The Walter Cronkite Memorial at Missouri Western State University will celebrate the centennial of the legendary journalist’s birth by taking live multimedia performances on the road to Independence, Missouri on May 8; Kansas City, Missouri on July 11; New York City on Sept. 23; and Washington, D.C. on Sept. 25, as well as a performance at Missouri Western on Cronkite’s birthday. In addition to the shows, Eric Fuson, artist-in-residence, will put together special exhibits relating to Cronkite for some of the venues.

“I’m very excited that the hard work and talent of the extraordinary cast and crew of our shows will be on display for audiences beyond St. Joseph,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president.

Walter Cronkite was born in St. Joseph on Nov. 4, 1916. On what would have been his 97th birthday in 2013, Missouri Western dedicated the Walter Cronkite Memorial, a 6,000-square-foot museum featuring video kiosks, memorabilia, interpretive displays and a replica of the newsroom from which Cronkite broadcast the CBS Evening News.

As a part of the memorial, three live performances have been developed. They are each between 20 and 25 minutes long and can be performed separately or as a trilogy titled “And That’s the Way It Is.” The three shows are:

  • “Cronkite” is a one-man show that incorporates audio, video and still photographs. It is based on an appearance by Cronkite on CNN’s “Larry King Live” in September 2002. As he reflected on the first anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, he also recalled other major events he covered, including World War II, the Vietnam War and the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Cronkite is played by Jim Korinke.
  • “Harry & Walter: Missouri’s Native Sons” offers a glimpse into the many parallels of the personal and professional lives of two famous Missourians, Harry Truman and Walter Cronkite. The production features Korinke as Cronkite and Ken Remmert as Truman.
  • A third performance will include Cronkite and a significant figure from the Civil Rights movement.

Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum, 500 W. US Highway 24, Independence, Missouri

“Harry & Walter: Missouri’s Native Sons” will be performed as part of the library’s celebration of Truman’s birthday on Sunday, May 8. Because it’s Mother’s Day, all mothers will get in to the museum free; for others, admission is $1. The day’s public events will begin with a ceremonial Laying of Wreaths in the library’s courtyard at 9:30. The museum will open at 10, and “Harry & Walter” will be performed at 11 a.m. in the museum’s auditorium, followed by a reception in the main lobby. In addition, an exhibit on the parallel lives of Truman and Cronkite by Fuson is on display at the Presidential Library through May 16. For more information about the day’s events, visit trumanlibraryinstitute.org/.

Union Station, 30 W. Pershing Road, Kansas City, Missouri

“And That’s the Way It Is” will be performed on Union Station’s H&R Block City Stage at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, July 11, and Fuson will prepare an exhibit of one-of-a-kind Cronkite artifacts. An informal meet-and-greet with the actors and other dignitaries will follow the performance.

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, 111 Amsterdam Ave., New York

“And That’s the Way It Is” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23 in the library’s Bruno Walter Auditorium for invited guests. Those expected to attend include Cronkite’s children as well as his chief of staff.

Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C.

“Cronkite” will be performed at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25 in the Knight Television Studio performance venue as part of the Newseum’s celebration of Cronkite’s centennial. The Newseum is an interactive museum of news dedicated to free expression and the five freedoms of the First Amendment: religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Located on Pennsylvania Avenue between the White House and the U.S. Capitol, the Newseum’s 15 galleries on seven levels have attracted more than six million visitors since it opened in 2008.

Walter Cronkite Memorial, Missouri Western State University

The centennial events will conclude with a special celebration on Friday, Nov. 4, Cronkite’s birthday. “And That’s the Way It Is” will be performed in the Kemper Recital Hall adjacent to the Memorial inside Spratt Hall, and a sculpture by Fuson commemorating the Apollo 11 mission that first put man on the moon will be unveiled. Festivities are scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. Additional details will be announced closer to the event date.

To learn more about the Walter Cronkite Memorial and the live shows, visit www.missouriwestern.edu/wcm/.

Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.