One-Woman Play to Tell Story of Political Journalist Molly Ivins in Elsah
Red Hot Patriot puts political journalism onstage at Farley’s Music Hall in Elsah, with Rhonda Brown portraying Molly Ivins. Read why Brown believes the columnist’s words still resonate today.
Rhonda Brown on ‘Red Hot Patriot,’ the one-woman show about Molly Ivins coming to Elsah
ELSAH - A unique one-woman play will premiere for Elsah audiences this weekend.
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“Red Hot Patriot,” a show about Molly Ivins, will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Farley’s Music Hall in Elsah. Played by Elsah resident Rhonda Brown, Ivins was a “famously brassy newspaper columnist” and author who wrote about politics and died in 2007. The one-woman play promises to spark powerful conversations about democracy ahead of Election Day.
“Playing Molly makes me really bold, because she was so bold and she was so unapologetic,” Brown said. “To be able to say her words right now means more to me than pretty much anything in the world.”
Ivins attended high school with George W. Bush and wrote several books about him. She wrote Elvis Presley’s obituary for “The New York Times,” among other important articles and columns that solidified her voice in journalism.
Brown has played Ivins consistently for 14 years. She thanked Zeke Sedman and Brian Freeland for connecting her to the play in 2012. She has traveled around the country with the show.
Now, she’s excited to bring “Red Hot Patriot” to her adopted hometown of Elsah. Produced by Brown and her partner Steve, the play feels especially relevant today, they said. They want to encourage people to vote and make their voices heard through Ivins’s story.
“We’ve got to get out and do our voting,” said Steve Brown. “Midterms are perfect because we’re really trying to raise awareness. Midterms typically don’t get the turnout that the major elections do. This one might be different, though, and I’m hoping it is.”
Rhonda Brown agreed, adding that Ivins was “a true freedom fighter.” Brown noted that today’s politics are “polarized,” but Ivins “made fun of both sides of the fence” and has “a great historical voice” that people should hear.
“She spoke truth to power,” Brown explained. “She died in 2007, and what she has to say about campaign finance reform is as big today as it ever was. It gives me chills. You’ll come expecting a history lesson, but what you’ll get is a real wake-up call that, wow, we still have the same problems we had 25 years ago.”
Brown noted that being the only person onstage can be “terrifying,” but it’s worth it to tell Ivins’s story. She believes in what Ivins had to say. Brown encourages people to come, not to see her star in the show, but to hear from a historical figure who had an important perspective.
“She says no matter what you do your whole life, you have another job. You are a citizen,” Brown added. “You can register other voters, put up signs, march. All your life, no matter what else you do, remember that being a citizen is your job.”
“Red Hot Patriot” kicks off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23, and Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, at Farley’s Music Hall in Elsah. You can click here to purchase tickets or buy them at the door. For more information, visit the official Facebook event page or click here.
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