Thursday, June 3, 2010

Meet The Characters: Shawn Harper

For the next few months, Christ Family Film Productions will be posting character descriptions of the roles being auditioned in September for He Leadeth Me. Get to know the people...get to know the story. And join us in September for auditions in Fergus Falls, MN!

SHAWN BRADLEY HARPER – Age 16


HISTORY
- Born March 21st, 1916 in Sioux County, Iowa
- Son of: Orrin Wilson Harper (deceased 1932) & Fanny Hazel (Bradley) Harper (deceased, 1923)

Siblings:

 Baby Harper, male born 1914 (deceased 1914)
 Baby Harper, male born 1915 (deceased 1915)
 Baby Harper, male born 1923 (deceased 1923)

PERSONAL DESCRIPTION

- Occupation: farmer
- Location: Rock Valley, Iowa (Sioux County)

- Personal interview: “My pa drowned himself. My ma died awhile ago, and I don’t blame her. He was a drunk…he hated both of us. But I got the land. I got the land.”

- Character profile: Shawn was raised on the family farm. The site was originally settled in the 1870s but was purchased by Orrin Harper in 1910 after his marriage to Fanny Bradley. After many unsuccessful attempts at farming, Harper allowed the farm to fall into disrepair and became an alcoholic, illegally distributing bootleg liquor to pay the bills. Shawn, the sole surviving child of four, assumed management of the farm and never attended school because of it. Fanny Harper died in childbirth in 1923. Following her death, Orrin Harper became increasingly violent and heavily depended on the sale of his liquor to ward off the debt collectors. On a Sunday in 1932, the sheriff found Harper’s body in the Rock River. The man left behind one son and an insurmountable pile of debt.

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