Wheelin' Across the Land: Spring 1967

In Wheelin’ Across the Land: Spring 1967, the Fire Dragon Street Theater troupe, now on a cross-country tour, is hell-bent on enlightening audiences about their country’s injustices. Fourteen young actors with spirited egos and opinions perform their confrontational collectively-created dramas for feisty students, critical professors, and older activists who simultaneously challenge the troupe to deepen their awareness about how capitalism produces these injustices. Cheryl, the troupe’s only Black member, persuades the group to reformulate “Choice” into a powerful exposé about the oppression of Black soldiers during the Vietnam War. Her passionate and empathic love relationship with a white actress forges a dynamic, challenging energy that further promotes the young peoples’ growth. Protagonist Lucina, although in love with her movement husband, allows herself to savor the memory of an electrifying lesbian moment back in New York City. This memoir-driven sequel to Fire Dragon Street Theater is a blueprint for all kinds of humane collaborations. Each actor’s unique obsessions and tensions resonate with our own in our struggle for healthy, meaningful lives. Did we make a difference? Can we make a difference? Here we go again!
Wheelin’ Across the Land: Spring 1967 is the sequel to Fire Dragon Street Theater: 1962-1967.

Pre-publication Praise for Wheelin’ Across the Land: Spring 1967

This is a very unique book centered on characters that are multidimensional, with human flaws and contradictions shaped by a historic period of revolutionary upheaval with mass opposition against an unjust U.S. war in Vietnam abroad and the struggle against racism and sexism at home. It is another example of how global and domestic events are a process of shaping one’s awareness as individuals and amongst others. How these characters interact with each other on a daily basis within a theatrical setting is beautifully explored by the author with excellent dialogue steeped in sensitivity towards oppression and realism. This combination of politics and mass culture is well worth the read.
––Monica Moorehead, former presidential candidate, political writer & editor

As an artist, I am always thrilled by the unfolding of the creative process. Wheelin’ Across the Land is particularly engrossing because it involves the collective creative process of young thespians striving to make a difference in the tumultuous era of the 60’s in the United States. Now, during these equally difficult times, the book also speaks to me as an older activist because it poignantly brings back our struggles for a more humane world that are all too relevant today. What a tour de force! Thank you, Jeri, for reminding us in your beautifully crafted novel that our struggle continues.
––Rain Bengis, award winning photographer

For all of us who rose up against racism and the Vietnam War in the 60’s; for all of us who struggled to find and express our sexuality and sexual identity during an era when being out to ourselves and others was far from easy; for all of us who dared to challenge misogyny, Hilderley’s historical novel brings back such powerful memories. She also reminds us of how we young people collectively pooled our talents using various theatrical modalities and venues to speak truth to power—and of the painful lessons we learned along the way. As she chronicles, we learned to resist obstacles the college administrators and other people in power threw in our way; to know our audiences with all their contradictions; to gently (or not so gently) raise awareness; to encourage burgeoning activists and to join movements already under way. Her memoire-driven prose is not only for us older folks, but for the new generations who are once again forced to bravely rise up. Wheelin’ Across the Land is a relevant addition to our collective consciousness.
—Janet R. Mayes, author and psychologist