American Literary Heroes is a program presented by Write Out Loud, celebrating the profound contributions of iconic American authors Emily Dickinson, Henry David Thoreau, Mark Twain, and Walt Whitman. From March to September 2026, audiences across San Diego County will experience re-enactments featuring Rhianna Basore as Dickinson, Steven Smith as Thoreau, Paul Maley as Twain, and Todd Blakesley as Whitman, bringing these literary figures and their works to life in various community venues. The project, supported by a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, aims to honor these writers' legacies and their impact on American literature.
