Elia Kazan

I spoke without fear of contradiction. I simply did not suffer self-doubt.

I knew the exuberance of playing before an admiring audience and hearing my secret voice.

I was even superior to the Communists and when they didn't go along with me, I quit them.

We played in Texas about a year ago, at Emo's, the famous country and western club in Austin. And I figured, well, if I'm finally gonna die onstage, that's where it's going to be!

Although I write to entertain, and try to keep my work free of didacticism, I do have a rather passionate belief in our need to be connected to - and to learn from - history.

Well, I actually wrote her a letter a couple of days ago congratulating her. The tone I tried to convey in the letter is, look, you are a part of a great American historical process.