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On Jul. 2, 1881, President James Garfield was shot twice. One bullet glanced of his arm. The other shattered a rib and embedded itself into his abdomen. An old friend of his, Doctor Willard Bliss treated him, laying odds on his survival at one in one-hundred. The last days of President Garfield included some of the earliest air conditioning and a visit from Alexander Graham Bell, who wanted to try to locate the precise location of the bullet by means of a primitive metal detector.
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Playwright Fly Steffens explores the drama of the final days of a US president who would die within a year of being sworn-into office. Steffens used primary source materials including personal journals and letters to put together a drama which is being performed twice next month. Rebecca Holderness directs Bell and Bliss for the two-performance production, which will run Jun. 12 (at 4:30 p.m.) and 13 (at 7:30 p.m.) Admission is free. The show is being staged at the studio theater on 1915 E Kenilworth Pl.