John R. Powers (November 30, 1945 – January 17, 2013
/ref>) was an American

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...

and

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

Early life

Powers grew up in the Mt. Greenwood neighborhood on the far southwest side of

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

. He held a Ph.D. in Communications from

Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...

and was a

professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other tertiary education, post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin ...

of speech and performing arts at

Northeastern Illinois University Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) is a public university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. NEIU serves approximately 5,000 students in the region and is both a federally designated Hispanic-serving institution and Asian American and Nat ...

. He received his undergraduate degree in sociology from

Loyola University Loyola University is one of several Jesuit Universities named for St. Ignatius of Loyola. Loyola University may refer to: Democratic Republic of the Congo *Loyola University of Congo, Kinshasa, Congo Spain * Loyola University Andalusia, Sevilla ...

and was a graduate of Brother Rice High School in Chicago.

Work

Powers wrote four books of fiction, ''The Last Catholic in America'' (Dutton 1973), ''

Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? ''Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?'' is a novel published in 1975 by author John R. Powers. It was subsequently adapted into a Broadway musical and a screenplay. Film in development Director and author Ken Kwapis ('' Sisterhood ...

'' (Regnery 1975), ''The Unoriginal Sinner and the Ice Cream God'' (Contemporary 1977), and ''The Junk Drawer, Corner Store, Front Porch Blues'' (Dutton 1992). He also wrote the self-help book ''Odditude'' (HCI 2007). These books relate his experience of growing up in 1950s

. The first three books, referred to as the "Eddie Ryan Trilogy," have been re-issued by

Loyola Press Loyola Press is a publishing house based in Chicago, Illinois. It is a nonprofit apostolate of the Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus. It has no connection with Loyola University Chicago. It publishes school books for the parochial school ...

. Powers was awarded two Emmy Awards for his writing. The first was in 1984 for ''Lovers and Lanes'', written for WMAQ TV channel 5 in Chicago. The second was in 1988 for ''Going Home'', written for WLS TV channel 7. ''Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?'' was selected for inclusion on the

American Library Association The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world. History 19th century ...

’s list of Best Books for Young Adults in 1975. Powers wrote the libretto to a Broadway

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

based loosely on characters and events from his first two novels entitled ''Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?'' Powers was also the author of two one-man shows which he also performed. The first ''Scissors, Paper, Rock'' that was based on his Emmy Award-winning special ''Going Home'' and the second, which ran in Chicago, ''Life's Not Fair, So What''.

Personal life

Powers lived in

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Lake Geneva is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located in Walworth County and situated on Geneva Lake, it was home to 8,277 people as of the 2020 census, up from 7,651 at the 2010 census. It is located southwest of Milwaukee and no ...

with his wife JaNelle Meyers Powers, whom he met while she was performing in the original production of ''Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?'' as Mary Kenny, and two daughters: actress/playwright Jacey Powers and journalist Joy Victoria Powers. Powers died in

in 2013.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Powers, John R. 1945 births 2013 deaths 20th-century American novelists American humorists American male novelists Writers from Chicago People from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin Novelists from Wisconsin Northeastern Illinois University faculty Northwestern University School of Communication alumni Loyola University Chicago alumni American drama teachers American motivational speakers 20th-century American dramatists and playwrights American male dramatists and playwrights 20th-century American male writers Novelists from Illinois Catholics from Wisconsin