All week I’ve been working on a production in Sioux City, Iowa which happens to be where Ann Landers and her sister Abigail Van Buren (Dear Abby) were born and educated. Long before Oprah and Dr. Phil were giving advice the identical twins had quite a following through their newspaper columns published across the country.
In 2006 playwright (and CSI screenwriter) David Rambo wrote a play about Ann Landers called The Lady with All the Answers.
I found an interview Rambo did with Cristin Kelly for the Florida Studio Theater and where the quote of the day comes from and which shows how you can find writing material in unusual places;
Cristin Kelly: What prompted you to start writing The Lady With All the Answers?
David Rambo: When Ann Landers died, I read the obituary and remembered growing up and reading her column everyday. I’d wanted to write a show for one actor – I had never done that before. I thought she was theatrical enough to make it interesting. Plus, I really feel that every play is a dialogue between the audience and the play and Ann Landers ran a dialogue with her readers for 47 years, so it was kind of natural….Her voice is so distinct. Once you tap into it and know where it comes from, it just keeps talking to you. In fact, if I had a problem writing the play it was getting Ann Landers to shut up so I could get to sleep at night!
And how about one quote from Ann Landers herself:
“Don’t accept your dog’s admiration as conclusive evidence that you are wonderful.”
Screenwriting from Iowa 