Eugene O'Neill in the San Ramon Valley

September 12-30, 2001

The Museum is presenting an exhibit on Eugene O'Neill in cooperation with the National Park Service and the Eugene O'Neill Foundation from September 12 to 30. The exhibit, entitled Eugene O'Neill in the San Ramon Valley, will be part of the second annual Eugene O'Neill Festival.
Eugene and Carlotta O'Neill lived in the San Ramon Valley from 1937 to 1944. Although he was ill for much of the time, the Nobel-winning playwright wrote his last, great plays during those years.

The Museum of the San Ramon Valley exhibit will feature artifacts from the O'Neills, rarely seen photographs, the O'Neill centennial quilt created by the San Ramon Valley Foundation Auxiliary in 1988 and videos. Jack and Marie Hamel and Ginny Iverson will mount the exhibit. The Museum is located at West Prospect and Railroad Avenues, Danville, and holds regular open hours from 1-4 pm Tuesdays-Fridays and 10 am to 1 pm on Saturdays.

During the Festival, a production of O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten will be performed at the National Historic Site, Tao House, six times on two week ends, beginning on Friday Sept. 21 and ending Sunday Sept. 30. The plays are scheduled for Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday matinees. Tao House is only accessible by vans. For these performances vans will leave from the parking lot behind the Museum.

The exhibit will be open before the Moon performances (5:30-7:30 on Friday and Saturday evenings and 11:30-1:30 on Sunday afternoons). Tickets may be purchased by calling 943-SHOW, beginning August 1. The price is $25.00 per ticket.

The Festival will include a Jason Robards film festival at the Danville Library (Sept. 22-23) and art work from Artists Days at Tao House at the Danville Fine Arts Gallery (September-October). A performance of Spoon River Anthology and a musical production located on the Danville Library Green on Front Street will begin at 2 pm Sept. 22.

For more complete information on the Festival go to eugeneoneill.org. To sign up for the regular 1 ½ tour by the National Park Service (10 am or 12:30 pm) call 838-0249. For information about the Eugene O'Neill Foundation call 820-1818. The Museum's number is 837-3750.