10:54 a.m.
Saturday, September 30, 2017 10:54 am

Granny D became a New Hampshire household name during her activist days in the late 1990s (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - The Rochester Opera House presents "Granny D: The Power of One" a play which portrays the efforts of one woman to draw attention to the need for campaign finance reform and her contention that money in politics had betrayed our representative democracy.

The play will be presented at the the all-new Performance & Arts Center at 7 p.m. on Friday.

The play chronicles the 1998 cross-country walk, at age 89, by Doris 'Granny D' Haddock, a lifelong New Hampshire activist, from Santa Monica, Calif., to Washington. The trek included crossing more than 1,000 miles of desert, climbing the Appalachian Range in blizzard conditions, and even skiing 100 miles after an historic snowfall made roadside walking impossible.

Actress and playwright Dixie Tymitz, who received Haddock's blessing for the project, will bring Granny D and her legendary feat to life. Reflecting on what inspired her, Tymitz joked, "Doris ruined my life as it was, because I never could say again that I was too old to make a difference. She was as willing to give her life as any soldier. I feel compelled to tell her story."

Following an enactment on board the Semester at Sea where Archbishop Desbond Tutu enjoyed it, he commented "I am amazed at Dixie's performance and the unbelievable story of Granny D and her unbelievable walk across the country calling attention to the problem of campaign finance reform in the United States."

The October performances are sponsored by Concord-based Open Democracy. Initially founded by Haddock, Open Democracy is a non-partisan organization working to reduce the corrupting influence of money in politics to ensure an equal voice for all. Olivia Zink, Executive Director, said "The Power of One project is a legacy of Granny D. We are continuing her work to restore democracy and 'escort the bullhorns of big money from the room.'"

Zink added, "Our democracy is in the middle of an historic upheaval. Last year, political donors spent more than $62 million on New Hampshire elections -- and that's not even counting the presidential race. Never before has it been more clear that 'the ends of government are perverted and public liberty manifestly endangered.' With billionaires and special interests influencing our elections it's time for a solution."

Haddock, who was born in Laconia, has also inspired justice advocates nationwide. "Across the country people have come together in cities, counties, and states to show that we can limit the power of big money. When we pass bold, smart solutions like small-donor public financing we give everyday people a voice," said Nick Nyhart, president and CEO of Every Voice Center. "If Washington DC won't act to safeguard our democracy from the billions of dollars big donors and powerful interests are spending to drown out the voices of everyday Americans, then the rest of the country can take action to put political power into the hands of the people."

The show starts at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6pm) on Friday. This is a free show for all. The Rochester Opera House is sponsored by Eastern Propane, Shaheen & Gordon P.A., and Norm Vetter Foundations. This show is sponsored by Open Democracy. The Rochester Performance & Arts Center is located at 32 North Main Street, Rochester NH. Visitwww.RochesterOperaHouse.com for more information.