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Charles Lindbergh was the embodiment of the American hero, bringing the world together in celebration of one event, the pilot’s daring 1927 trans-Atlantic flight at the age of 25.
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Meeting ID: 842 1759 5921
Passcode: 010255
Lindbergh's transatlantic flight began from New York on May 20, 1927. Exactly ninety four years ago, today.
Americans celebrated his spirit of adventure, as well as his celebrity. Lindbergh showed what one person in the face of incredible odds can do, demonstrated what it means to be a hero. More than 200 songs were written about him, the Lindy Hop and a Bertolt Brecht / Kurt Weill cantata were in his honor. And then he fell from grace. Neill Hartley shows us a Charles Lindbergh who went from being one of the world’s most beloved people to becoming a man reviled by many Americans. Asked to investigate German air power, he had accurately reported the German air force as superior to ours and advised America not to war against a country that would defeat us. Branded a Nazi, with no proof, FDR made a public statement saying he did not want Lindbergh fighting “for my country.” Mr. Hartley brings to life “Lucky Lindy,” his mechanic, his boss, Calvin Coolidge and others and encourages us to experience firsthand the cult of celebrity and the heart of a hero.
Performed by:
A busy actor, director, spokesperson and teacher, Neill Hartley earned a Master of Fine Arts from Temple University in Acting. A faculty member of Temple University from 1989-2000 and since 2005 teaching Acting; and on the faculty of the University of the Arts since 1994 teaching Speech & Voice, Neill is also much in demand as a speech and dialect coach for several professional theaters. A much sought-after actor, performing with companies that include the Arden Theater, InterAct Theatre, and the Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, the multi-talented Mr. Hartley won a Barrymore Award for Ensemble for 1812 Productions’ Batboy, The Musical. Besides teaching, coaching and acting, Neill is a busy director for theaters that include Philadelphia Young Playwrights, University of the Arts, University of Pennsylvania, Arcadia University, Isis Productions, the Brick Theater and the Luna Theater. Serving as Artistic Director for Acting Without Boundaries, a theater company providing large-scale musical opportunities for physically-disabled teens and young adults, Neill does commercials, has roles in feature films and has enjoyed a longstanding commitment as the spokesperson for Spray-N-Grow, a national organic gardening products company. The AFTRA/SAG/CORE theater professional joined the American Historical Theatre in 2000 with his one-person shows, Neill credits his voice and movement training from Temple University for his fluid “morphing” from one easily identifiable character to another. His programs have been tremendously popular at theaters and venues that include (what’s now) the Tweeter Center, Academy of Music, Act II Playhouse, Walnut Street Theater Studio 3, Congress Hall, Smithsonian Institution, and the American Glider Council.
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AGE GROUP: | Teens | Multi-Generational | Adult |
EVENT TYPE: | Live Performance | History |
