History meets harmony at the Palace Theatre
Courtesy of History That Doesn't Suck
Those who remember the clock on the wall being the most interesting thing in the history classes they slogged through in their school days might lament that Greg Jackson never had his hands on the curriculum.
Jackson, who has a knack for making history interesting, will be teaming up with the Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra to present “The Unlikely Union: A Storytelling Symphony of America” at the Palace Theatre in Greensburg on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The performance blends immersive storytelling with an original orchestral score in celebration of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.
Jackson, a creator of the popular podcast “History That Doesn’t Suck!,” will guide audiences through a live multimedia history experience, which is part lecture, part performance and part symphonic event.
From professor to performer
Jackson, holds a Ph.D. in history and is an associate professor and senior fellow in national security studies and a fellow of integrated studies at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, where right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk was killed in September. His academic work focuses on teaching history to students preparing for public service and national security roles.
In 2017, Jackson decided that he wanted to create a more meaningful way for the average American to have better access to history.
“The podcast evolved from classroom feedback, since I have a tendency to tell stories when I teach,” Jackson said.
He soon began scripting each episode word for word, shaping history into narrative form delivered in a fun way. “Before long, the podcast took off,” said Jackson. Today it’s one of the top history podcasts in the United States.
“I expected to be doing it for fewer than five years, but we’re at year eight now,” said Jackson.
Taking it on the road
The success of the podcast inspired Jackson to take the show on the road.
“I incorporate storytelling with original scoring, music, lights and imagery. Think ‘Hamilton’ meets Ken Burns,” he said.
Jackson said that the Palace Theatre performance will be the first time he’s done the show with a full orchestra. “It’s unlike anything I’ve ever done,” he said.
Michael Rozell, executive director of The Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, attended a smaller-scale version of the production in Pittsburgh last year.
“I went primarily because I knew the producer, not because I’m a history buff,” he said.
What he did experience ended up surprising him.
“I was deeply moved and profoundly humbled by what I learned,” Rozell said. That reaction inspired him to contact his producer friend and suggest bringing it to a larger stage with a full orchestra.
Opinions and observations
Dossie McCraw, Rozell’s producer friend, said he chose to work with Jackson because he understands how to make history accessible and entertaining.
“His storytelling humanizes the players, while his insights unpack the often-confusing contradictions and compromise, sacrifice and leadership that knitted a complex nation together,” Rozell said.
Author and historian Allen J. Wiener, who has written several books spanning music history, Western and cultural studies, praised Jackson’s approach.
“It’s a lively style that engages, rather than ‘sucks,'” Wiener said, contrasting it with the dry history lessons many remember from school. Wiener suggests that new listeners scroll through some of the archived episodes to listen to what subjects pique their interest.
“There’s plenty of content for history aficionados and for those with merely a passing interest,” he said, pointing to the episode on Pearl Harbor, which is made fresh in one of the episodes. “Listeners will hear a crystal-clear recording of President Franklin Roosevelt’s famous ‘a date which will live in infamy’ speech before a joint session of Congress the next day,” Wiener said.
What’s next
Jackson has just finished writing a book, “Been There, Done That,” which explores the idea that there’s nothing new under the sun.
“It shows that our struggles aren’t as unique as we think they are and that we’ve come out on the right side of things over and over again,” Jackson said.
In telling these stories, Jackson hopes to not just entertain, but enlighten. “I think there are two wrong ways to interpret history. There’s the whitewashed version glorifying everyone in the past in such a way that they would find appalling. That’s damaging because it gives us a false idea of how easy life is supposed to be. The other way is to focus only on the bad and obsessing over every shortcoming with no degree of charity for our predecessors,” he said
Jackson attempts to hit that sweet spot in his show by delivering a history that shows the struggles and the hard moments that our predecessors underwent. “It’s neither red nor blue,” said Jackson, “but a realistic, honest, warts and all patriotic message and strikes a much-needed chord with those who feel a little less than hopeful,” he said.
Those who are unable to attend the show this weekend will be able to view it on television on a later date. The show will be filmed at the Palace Theatre for a national public television broadcast as part of the spring America 250 celebration.
For information, go online to westmorelandsymphony.org.