by Paula
Gail Benson
Each year,
I write a Christmas musical that is performed as a dinner theater at my church,
St. Paul’s Lutheran in Columbia, S.C., during the first two Fridays following
Thanksgiving. I thought I was ahead of the game this year. By mid-summer, I had
worked out a story about a hobo storytelling contest during the Great
Depression and developed roles that fit the folks in our company of St. Paul’s
Players. I even had many of the musical numbers ready.
Then, one
of my Players had a terrible accident, falling from a ladder and breaking ribs.
He kept telling me he was working to recover, but those kind of injuries take
time. By the end of summer, he regretfully told me that he would not be able to
participate.
He encouraged
me to cast someone else, but I’d written one key role with him in mind and
wanted him to have the chance to play it. About that time, I went to Killer
Nashville and, with friends, attended God
Help Us!, a show starring Ed Asner in the title role at the Franklin
Theater.
Among the
group were Debra Goldstein, Nancy Sartor and her husband Dave, Marianne Donley,
Carol Wright, and Carol’s husband Bruce Murphy. Marianne and Carol are members
of the Bethlehem Writers Roundtable and edit the group’s online quarterly. In
addition, both are excellent short story writers. When I mentioned my dilemma with
my Christmas production, they suggested I read a story that Carol had written
for the group’s anthology, Untethered:
Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales of the Paranormal. Carol’s story took place
during the Depression era and was called “The Man from Hooverville.” They
encouraged me to consider turning it into a musical.
I read
Carol’s story and liked it very much, but its main character was a thirteen-year-old
girl. My company of Players were all adults.
After
returning home, I was consulting with a co-worker at the office when her
brother stopped by to visit. He turned to me and asked if I was working on my
Christmas production. After saying I was trying to, he said, “Well, I have a
thirteen-year-old daughter and she would love to be in it.”
If I made
up this story, no one would believe it, but I’ve learned to expect this kind of
“coincidence” to occur each year as I work on our production. Our producer for
many years, John Henry, and I used to talk about it as divine intervention,
proving that we were on the right track. Since John passed away two summers
ago, I now imagine him sitting at God’s elbow, whispering, “You need to get
Paula moving with this year’s musical.” Due to John’s estate planning, he
continues with us through funding as well as spiritually. His faith in our
efforts is a great sustainer and means more than I can say.
So, I
asked Carol if she would trust her story to me and she graciously agreed. Her
story had three characters: the young girl, her mother, and a mysterious
stranger who seemed to come from the Hooverville. I asked Carol questions, like
what was the mother’s name and could I expand the story to include other characters,
residents of the town and the Hooverville? She agreed to my expansion and, as I
shared drafts with her, she told me that I had developed it in ways she
considered as she was writing the original story. Talk about a feeling of
validation! There is no higher praise for a story adapter than having the
original author say you captured her vision. I cannot tell Carol how
grateful I am for her encouragement and support for turning her short story into the musical Always with Us.
This year,
I truly experienced “if you build it, they will come.” Members of the company brought
friends and family members to join us. Our cast increased to nine people, John
Arnold (the mysterious man), Jillian Carey Bigony (the mother), Brenda Byrd, Tim Clark, Kristen Coulter, Janie
Fulmer, Reggie Hall, Jim Jarvis (members of the town and Hooverville, which I named BeHooven), and Libby Penland as our thirteen-year-old
Patty Shepherd. Margaret Davis made me believe I had some talent as a song writer. She helped me organize the music and took on a solo.
Malechi Doren and William Paddock signed on as our accompanists and musical transcribers. Dean Long
provided lights and sound and Billy Itter ran our spotlight.
Our
audiences responded lovingly to the heartfelt nature of the story. We received
some of the kindest compliments we have ever had.
In one last
dramatic turn, our videographer had a stroke before she could film the
production. Fortunately, she received the immediate care she needed and is
recovering. I found a group on Facebook and put out an urgent appeal for help.
In true show business fashion, the show went on and we have it taped for
posterity and for Carol, who cheered us on from a distance. We’ve held off our
cast party hoping she and Bruce can come celebrate with us.
So, another
opening, another show. This time, with a great deal of help from my friends.
Any
theater groupies out there?
