The Starry Place Between the Antlers:
Columbia Celebrates James Dickey
Thursday, March 7
On the big stage at Trustus: THE INTERVIEW recreates the last unpublished James Dickey interview followed by the screening of the James Dickey classic, DELIVERANCE at TRUSTUS!
7:00-10PM Trustus Theatre, James Dickey returns to Columbia!! JD hosts our evening including a recreation of James Dickey’s final unpublished interview with Tom Poland, the interviewer, and Robert Clark who photographed the interview. Followed by a screening of Deliverance with a talkback panel led by Ronny Cox, hosted by Tom Hall and local film maker Wade Sellers. Thank you Trustus! $20.00 a ticket
Friday, March 8 “Stop, Look & Listen”
Guests enjoy a guided walking tour from McCutchen House to David College (former home of the USC English Department) to the Ernest F. Hollings Library. Once everyone assembles at Hollings Library, professor of classics, emeritus, Ward Briggs will preside over a special event debuting several unpublished Dickey poems.
FREE
3:15 Assemble at the Dickey Oak at McCutchen House, Dickey poem read by Carolina Poet
3:30-4:30 Poetry Debut
Venue: Hollings Library
Host: Ward Briggs.
Briggs and special guests Jim Mann will debut unpublished Dickey poems, including “Parade.”
4:30-5:00 Reception (coffee and cookies).
Venue: Hollings Library
Guests can view a small exhibit of the library’s James Dickey holdings with commentary from director Elizabeth Sudduth
Carolina poets read James Dickey poetry
Guests will enjoy music from James Dickey’s old friend and musical collaborator, Steve Bennett with Tom Coolidge
“Meet up at the Hangar! a tribute to James Dickey, the Aviator, at the Hunter Gatherer- Hangar”
5:30 – 10:00 Going to the Hangar! The Hunter Gatherer serves as our main host for the weekend and we start with a Happy hour Power hour, with an Appalachian antler dinner and Dickey stories, poetry reading, unpublished poetry and an unpublished interview act out, featuring Ronny Cox, Roger Pinckney, Ellen Malphus, Ward Briggs and Tim Conroy
VIP Table, Ronny cox, Roger Pinckney, John Lane, Ellen Malphrus, Ward Briggs, Jim Mann – behind the bar at the HG!! Food, Beer, VIP ticket $100.00, limit 10
Mountain Antler Meal —- Hunter Gatherer BBQ meal
5:45 – Welcome to the Starry Place Between the Antlers !
– introduction of Ward Briggs
discuss the IMPACT OF JAMES DICKEY in Columbia, SC-
moving to Columbia and his love of South Carolina – birds and flowers
readings from the Starry place between the Antlers
Ward Briggs and Jim Mann read three unpublished James Dickey Poems
6:15- Tom Hall plays a “starry place between the antlers” w slideshow,
6:30 Ronny Cox tells a story about being on set with James Dickey and Deliverance, and plays two special songs
(with Banjo)
7:00 Carolina Poets reads favorite poem
7:15 Tom Poland reads excerpts from the last unpublished interview with James Dickey
7:30 Tim Conroy discusses Pat Conroy’s affection for James Dickey, Tim reads a poem
7:45 Steve Bennet discusses his book, Nature in SC, James Dickey’s love of music and more before introducing Roger Pinckney
8:15 Roger Pinckney discusses James Dickey as an influence and reads the forward to Steve Bennett’s book about Nature in SC, and reads the Cherry log road, his favorite James Dickey poem
8:30 Brandy and the Butcher perform James Dickey’s “Falling”
8:50 Zarah Deweese Newton reads James Dickey’s poem, The Sheep Child, and discusses the practical poet and pickled okra
9:00 Ellen Malphrus closing comments and reads the Last Wolverine
9:30 music
Saturday, March 9
“A Day of Panels”
Venue: Hunter Gatherer hangar
Guests will enjoy a full day of panels, interviews and readings, as well as available lunch and dinner
Panel 1
11:00-11:50
The James Dickey influence on SC writers and poets
Host:Roger Pinckney
Guests: Ray Mcmanus, Ellen Malphrus, William Baldwin,
Panel 2
noon- 12:20
“The Rediscovery of ‘Parade’”
Host: Ward Briggs
Reading: Tim Conroy
12:20- 12:50
3 poems read by Carolina Poets
1:00-2:00: James Dickey as a colleague
Host: Ward Briggs
Guests:Thorne Compton, Boyd Saunders, Tom Poland
Reading: Ed Madden
2:00-2:50 Panel 4
“James Dickey and the Devil”, good, bad and the ugly
Host: Cindi Boiter
Panelists: Ron Aiken, Ellen Malphrus, Christina Xan, Ed Madden
3:00-4:20 Panel 5
“James Dickey and nature”
Host: John Lane
Guests:, Steve Bennett, Mark Powell
4:30- 5:30 Panel 6
“Legacy of James Dickey”
Host: Ron Aiken
Guests:, Ward Briggs, Ed Madden, Cindi Boiter, Ronny Cox
7 -10 Ronny Cox and Jack Williams $25.00
10:00 “Lowcountry Antler Dinner” with show by Ronny Cox and Jack Williams
Venue: McCutcheon House
Sunday, March 10- Canoe race!! then more Food, Art, Storytelling, Music, Poetry at Warmouth
9 am 4 person canoe race “Deliver me from Deliverance!”
meet at Pametto outdoors on Candy Lane, off i -26, Riverbanks zoo exit and north on the frontage road to Palmetto Outdoors – this is a free for all, race from the top of millrace to the gervais bridge! Team of 4 persons in a canoe. Enter at your own risk!
Michael Mayo, Palmetto outdoor center leads the race ! teams will leave from the hill and race to the end for prizes and honor !
Brunch
Venue: Warmouth
11:00 – until
A special brunch meal featuring the favorite Dickey foods; okra, hopping john, SHE CRAB SOUP, ribs, wood smoked BBQ, all the special indigenous foods that are found in the starry place between the antlers. Thank you Warmouth for celebrating the southern food ways beloved by the POET.
Guests will enjoy a special storytelling event featuring stories told by Boyd Saunders, poet Al Black, Todd Ellis, Ron Aiken, Mike Shavo, and others. Bierkeller will pour a special Dickey Dunkel beer brewed specifically for the James Dickey weekend. Music will be performed by The Plowboys .
Old friend of James Dickey, Dale Bailes, tells the story of James Dickey discovering “Dueling Banjos” in his store, the Joyful alternative, in 1969
Steve Bennet tells about the musical side of James Dickey and plays his favorite songs.
Todd Ellis tells about being recruited by James Dickey for the football team.
Mike Shavo and Ron Aiken tell a great story about a meeting with James Dickey to feel out the Coen Brothers.
Poet Al Black reads his favorite Dickey poem.
The Plowboys close with a set at 3 pm
