Not so many years ago our nation was faced with an economic disaster which lasted more than a decade. It became known as "The Great Depression". It imposed hardships on the American people which were often insurmountable, yet the spirit of the citizens of this country prevailed. Out of necessity the resourcefulness of each individual and the work ethic of both the common man and the industrialist contributed to the eventual recovery of what we, as a people, vowed we'd never see again. As if the financial woes of our country weren't enough to endure, Mother Nature swept through the plains of the Midwest in the form of horrific dust storms - devouring farmland and devastating the lives of thousands of farmers and their families. The Dust Bowl was merciless and it forced it's victims to take to the road in search of jobs as migrant workers. They were called "Okies". They lived in their cars or in camps and often traveled months to reach the promised land of California, only to be turned away at the border. Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath" immortalized the spirit of these 20th century pioneers in his haunting, unapologetic novel. All across the country men, boys and even girls left home in search of a job or because they were yet another mouth that couldn't be fed. They took to the nation's railways as hitchhikers going from town to town looking for work and, more often than not, a meal. "Just beyond the next bend", thought the weary hobos. Although the task before him was staggering, the citizens of this great nation looked toward President Franklin Delano Roosevelt as their savior. With a strong vision and the aid of a united Congress, FDR implemented programs which helped put the people of this country back to work. His gracious wife Eleanor, the beloved First Lady of the land, endeared herself to the millions who listened to her words of inspiration. She was sent thousands of letters each week, often from the youth of America, who wrote to her out of desperation for help they felt only she could give. Though merely a man and his wife, the two were looked upon as the champions of a country in need of healing. Hollywood and Tin Pan Alley sought to ease the hearts and minds of the world by offering songs of hope and the promise of better times ahead. This show combines real first-hand accounts of people who lived during these difficult years and the music which helped to get our beleaguered country through them. Notes from the Director After the overwhelming success of our last endeavor, When The Lights Go On Again (The Triad Theater), Max and I discussed what the next show should be. I suggested we look at the 1930's and I had even picked out the title of the show. This was in March of 2008. We had no idea that, by the time I had put all the pieces in place, visiting The Great Depression would be so timely a subject. As a kid, I remember hearing stories from my grandparents about what it was like to get by during those years - and although my folks were both "Depression Babies" they didn't realize they had it bad. Everyone did! My hope is that this time capsule affords a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances who thought to record their experiences for future generations. The tales we tell are the actual word of folks who lived through the Dust Bowl or hitched a train in search of a means to survive. We offer the audience a chance to re-visit a few familiar songs wrought from the pens of some of the era's most beloved composers, reflecting the hardships that few were spared. Some writers dared to depict the poor souls who had to sell their virtue in order to get their next meal. You'll recognize the hits... discover some rarities... but you'll find that all of these tunes reflect the era with candor, a bit of humor and ever-present hope which eventually led us to The Great Recovery. Notes From The Producer: Having lived through The Great Depression of the 20's and 30's and The Great Recovery in the 40's (yes, I'll be 90 in 2011) the decision to follow Bill Daugherty's recommendation to produce a musical revue encompassing those memorable decades was a no-brainer. One of the highlights, for me, in producing this show was getting to do the curtain speech at the top of each performance and to greet the audience afterwards. So many people had stories to share and this show brought it all home for them. Over twenty great songs augmented by the sounds and stories of the era were artfully blended by Bill and Doyle to illustrate how this great music by some of America's greatest composers (Berlin, Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart, Gorney, Guthrie and many more) played a major role in helping America keep spirits high. Finally, don't let the current recession get you down. Act Two of "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime" - with songs like "Get Happy", "The Clouds Will Soon Roll By", "When My Ship Comes In", "Happy Days Are Here Again" - is guaranteed to chase those blues away!
