3 plays by Charles Deemer about Oregon history: American Gadfly: The Story of Wayne Morse Oregon senator Wayne Morse, 'the tiger of the Senate, ' served as a Republican, an Independent, and a Democrat. He was the earliest articulate critic of the Vietnam War and a life-long champion of constitutional liberties and international law. 1934: Blood & Roses A theatrical and musical 'street play' about the turbulent struggle for a longshoremen's union in Portland, Oregon, as told through the stories of two labor families. Clean Sheets: The Story of Ruth Barnett The 1950s Portland abortionist who provided safe, clean abortions for young women and dared anyone, including the law, to stand in her way.
In this collection of his stories and plays, Charles Deemer writes of characters typically struggling with changing values in an uncertain world: Todd in The Half-Life Conspiracy, a playwright who comes to the premiere of his one-act play only to discover that it is being directed by his ex-wife, who left him for another woman (the very subject of his bitter one-act play). Thomas in Famililly, who braces to tell his traditional, dying father that he will be raising his son not with his wife but with his male soul mate. Lester in The Man Who Shot Elvis, who many years after the fact is still dealing with a sense of loss from when black rhythm-n-blues turned into white rock-n-roll. Included is this anthology: Famillily which won the 1997 Crossing Borders international new play competition; The Idaho Jacket which was selected as a Roll of Honor story in Best American Short Stories 1974; and Christmas at the Juniper Tavern, an ACE award winner for its presentation on public television and called "an Oregon classic" by Northwest Magazine. Praise for the writing of Charles Deemer: "One of Oregon's most precious natural resources." —Jonathan Nicholas, The Oregonian "Oregon's most important playwright." —Paul Pinterich, Northwest "[Deemer] asks questions about the nature of people's lives, their relationships and their values when something out there forces change." —Kathleen L. Reyes, Stepping Out Northwest
On the day after the Bicentennial, the body of an old man is discovered hanging from a tree in a park in Hamartin, a small farming community in central Oregon. A homophobic note is attached to the man's body. The shocking story makes the national news wire.Shandy Anderson, a young artist, hears the story on the morning TV news during her move from Hamartin's small-town boredom to an exciting new life in San Francisco. She knows the old man, Emmett Hale, whose generous gift of money made her escape possible - and who had paid her for sex. But how can he be the victim of a homophobic crime if he isn't a homosexual? And why would he be murdered when everyone in town knew he had terminal cancer? Shandy decides to return home not only for Emmett's funeral but to find out what really happened.EMMETT'S GIFT is a literary novel of suspense, and the story of a young woman's coming of age against the backdrop of small town bigotry and personal sexual experimentation. Charles Deemer is on the writing faculty at Portland State University and is an award-winning playwright.
Claire and Archie were college sweethearts. They are happily married. Until ...Archie's National Guard Unit is activated and sent to Iraq. In his absence, Claire becomes active against the war. When Archie returns home on emergency leave to bury his mother, he learns of his wife's political activity. Can their marriage survive their new differences?Patriots is the story of a marriage in crisis as Archie and Claire react differently to the dramatic events of history. In their story rests a basic question: what is patriotism?
Frank avoids the draft during the Vietnam war by fleeing to Canada. Now he accepts a Presidential pardon to return home and make peace with his war hero father.
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