‘Wellstone!’: The Legacy, the Lawmaker, the Man of the People

by Mike Hall, Sep 21, 2008

Opening to rave reviews in 2006, “Wellstone!” Mark Rosenwinkel and Larry Long’s musical exploring and honoring the life of Minnesota’s late and great progressive icon, Sen. Paul Wellstone (D), is finishing up its revival run today in Minneapolis.

Rosenwinkel, the play’s author, is a member of Actors’ Equity and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). Composer and lyricist Long is a member of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) Local 1000.

Wellstone, his wife, Sheila, their daughter Marcia and five others were killed in a plane crash Oct. 25, 2002, as he was campaigning for his third term in the U.S. Senate. The play explores his political and personal life, from his college wrestling days to his years of teaching at Carleton College to his organizing campaigns and political career.

Rosenwinkel told MinnPost.com:

The Wellstone story was compelling because of the larger tragedy it encompassed. It wasn’t just a well-loved couple that went down that day. It was like something died within the heart of a lot of people—the idea of government for ordinary people.

I can attest to the impact of Wellstone’s death. In 2002, I was in St. Cloud, Minn., as part of the Labor 2002 mobilization. About a week before the plane crash, Wellstone came to St. Cloud and attracted an overflow crowd to a downtown theater. The reception was loud, raucous and full of energy, just like Wellstone.

The Friday morning of the plane crash, we were stuffing envelopes at the St. Cloud Central Labor Council when the news that his plane was missing somewhere in the state’s Iron Range came across the television. Work stopped and we gathered around the TV knowing the news wasn’t going to be good, but still hoping.

Not too much later, the bulletin came that the plane was found and all aboard were dead. A few folks cried, some of us cussed and some of us prayed. For the most part, downtown St. Cloud was deserted and silent for the next 24 hours, except for a quiet vigil at the Democratic headquarters. That scene was repeated in town after town in Minnesota.

Wellstone was deeply loved by his supporters and respected by his opponents. Says Rosenwinkel:

What surprised me most was how much ownership various groups took over the Wellstone legacy. Almost everybody had a story about Wellstone appearing at a union rally, or even at some kind neighborhood event. Various ethnic groups, labor groups and other constituencies spoke as if he was their personal friend.

The play closes today at the Sabes Jewish Community Center in Minneapolis.

Click here to read Steve Share’s—editor of the Labor Review in Minneapolis—2006 feature on the making of and the premiere of the play.

Print This Article | E-Mail This Article |Comments (0)