November 15, 1999 Folksinger-activist presents public lecture at UCSC By Barbara McKenna Ronnie Gilbert, a leading voice in music and activist circles for a half century, will present a public lecture at UCSC on Thursday, November 18. Ronnie Gilbert A founding member of the Weavers (a legendary folk ensemble that also featured Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Fred Hellerman), Gilbert is in town as a UC Regents' Lecturer. Her talk is entitled "The Making of Mother Jones" and takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 18, in the Second Stage Theater. A reception follows. The event is free and open to the public. As a Regents' Lecturer, Gilbert has presented a number of workshops, performances, and lectures this month on activism, performing arts, and social movements. The November 18 presentation is based on her collaborative work, "The Most Dangerous Woman in America: A Musical Tribute to Mother Jones," a stirring theater piece about the great labor leader Mother Jones. The play was also turned into the book, Face to Face with the Most Dangerous Woman in America (Conari Press). A playwright, singer, and actress, Gilbert has performed and created works that have appeared in a range of venues, from small experimental theaters to Broadway stages. She was the voice of Elizabeth Cady Stanton in Ken Burns's documentary, Not For Ourselves Alone, and has served as the narrator for and appeared in several film documentaries, most notably, The Weavers: Wasn't That a Time! The performance is presented by the Women's Studies Department. For more information, call (831) 459-4324. Return to Front Page