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| Playwright Lori Matthews |
I was born
and raised in Kingsport, Tennessee.
When I was a kid, I thought everyone in the world worked for Tennessee
Eastman Company; everyone in my world did.
TEC’s workforce came from a six-county area in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
Over 12,000 men and women worked shifts that kept the plant in constant
operation, primarily producing chemicals and plastics.
Both my
parents, my grandfathers and three of my uncles were on shifts at 4:45 p.m. on
October 4, 1960. My mother, Mae Taylor
Tate, was a secretary in the personnel office.
My father, James Tate, worked shift work in the TEC asbestos
division. The aniline building explosion
has been part of the oral history of my family for my entire life. When my mother talked to me about it, she
often prefaced her comments with, “In October, before you born. . . .” I’m grateful for the vivid picture she offered
and for the many members of my large extended family who have, over the past
fifty years, told me their versions of the evening. However, this play is a fictionalized account
based on true events. No character is
intended to represent any actual person, living or dead.
In an
earlier form, October, Before I was Born
received readings and workshops through Wisconsin Wrights and Milwaukee Chamber
Theatre’s Montgomery Davis New Play Development Series. Those opportunities have been instrumental in
bringing the work to the stage. I am
humbled by the amount of time and talent made available to me in support of
this play, and I am grateful to all the actors, directors, readers, designers,
and support staff who have contributed to the process. However, I would like to specifically and
especially acknowledge the helpful influence of Jacque Troy and C. Michael
Wright, whose early encouragement and advice moved the script from rough draft
to finished product.
The impact
from the aniline explosion damaged many homes and businesses in Kingsport. Sixteen men died, and more than 300 workers
suffered injuries from the blast. Thousands
of people displayed acts of courage and selflessness.
With
respect for all those affected—
Lori
Matthews
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