Stewart Parker facts for kids
James Stewart Parker (born October 20, 1941 – died November 2, 1988) was a famous writer from Northern Ireland. He wrote many poems and plays.
Contents
Who Was Stewart Parker?
Early Life and Education
Stewart Parker was born in Sydenham, Belfast. He grew up in a working-class family. A special blue plaque now marks his birthplace. When he was a teenager, he got bone cancer. Because of this, one of his legs had to be removed.
He was very smart and won a scholarship. This allowed him to study at Queen's University, Belfast. He earned a master's degree in poetic drama. After his studies, he went to the United States. There, he taught at Hamilton College and Cornell University.
A Writer's Journey
In the early 1960s, Stewart Parker was part of a group of young writers. This group included well-known poets like Seamus Heaney. They all studied together at Queen's University in Belfast.
After his time in the US, Parker came back to Northern Ireland. He became a freelance writer. This means he wrote for different places without being a full-time employee. He even wrote a column about pop music for The Irish Times newspaper. Later, he moved to Great Britain. There, he wrote for radio, television, and the stage. The music scene in Belfast was very important in his plays. He loved the artist Van Morrison, who was one of his favorites.
Stewart Parker passed away in London on November 2, 1988. He died from stomach cancer.
Stewart Parker's Plays and Writings
Famous Plays
Stewart Parker wrote many plays. Some of his well-known plays include:
- Spokesong (1975)
- Kingdom Come (1977), which was a musical
- Catchpenny Twist (1977)
- Nightshade (1979)
- Pratt's Fall (1981)
- The Kamikaze Ground Staff Reunion Dinner (first a radio play in 1979, then a film in 1981)
- Northern Star (1984)
- Heavenly Bodies (1986)
- Pentecost (1987)
His stage plays are published in collections. For example, Stewart Parker: Plays 1 includes Spokesong and Catchpenny Twist. Stewart Parker: Plays 2 has Northern Star and Pentecost.
The Stewart Parker Trust Award
After Stewart Parker's death, a special award was created in his name. It is called The Stewart Parker Trust Award. This award is given every year to the best new play by an Irish writer. It also comes with money to help the writer. Many famous playwrights have won this award. These include Conor McPherson and Enda Walsh.
Other Writings
In 2008, which was 20 years after Parker's death, several new books of his work came out. These books collected his articles and reviews.
- One book, High Pop: Irish Times Column 1970–1976, has all his articles about popular music. ISBN: 978-1-904652-59-5
- Another book, Dramatis Personae and Other Writings, collects his reviews and articles about culture. ISBN: 978-80-7308-241-3
- A third book, Stewart Parker: Television Plays, includes his plays written for TV. ISBN: 978-80-7308-240-6
About "I'm a Dreamer, Montreal"
Stewart Parker's play I’m a Dreamer, Montreal won the Christopher Ewart-Biggs Memorial Prize. It was first made for BBC Radio 3 in 1975. Later, it was shown on TV in 1979.
The play is set in Belfast. The main character is Nelson Gloverby, who works in a music library. At night, he sings in a showband. Nelson lives in his own dream world. He doesn't care that his audience gets annoyed when he sings the wrong lyrics.
Nelson gets caught up in the difficult time of the Troubles. This was a period of conflict in Northern Ireland. He meets a woman named Sandra Carse. His world completely changes after this meeting. On his bus ride home, the bus driver is singing "I'm a dreamer, Montreal." But this time, Nelson knows the right words: "I’m a Dreamer, Aren't We All?"
