Ferris Robinson
I first met Peggy Douglas 11 years ago. She wanted to meet me for coffee and chat, and the reason for that was she was considering renting our duplex in North Chattanooga. I was very nervous for several reasons; she would be the very first tenant we had, and we needed a tenant, but mostly I was nervous because she was a playwright, which was incredibly intimidating to me. She is also a musician oral historian, college professor musician and poet, which didn’t help.
I wasn’t nervous for long because Peggy is possibly the warmest, most interesting, most grounded and easiest person to be around, ever. She moved in the duplex and built a beautiful wooden planter at the front door and filled planted a few little grocery store pots of rosemary.
We still keep up with each other, and I’m always glad when we connect. I recently got to hear her speak at a gathering for the Voices for a Safer Tennessee meeting. She was there to talk about her upcoming play, “After Effects: Gun Violence Survivors Speak.” This powerful monologue play is based on oral history interviews with individuals affected by gun violence. Peggy somehow spent hour after hour with people ranging from siblings of shooting victims to doctors treating them to policemen who are tormented by what they have witnessed. The folks Peggy talked to, transcribing their stories on paper all the while maintaining eye contact, will actually be sitting on the front row of the theatre, with actors portraying their stories. To say this will be a powerful, important performance is an understatement. It takes place at Barking Legs Theatre on September 28-29.
I first met Blake Harris about 14 years ago when he wrote and directed a play, “Beautiful Child,” and persuaded my friend Alice Smith to star in it. He’d seen her magnificent performance in “Doubt,” and vowed to work with her before leaving for the west coast to pursue his MFA in directing. Alice in turn doubted she would audition for the role … until she began reading “Beautiful Child” and couldn’t stop.
Blake founded the dynamic theatre company Obvious Dad, and Peggy is the founder of Southern Exposure, a trailblazing performing arts program dedicated to celebrating the culture of our city and amplifying the voices of its diverse communities. And guess what? The two are merging!
Truly, a new chapter is unfolding in Chattanooga’s vibrant arts community. This partnership marks a significant step forward, uniting two organizations with a shared mission to create bold, inclusive experiences that resonate with audiences and artists alike.
With this merger, Southern Exposure will now serve as the official community outreach initiative for Obvious Dad. This collaboration strengthens Blake’s commitment to using theatre as a powerful tool for connection and change. Southern Exposure’s work is deeply rooted in the transformative power of oral history and storytelling, driven by a belief that true social justice begins with listening to those whose stories have been marginalized or overlooked.
Blake is also one of Peggy’s fans. “It is a true honor to work alongside Peggy Douglas, the founder of Southern Exposure and one of Appalachia's most respected and prolific artists. At Obvious Dad, our goal has always been to amplify diverse perspectives, and Southern Exposure aligns perfectly with this vision, focusing on the powerful stories rooted in our own community. Together, we’re set to make a lasting impact through theatre.”
Peggy is equally enthusiastic about Blake and the merger with Obvious Dad, adding, “Our common missions align to offer aesthetically bold theater in Chattanooga that features engaging stories and experiences that spotlight marginalized voices.”
Just so you know, that little pot of rosemary Peggy planted a decade ago has flourished year after year and is vibrant and intoxicating and adds a whole new depth to its surroundings. Not unlike Peggy Douglas.
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Ferris Robinson is the author of three children’s books, “The Queen Who Banished Bugs,” “The Queen Who Accidentally Banished Birds,” and “Call Me Arthropod” in her pollinator series “If Bugs Are Banished.” “Making Arrangements” is her first novel. “Dogs and Love - Stories of Fidelity” is a collection of true tales about man’s best friend. Her website is ferrisrobinson.com and you can download a free pollinator poster there. She is the editor of The Lookout Mountain Mirror and The Signal Mountain Mirror.