Want to help Will Rogers celebrate his 131st birthday? Lance Brown will perform his show “Will Rogers Now!,” a living history of the gentle wit and American hero, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, at the Fine and Performing Arts Center at Western Carolina University.
Rogers, born Nov. 4, 1879, was a humorist, entertainer and writer of social commentary in the 1920s and ’30s. Born in Indian Territory to Cherokee parents, Rogers often joked that his ancestors didn’t arrive on the Mayflower, but they met the boat. Another of his well-known quips was “I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat.”
With “Will Rogers Now!,” Chicago actor Brown looks at contemporary life and values in the persona of Rogers, exploring the universal nature of human folly. The show includes trick roping (for which Rogers was famous) and the trademark Rogers playful humor. Brown has toured the country as Rogers for two decades, and he authored the book “On the Road with Will Rogers.”
“Will Rogers Now!” is recommended for ages 12 and older and is part of the FAPAC Galaxy of Stars performance series. Next up for the series is “Hank and my Honky-Tonk Heroes,” an homage by singer, actor and musician Jason Petty of Hank Williams and other legends of country music.
Tickets to “Will Rogers Now!” cost $25 for the general public; $20 for people 60 years and older and WCU faculty and staff; $15 per person for groups of 15 or more; and $5 for students. To purchase tickets, or for more information about Galaxy of Stars events or the Fine and Performing Arts Center, contact the FAPAC box office at 828-227-2479 or go online to fapac.wcu.edu.