Some Mainers still remember – in fact, cannot forget – October of 1947, when, after a season of terrible drought, wildfires burned all over the state. Brownfield was one of the worst-hit areas: 80% of the town, including all churches, schools, post offices, and other public buildings, was completely destroyed in the space of a few hours.

In the face of the fire, Brownfield residents responded with courage and care – and even obstinacy in a few cases like that of retired schoolteacher Mabel Stone. "She had her little dog Woofie with her, and she had a plan: she was going to stay at her house and fight the fire with a broom, a bucket of water, and a snow rake...." Facing the devastation after the fire, neighbors ingeniously made do, shared what they had, and rebuilt what they could.

Lovell storyteller Jo Radner spent a year interviewing people who experienced the Brownfield Fire – residents who did and did not lose their homes, as well as others who aided in the rescue and rebuilding effort. From those interviews and from letters and historical photographs and newspaper reports, Radner has created a powerful story of terror, courage, neighborly responsibility, recovery, and – yes – even humor.

ARTIST BIO

Folklorist, storyteller, writer, and oral historian, Jo Radner creates personal tales and stories about the people of northern New England. She delights in eccentrics, believes that humor and gravity are good bedfellows, and favors characters whose lives defy simple explanations. Jo has helped immigrant, refugee, and community groups find and collect their stories and fashion them into public presentations. She offers workshops on interviewing, on remembering and telling family stories, and on shaping diverse stories into coherent performances.

Jo is past president of the American Folklore Society and the National Storytelling Network and serves on the Advisory Board of the journal Storytelling, Self, Society. A Harvard Ph.D. and former professor at American University, she has been studying, teaching, telling, and collecting stories most of her life. She lives in Lovell, Maine, and can be reached at jradner@american.edu.

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Friday, January 21 | Doors open at 7:00 PM

The show begins at 7:30 PM; 60-minutes runtime

Tickets are available for $15 in advance, $18 at the door, and $22 for preferred seating
No one will be turned away for lack of funds; contact MSA at 207-879-4629 or info@mayostreetarts.org for information on our sliding scale admission policy.

COVID-19 POLICY

All patrons and staff attending events will need to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 (or negative test from within 48 hours) along with a matching photo ID. Children under 12 are exempt.

Audience members, staff, and volunteers will be asked to mask while not actively eating, or drinking.

Mayo Street Arts is committed to the safety of everyone at our events and will adhere to all Federal & Maine CDC guidelines on the day of the event. As we anticipate mid-season changes to our COVID-19 policy, please click here to visit our website and view the most current information.

CANCELLATION POLICY

Mayo Street Arts has a no refund policy for all reservations. In the event that MSA is forced to cancel an event due to weather, illness, etc., refunds will be offered via the Ticket Tailor platform.

Headshot by Heather Kelley