New Musical Coming to the Red Cloud Opera House
The first staged reading of a new musical entitled CATHERLAND will be premiering at the Red Cloud Opera House on Saturday, May 2nd, at 7:30 p.m. Playwright Becky Boesen and musician David von Kampen have collaborated to create a marvelous play that takes place in Red Cloud, Nebraska. Becky was inspired to write this play while she was in Red Cloud for a production of What the Wind Taught Me when it toured the Opera House in 2013.
This read-through of the musical is sure to be an amazing opportunity for theater goers to get a close look at what is in store next year when CATHERLAND will officially start touring Nebraska as part of the Lied Center’s, Arts Across Nebraska Program.
CATHERLAND tells the story of Susan, an emerging writer living the life of her dreams, complete with an adoring husband and an almost-finished first novel. When tragedy strikes, and the trajectory of her life changes, she must decide how to move forward. Searching for answers, she flees to Red Cloud, Nebraska, the childhood home of novelist Willa Cather. Guided by her curiosity and the presence of a mysterious guest, Susan discovers that life is more about beginnings than endings. A lesson in embracing the unexpected, CATHERLAND reminds us that “where there is great love, there are always miracles.”
Cast members include Eric Moyer, Sasha Dobson, Natalie McClue, Tyler Hale, Robin McKercher, and Melissa Epp. Writers Boesen and von Kampen are two incredible artistic talents. Boesen is a working playwright, actor, director and producer. As a two-time winner of the Mayor’s Arts Award, she serves both administrative and artistic roles at the Lied Center and is an adjunct faculty member at Doane College. David von Kampen is a composer whose creative work spans a wide variety of genres and styles. He has over forty choral and instrumental composition and arrangements published and is currently an adjunct professor of composition at Concordia University.
The public can view this brand new performance at a cost of $15 in advance or $20 day of show. For more information, please call the Red Cloud Opera House at 402-746-2641.
Programming at the Cather Foundation’s Red Cloud Opera House is made possible with the support of Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and the National Endowment for the Arts.