MacQuarrie’s literature to come to life
The literature of Gordon MacQuarrie will come to life on Friday in an original performance at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show.
Actors will read the text and perform the roles of "Ducks? You Bat You!," a story of MacQuarrie's first duck hunt with the fictional Old Duck Hunters' Association, Inc.
MacQuarrie worked as outdoors editor for The Milwaukee Journal from 1936-'56.
In addition to his work for the paper, he was widely-acclaimed for his freelance stories published in national magazines such as Field & Stream and Sports Afield.
His work in two areas - waterfowl hunting and trout fishing - is arguably best-known.
“I never wrote a poem in my life," MacQuarrie wrote in his story, "The Bluebills Died at Dawn." "But if I ever do, it will be about ducks.”
MacQuarrie, who would have attended the Sports Show many times from its creation in 1940 through 1956, never had occasion to see his writing performed there.
The Sports Show stage presentation of "Ducks? You Bat You!" is the brainchild of Bryan Muche of Barrington Hills, Ill,, an avid waterfowl hunter and curator of the Old Duck Hunters exhibit at the show.
Muche, 47, grew up in southern Wisconsin and hunted waterfowl often with his family, including his grandfather, Walter Muche Sr. of Mayville. The elder Muche worked as a hunting guide and manager at Goose Haven Gun Club in Mayville.
The club was a hot spot during the marsh's goose hunting hay-days in the 1950s and 60s.
Muche first read MacQuarrie's work in books kept on his grandfather's shelves.
"MacQuarrie's stories helped light a fire in me for waterfowl hunting," Muche said. "He’s got these colorful characters and he paints the landscape with his words. I think a performance of one of his stories at the Sports Show is a natural."
In "Ducks? You Bat You!" MacQuarrie is summoned to go hunting by his father-in-law, the President of the Old Duck Hunters' Association, Inc.
Although MacQuarrie, a native of Superior, had hunted and fished, his character in the story considered ducks as "something that flew over a lake where I was fishing late in the year."
The first duck hunting experience hooked MacQuarrie and began his decades-long devotion to the sport.
The stage performance will include Steve Koehler as Gordon MacQuarrie, author and narrator; Alan Atwood as Mr. President; John Pfannerstill as Fred; Tiersa Ferraro as Mr. President's daughter; Dan Small as Norm; Mike Landers as Gus; and Muche as the younger MacQuarrie.
Koehler is familiar to Wisconsin theater audiences from his lead role in “Guys on Ice.”
The props include a 1927 Underwood typewriter, a pipe, duck decoys and a car that transforms into a bed and a duck blind.
"The key is the script and the narration," Muche said. "We'll add some human element, but MacQuarrie's words are what makes it all fly."
The performance will take about 30 minutes, Muche said.
MacQuarrie is a native of Superior who earned a journalism degree from the University of Wisconsin. He worked for the Superior Telegram newspaper before being recruited by The Milwaukee Journal to become its first outdoors editor.
He worked at the Journal from 1936 until his death in 1956.
MacQuarrie is enshrined in the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame and the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame.
Muche said although fewer people hunt today as a percentage of the population, MacQuarrie's romanticized, often humorous tales appeal to everybody.
"He was able to articulate how rich and complex the hunting experience is," Muche said. "I think that’s a huge legacy he left behind."
The theatrical rendition of "Ducks? You Bat You!" will be performed at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
In addition, Koehler will give a reading of the story at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.
Both performances will take place on the seminar stage.
Show goers can also view historical duck hunting information, including biographical details on MacQuarrie and a mockup of his office, at the Old Duck Hunters exhibit in booth 1730.