John R. Powers
Encyclopedia
John R. Powers is an American novelist and playwright
. Powers has written four successful books of fiction, The Last Catholic in America (1973), Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
(1975), The Unoriginal Sinner and the Ice Cream God (1977), and The Junk Drawer, Corner Store, Front Porch Blues (1992). He also wrote the self-help book Odditude (2007). These books relate the experience of growing up in Chicago
. He grew up in the Mt. Greenwood
neighborhood on the city's far southwest side. The first three books, often referred to as the "Eddie Ryan Trilogy," have been re-issued by Loyola Press.
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? was selected for inclusion on the American Library Association
’s list of Best Books for Young Adults in 1975 and went on to become a hit musical
that continues to run in venues nationwide.
Powers holds a Ph.D. in Communications from Northwestern University
and was a professor
of speech and performing arts at Northeastern Illinois University
. He received undergraduate degrees in sociology from Loyola University
and is a graduate of Brother Rice High School in Chicago (graduated in 1964). Powers continues to write, and is a renowned motivational speaker.
Dr. Powers currently resides in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
with his wife JaNelle Meyers Powers, whom he met while she was performing in the original production of "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes...
" as Mary Kenny, and two daughters: actress, Jacey Powers (b. 1986) and Joy Victoria Powers (b. 1990).
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
. Powers has written four successful books of fiction, The Last Catholic in America (1973), Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? is a book published in 1975 by author John R. Powers. It was subsequently adapted into a Broadway musical and a screenplay.Film In Development=...
(1975), The Unoriginal Sinner and the Ice Cream God (1977), and The Junk Drawer, Corner Store, Front Porch Blues (1992). He also wrote the self-help book Odditude (2007). These books relate the experience of growing up in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He grew up in the Mt. Greenwood
Mount Greenwood, Chicago
Mount Greenwood is one of 77 well-defined Chicago community areas. It is a predominantly Irish-Catholic neighborhood on the Southwest Side of Chicago. It neighbors the Chicago neighborhoods of Beverly and Morgan Park to the east, the suburb of Evergreen Park to the north, the suburb of Oak Lawn...
neighborhood on the city's far southwest side. The first three books, often referred to as the "Eddie Ryan Trilogy," have been re-issued by Loyola Press.
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? was selected for inclusion on the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
’s list of Best Books for Young Adults in 1975 and went on to become a hit musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
that continues to run in venues nationwide.
Powers holds a Ph.D. in Communications from Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and was a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of speech and performing arts at Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northeastern Illinois University is a public state university located in Chicago, Illinois. The main campus is located in the community area of North Park with three additional campuses in the metropolitan area. Tracing its founding to 1867, it was first established as a separate branch of a...
. He received undergraduate degrees in sociology from Loyola University
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1870 under the title St...
and is a graduate of Brother Rice High School in Chicago (graduated in 1964). Powers continues to write, and is a renowned motivational speaker.
Dr. Powers currently resides in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Lake Geneva is a city in Walworth County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 7,148 at the 2000 census. A resort city located on Geneva Lake, it is southwest of Milwaukee and popular with tourists from metropolitan Chicago and Milwaukee.-History:...
with his wife JaNelle Meyers Powers, whom he met while she was performing in the original production of "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes...
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? is a book published in 1975 by author John R. Powers. It was subsequently adapted into a Broadway musical and a screenplay.Film In Development=...
" as Mary Kenny, and two daughters: actress, Jacey Powers (b. 1986) and Joy Victoria Powers (b. 1990).