Last year I was commissioned by the city of Washington, Utah to write a musical celebrating the building of the Old Gym for the remodel of the building (now rechristened Heritage Hall). When my sister approached me with the project, I was skeptical.
How do you make a compelling dramatic arc about the building of a gymnasium in the 1920s?
Thankfully, I am a history lover, and delving into the personal histories and town records was enjoyable, interesting, and inspiring. I learned about honorable, hardworking men and women who sacrificed and endeavored diligently for their community. I heard about funny town legends like that time some boys somehow managed to lodge Brigham Young’s wagon in a tree. And I got to invent a few fun fictional characters to fill in the gaps.
As I am not a composer, the music is familiar standards from the time period, like “Side by Side” and “Always”.
The play premieres on Thursday, April 30 at 7:00 pm at the Washington Heritage Hall as part of the annual Cotton Days celebration. Other performances: May 1 & 2 at 7:00 pm and May 2 at 2:00 pm. Tickets are free.
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