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Becoming Eudora

Honoring Historic Mississippi Writers (HHMW), a Mississippi Writers Guild (MWG) event
celebrating the literary geniuses of Mississippi and the impact they had on the world, was
seeded at the MWG board table by Anne McKee. Though monologue programs are not a
new idea, dedicated writers brought this seed to fruition by extensively researching a
historical Mississippi Writer and then writing and performing the monologue program that
created HHMW. HHMW has been featured at MS Reading Reception, The Department of
Education's Mississippi Rising Convention, Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation,
libraries, community centers, community club events, and more.

I chose Eudora Welty as my historical Mississippi writer and have been portraying her since
the first HHMW event.

But now I have to wonder if Eudora actually chose me. Not that she would choose me
because I'm worthy to portray her character, but because she always had a soft spot for
striving and sometimes starving writers. She opened her door and her heart to those
seeking to know how she got into her characters' heads and into their lives. She tried to
answer questions as best she could. "You simply love your characters enough to be a part
of their lives rather than them being a part of yours." Though these are actually my words,
this realization formed after researching Eudora's life.

Thank you, Eudora, for loving Mississippi with all its faults, through all its mistakes, being
brave enough to write about it honestly, and yet being devoted enough to stay.

You are my hero.

ME AS EUDORA WELTY

Front row, left to right: Barry McMullan as William Faulkner, Sara
Mutziger as Jim Henson's muppets, Daniel Lee as Tennessee
Williams,
Back row, left to right: Richelle Putnam as Eudora Welty, and Emcee
Annie B. McKee (Sarah Belle Wilkerson)

All About Need
2nd place Winner American
Songwriter Magazine's Nov/Dec
2007 issue
Written by Richelle Putnam
Copyright 2008