Award-winning actor Bill Oberst held us in thrall today at Open Forum, treating us to a performance that gave us just a taste of his incredible acting ability.

Bill performed his own story, the story of a struggling 14-year-old boy who suddenly found his place in the world when he discovered the writings of Ray Bradbury. Right in front of us, Bill Oberst turned into his teenage self, riding his bike through Georgetown out to the canal. Filled with hatred, trying to escape the world that was suffocating him, he came across a book on the ground. The tattered, muddy paperback was S is for Space, a book of short stories by Ray Bradbury. The angry teenager opened the book to “Pillar of Fire” and read these words: “He came out of the earth, hating. Hate was his father; hate was his mother.”

Bill kept reading and immediately connected with the character in the book. “Because my pain, my shame were named,” he said, “I didn’t have to carry them anymore.” Bradbury’s writing had literally saved him. “These sentences are the reason I’m standing in front of you,” he said. For Bill, discovering good writing was finding out that he was not alone in the world. Bradbury’s writing allowed Bill to see himself and his flaws in the characters this writer created. Bill urged us to fall in love with language for the sake of our humanity. When we read a great writer, the gap that separates us from each other is bridged.

Bill the angry teenage grew up to be an awesome actor. He has done over 200 films and various TV projects where he is nationally known for portraying dark, complex characters. (His most recognizable role is one of the most notorious criminals in CBS’ hit series Criminal Minds.) Bill has also created one-man stagings of characters such as Jesus of Nazareth, Mark Twain, Ray Bradbury, Lewis Grizzard, and most recently, Satan the Adversary.

Bill’s message to us today was about the importance of language and writing as a channel to our shared authentic humanity. “Fall in love with language,” he told us. “That is a love that will never end.” 

By Branton (photos courtesy of Marsh Deane)