After a pair of successful performances on campus, the Missouri Western State University production of “American Story” will travel to Colorado for a performance near the sites where the historic events described in the musical took place nearly 100 years ago. The concertized performance is scheduled for Friday, May 10 at the Famous Performing Arts Center in Trinidad, Colo., to benefit the Southern Colorado Repertory Theatre. (Story continues below the video.)
“American Story” relates the history of a strike by immigrant coal miners in 1913-14 that culminated in the Ludlow Massacre, a raid on the strikers’ tent colony that resulted in the deaths of up to 25 people, including two women and 11 children. Cast and crew are anxious to take “American Story” to Colorado.
“Some of the people that we will be performing for, the citizens of Trinidad, had ancestors that were a part of that strike,” said Thomas Delgado, freshman theatre major from Kearney, Mo. “I can’t wait to see what they think of the show. Hopefully, they appreciate it as much as I have.”
Adrienne Collins, junior vocal performance major from St. Joseph, said “American Story” struck an emotional chord with audiences when the cast performed it on campus on April 21. “Think how much more touching it will be in Colorado, where the events actually happened and where the characters’ grandchildren and great-grandchildren might actually be in the audience,” she said.
In addition to the performance in Trinidad, students will tour historical sites associated with “American Story.” They will then travel to Denver, where they will tour the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and meet with some of the professionals working there. “That could be a good opportunity for our students to make future career connections,” said Dr. Laurel Vartabedian, who wrote the book and lyrics for “American Story” and helped organize the trip.
The students will also meet with Missouri Western alumni Seth and Kelsey Lyons, who were awarded a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store in Silverthorne, Colo., as part of the first Applied Entrepreneurship class in the Craig School of Business in 2009. Finally, the students will perform at an event for alumni and other friends of Missouri Western at the famous Cherokee Ranch & Castle in Sedalia, Colo. About 170 people living in the Denver area have been invited to the event.
Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president and husband of Laurel, said the nine students in the 10-member cast will learn valuable lessons from the trip to Colorado.
“I think there are all kinds of inherent advantages to performing, in terms of being creative, inventing characters, sharing musical talents,” he said. “But I think this has an added hook. They’re learning about an important part of American history, and they’re actually traveling to where those incidents took place. So I think it will be an interesting, emotional journey for them.”
“American Story” has been staged in Colorado, Texas and New York, winning a “Best of Festival” award in New York. Missouri Western’s production compares favorably to the others, Laurel said.
“The quality of the vocal talent here is just astounding,” she said. “In New York we had all professional actors, and to a person the voices here are every bit as good or better than that cast.”
The cast has appreciated the opportunity to perform, and to learn more about a neglected part of American history.
“I was really excited to be able to tell this story that a lot of people have not heard about,” said Adrienne Collins, junior vocal performance major from St. Joseph. “It’s an American story that’s kind of ugly and there’s a lot of heartbreak to it, but yet you also see the good that came from it.”
“We are all incredibly grateful to be working with the Vartabedians and to be working on a piece of art like this,” said Thomas Delgado, freshman theatre major from Kearney, Mo. “It’s just a tragically beautiful story. I hope it becomes something really big one day.”
The April 21 performances were a benefit to offset travel costs for the students. Donations are still being accepted. Those interested in supporting the trip can contact the Missouri Western State University Foundation at 816-271-5647.
Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.