Life and work of Vachel Lindsay documentary to screen at University of Illinois Springfield this April
A new documentary, “The Life and work of Vachel Lindsay,” will screen in April at the University of Illinois Springfield.
The film, produced by The Storyteller Studios and commissioned by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and State Historic Sites Springfield, tells the story of Springfield poet Vachel Lindsay. The film is currently available at the historic Vachel Lindsay Home on 5th Street in Springfield.
Sangamon Experience, a University of Illinois Springfield initiative to highlight the history of Sangamon County, will host the public screening.
The film was directed and produced by Kevin Christensen of The Storyteller Studios.
“I’d like to thank everyone at Illinois DNR and State Historic Sites Springfield for giving us access to all the resources we needed to create this film,” said Kevin Christensen, Producer, The Storyteller Studios.
“I was honored to learn so much about Vachel Lindsay through this process. I am grateful to have been a part of telling his story to visitors to his historic home. I hope viewers catch a little bit of his passion for life and art when they watch it.”
The documentary includes poetry performances by Aasne Daniels, James Daniels, Kevin Purcell, Jack Drea, Alina Johnson, Asher Paris, and Sterling Paris. Vachel Lindsay experts interviewed during filming include Jennifer Caldwell, David Logan, Kevin Purcell, Sheila Ryan, and Ian Winterbauer.
A panel discussion will follow the screening. The panel includes David Logan, Ian Winterbauer, Sheila Ryan, Jennifer Caldwell, and Kevin Christensen. Kevin Purcell will moderate.
Kevin Purcell is a UIS grad who has been an actor/director for more than 40 years. He has performed Vachel Lindsay's poetry around the Midwest more than 75 times in the past 20 years. He also directed Aasne Vigesaa in The Yellow Wallpaper at the Vachel Lindsay home.
Jennifer Caldwell, Site Interpreter at Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Historic Sites, was first introduced to the work of Vachel Lindsay when her preschool teacher taught her to recite “The Little Turtle.” Since joining the State Historic Sites at Springfield team in 2013, she has shared the story of the Lindsay family with visitors from around the globe. She has presented at the Conference on Illinois History and was named IDNR’s Historic Sites 2019 Employee of the Year. In 2021 she helped launch the Walk-Hike-Bike History program, developing two walking tours that include the work of Catharine Frazee Lindsay. Jennifer is certified as an Interpretive Guide by the National Association for Interpretation and enjoys helping people find meaningful connections to the past. Her current research includes the friendship between Olive Lindsay Wakefield and Langston Hughes.
Sheila Ryan has worked for institutions including the Wisconsin Historical Society, the Chicago History Museum, the Chicago Public Library, and Southern Illinois University. Building on her core training and experience as an archivist, she has curated major exhibitions, developed a range of public programming initiatives, and directed grant-funded outreach projects. Sheila is currently a Site Interpreter with State Historic Sites, Springfield, where she continues to make history accessible to a wide audience.
Ian Winterbauer is a poet, author, folklorist, teacher, and Zen Buddhist residing in Springfield, Illinois with his daughter. For twenty-two years, he has researched, studied, and propagated the life and work of Vachel Lindsay.
David Logan
The first public screening of The Life and work of Vachel Lindsay will begin at 6pm on Friday, April 14, in the Brookens Auditorium at the University of Illinois Springfield. Seating is limited. Please reserve your ticket here: