Musical History
Musical
to feature first 100 years
of Madison’s history
High
school students
to perform in October production
Staff
Report
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(June 2009) – In honor of Madison’s Bicentennial,
an original, two-act Broadway style musical has been commissioned to
be a part of the city’s year-long celebration. The show will run
for two weekends, Oct. 9-11, and Oct. 16-18 and will be performed by
a cast of high schools students who auditioned in May 2009 for parts
in the production.
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Charles Moman |
The show, created in the style of Broadways hits such
as “Music Man,” and “Oklahoma,” will feature a generic
character, not a specific historic person from Madison to be the “storyteller”
of “Rivertown.” The first act opens in 1909 as the town prepares
for its Centennial celebration. The patriarch, Preston Harper, is asked
to speak at the celebration and that begins his narrative about the
history of Madison. As Mr. Harper recounts the history of the early
years, songs are included about various elements of Madison’s history.
Several of the songs include themes about the river, hogs, Broadway
Fountain, many of the industries of Madison, the Underground Railroad,
the American Civil War, the Reuben G. Wells steam engine and the Irish
railroad workers, a showboat, the orphanage, the trolley car lady conductors
and more. Nearly all of the characters are generic people and are not
based on a particular Madison citizen of the past. The creators of the
musical have stuck to historical facts, but have had taken creative
license with other issues
Charles Moman, who resides in Seymour, Ind., is the lyricist and music
composer. He graduated from Seymour High School in 1969 and then went
on to the University of Evansville, where he graduated in 1973 with
a Bachelor of Music Education degree. In 1976, he received his Masters
degree from Indiana University.
Yancy Unger is the script writer for the production. He graduated from
Mitchell High School in 1990 and Indiana University in 1994. He has
been a teacher and now is with the Indiana Department of Education in
learning technologies.
Aaron Kelsey of Madison High School will be directing and staging. He
is a graduate from Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree
in All Grade Visual Arts education. He currently teaches art at Madison
Consolidated High School and also directs the theater program at the
school.