throw ‘em away an’ git a new
pair.” Some questions you’ll find answered in Great Women of the Oil Fields: How DID they drill for oil way back then? How were oil derricks built, and why were
dozens of them placed so close together at a site? What was an oil boom like? What makes oil so valuable, and how could
its discovery change a person’s fortunes overnight? Why was the famous Spindletop gusher in Texas given the infamous nickname “Swindle-top?” How did J.B. Bridges save the life of Nancy Journeycake’s grandfather
– and how did that allow him to drill his first successful oil well? What’s the secret that ties Queenie to Margaret Bridges and could
change her life forever – but she’ll never tell? What part did the thunderous roar of an oil gusher play in the “roar”
of the “Roaring ‘20s?” During World War II, how did Oklahoma and Texas oil men help British
Spitfires outmaneuver Nazi fighter planes?
And how did we almost lose the war? You’ll never look at the
history of the oil industry the same again! Certainly not dull and boring! Note: We’re told “There wasn’t a dry eye in the house” after
Laurette’s premiere performance of Great
Women of the Oil Fields during Bartlesville, Oklahoma’s centennial
celebration in 1997. Employees and
retirees of Phillips Petroleum
expressed their deep appreciation to Laurette for “bringing the story to
life.” For
information on how to bring Laurette to your town, please see
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) or CONTACT Laurette directly. One-Woman Shows: Laurette’s
original one-woman shows and workshops are available for matching funds from the Oklahoma
Arts Council or the Heartland
Arts Fund (search
under Willis) for Public non-profit groups and schools. • Introducing:
Miss Emily Dickinson • Great Women of the Oil
Fields • Reflections: Letters
from World War II Click HERE For Descriptions of Keynote Presentations and Seminars Including: What Color is Your Personality Parachute? PraiseMoves
Seminars, Speak with Confidence, Leadership Skills, Drama and more! Home / Laurette’s
Bio / FAQ / PraiseMoves
/ Women’s Ministry / STORE SHOWS / Storytelling / Keynotes & Seminars
/ Laurette’s Gazette / Schedule PowerMoves Kids / AdvoCare Nutrition Products / CONTACT |
Oil tycoon J.B. Bridges and
his flamboyant wife Margaret kick up their heels at their “mansion-warming party” in the mid-1920s. You’re invited!
As an Oil Fields cook for BoomTown Oil in the 1940s, Queenie could relate to Rosie the Riveter’s “Can Do” attitude! Free e-mail
updates, news and specials!
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