Norton, VA – The Pro-Art Association presents “Edith Tells All”, Pamela Gilmer’s One-Woman Show telling the story of Edith Maxwell, a schoolteacher from Pound, Virginia who, at the age of 21, drew national media attention when she was convicted of murdering her father with a high-heeled shoe. The production will take place on Saturday, October 2nd at 7:30 p.m. at Park Avenue Theater in Norton, VA.
Pamela Gilmer traces the story of ‘slipper slayer’ Edith Maxwell from local schoolteacher, to convicted felon, to free woman, after Eleanor Roosevelt advocated for her release and the Washington Post raised money for her legal defense.
Tickets are available at the door, and are free to students or $10 dollars to the general public. A season ticket to 20+ shows can be purchased for $40 – less than $3 per show. Season tickets can be purchased at www.proartva.org, in person at any show, or by calling 276-376-4520. To help reduce the spread of Covid-19, Pro-Art requests patrons to wear a mask for the duration of the performance.
Pamela Gilmer is a retired teacher who was raised in Jacksonville, Florida and moved to Southwest Virginia in 1977. For over twenty years she taught English and Drama to grades 7 through 12 at Pound High School. When the book Never Seen the Moon by Sharon Hatfield was published in 2005, Gilmer was taken with the story of Edith Maxwell. She worked with her drama students to develop a performance based on the trial transcripts and historical records, and they performed it several times in the region, with all proceeds going to victims of domestic abuse. In addition, WMMT, the community radio station out of Whitesburg, Kentucky, recorded and shared the story on the airways.
Gilmer has been involved in theater since her days at Lenoir Rhyne College in Hickory, North Carolina. In 2014, Gilmer performed in the role of Daisy in Asheville Community Theater’s production of “Driving Miss Daisy”. She has performed in several UVA Wise productions, as well as various other performances throughout the years.
Pro-Art partners with a variety of venues, therefore individuals with mobility issues are encouraged to call or email the Pro-Art office to make arrangements for parking. For evolving conditions related to the global pandemic, inclement weather, or similar unforeseen circumstances, patrons are encouraged to visit proartva.org or call 276-376-4520 for up-to-date information.
Pro-Art’s mission is to promote the arts and expand accessibility to cultural experiences for residents and students in Wise, Lee, and Dickenson Counties and the City of Norton. For more information about our planned performances, please visit proartva.org. You can find the Pro-Art Association on social media @ProArtVA.
Pro-Art is supported in part by a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as the Slemp Foundation, The University of Virginia’s College at Wise, and Mountain Empire Community College. If you have any questions, please visit proartva.org, call the office at (276) 376-4520, or send an email to pro-art@uvawise.edu.
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