Hero, maverick, unstable politician, gentleman and squeaky wheel: All titles used to describe the late Wayne Morse, the subject of “American Gadfly,” a one-man play performed Sunday at Lane Community College.
Lane Community College teacher Judith “Sparky” Roberts directed the Charles Deemer play starring Claude Offenbacher. The performance was especially relevant because Morse, an Oregon senator from 1945 to 1969, made his home in Eugene until he died in 1974. Performing the play at LCC was fitting because Morse said he believed liberty needs an educated citizenry to survive.
The play began with Offenbacher entering the stage hall from the rear of the performance hall. As he made his way to the stage, he paused to shake hands with audience members.
“Nice to see you here,” he said. “I’d appreciate your vote.”
Dressed in a suit, glasses and hat, Offenbacher brought the character to life. He paced back and forth across the stage and directly addressed the audience. He made campaign speeches, talked on the phone to personalities such as Richard Nixon — “Dick,” as Morse called him — and lamented the state of politics. In the play, nothing was safe from Morse’s cutting criticism. The play portrayed Morse giving his filibuster speech from 11:30 a.m. to 9:56 a.m. the following day in an effort to stop a bill that would have given Texas tidelines to oil companies.
In 1952, Morse left the Republican party in protest of the presidential candidate, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and his running mate, Richard Nixon. In a symbolic gesture, Morse brought a folding chair to the senate and sat in the aisle separating the Republicans and Democrats.
“The Republicans disown me, the Democrats have nothing to offer me,” he said. “Then I’ll bring my own chair to the Senate and sit in the aisle.”
He later joined the Democratic party in 1955.
Roberts said the play was meant to portray Morse’s personality and work. She said it showed the good arguments he had and the reasons why many people disliked him.
“He didn’t care about being unpopular,” she said.
Indeed, Morse’s actions onstage even ruffled some feathers in the audience. In a panel discussion after the play, Eugene resident George Boehnke said Morse had good ideas but was too focused on himself.
“That’s why he got so few things done for the state of Oregon,” Boehnke said.
Even Morse’s character joked about his lack of victories. In his filibuster, he said, “My daughters rib me from time to time. They will say, ‘Dad, do you ever get anything through the Senate? Do you ever win any of your battles?’”
But according to Deemer, Morse exercised the important role of the gadfly although he claimed few political victories. Morse acted as a persistent critic of politics he opposed.
“I vote my conscience, not a party line,” Offenbacher said in the play.
While his stands on controversial issues alienated many politicians and citizens alike, he became a hero for many. Panel member Marjorie Goss, who met Morse at a dinner party, came to admire him although her family thought he was a “nutcase.”
“He was a real beacon for some of us who thought we needed someone who was outspoken, frank and honest,” Goss said.
Panel member and former Oregon representative Jim Weaver said he watched the play wondering what Morse would say about the current political environment.
“He would be attacking the Bush administration on the floor of the Senate so hard, so well, that he would have just shriveled (Bush),” Weaver said. “We need Wayne Morse back again.”
Roberts said she directed the play because of the “timeliness of (Morse’s) words.” She said she hopes to tour colleges and civic groups throughout the Northwest and wants to bring a political message through drama, especially to students.
“They have got to speak out,” Roberts said of young people. “They can have the courage, stand up and be one person.”
University sophomore Tom Wray agreed with Roberts’ interpretation of the play.
“It’s very relevant because we need more people like him against administrations that aren’t looking out for the American people,” he said.
Roberts hoped that the play would make people believe that they could change the world.
“It takes inordinate courage to buck the system,” Roberts said. “Maybe showing someone like Morse can inspire that.”