Former High Country Resident Is Making A Name for Himself in Windy City

Robert Bingham Is On Chicago Stage in Production of America 1941 with Fraiser's John Mahoney

Robert Bingham has always been a strong advocate for education, the arts and particularly the Blowing Rock Stage Company. When the main focus of his business ventures was limited to the North Carolina High Country, Bingham contributed many hours of volunteer work to promote better schools and worked hard in trying to find a permanent home for the stage company.

But his work here during those early years helping with the professional theatre organization was limited to efforts behind the scenes. He left theatre operations to the artistic people. He was a developer of ideas, a coordinator of people and places. Never once did he indicate an interest in being on the stage.

A number of years ago, Bingham's business interest began to move from his home in Boone to the Chicago suburbs and today he holds the title of Executive Director of the National Academy for Local Schools. While he still calls Boone home, Bingham now divides his time between the High Country and the Chicago subrb of Oak Park, Illinois.

It was through his National Academy for Local Schools that he found himself on a different side of the theatre curtain - the side opposite the audience.

A year ago he appeared in a special production of a new musical documentary by Michael J. Miles, and so popular was "America 1941" that an encore performance is scheduled for Sunday, April 13 in Chicago.

In the show this time, Bingham will again assume the role of FDR, and be joined by renowed actor John Mahoney (Martin Crane on the popular Frasier series on TV), internationally popular jazz singer Jackie Allen (who he helped bring to North Carolina last month as the featured performer for the Blowing Rock Jazz Society's Sunday Night Jazz series), and Michale Miles the widely known and respected author of the show. Joining the trio will be a cast of 14 other musicians who recreate not only a traditional sqing jazz band, but also Chicago blues, and the gritty 5-part vocal harmony of the Almanac Singers.

In the exquisite live documentary of the year 1941, the audience is treated to music, politics, literature, radio drama, and society all recreated live on stage. The script, created by writer/musician Michael J. Miles, includes writings of John Steinbeck, Robert Frost, ee cummings, Paul Robeson, and others. The music includes the works of Duke Ellington, Woody Guthrie, Billie Holiday, Walt Disney, and others. Politics includes the speeches of FDR and Winston Churchill, as well as visits with Eleanor Roosevelt. John Mahoney will sing, and play various roles including Winston Churchill and the villian in a recreation of The Shadow.

The performance is a special benefit for Sojourner Truth, a Chicago Public School located in Cabrini Green and CYCLE, an after school literacy program. The performance will take place at the Old Town School of Folk Music on North Lincoln Street in Chicago.

"I really don't know how I ended up on stage with professionals of this popularity and success," Bingham says. "But I've got to admit I'm enjoying it, and the people are really great to work with."