King of the Hobos

July 27th, 1930. On this night, a charismatic hobo named Gilly tricks a passel of strangers into attending an impromptu funeral for a prominent activist and hobo icon, James Eads How (1874-1930). A real-life heir to a wealthy St. Louis family, How lived as a hobo to bring awareness and help to homeless migrant workers, inspiring a legacy of advocacy as the founder of hobo colleges, unions, news and other groups. Performed by actor/singer/songwriter Jara Jones on a homemade cigar-box guitar in an immersive setting, King of the Hobos examines hobo culture as well as the Depression-era hardships and social ideals which still resonate throughout our nation today.