Book and Lyrics by John D. Rather and Susan Rather
Music by Lynn G. Burton
Available for Wards, and Stakes and Community Groups or Professionals
Shortly after the first company of pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, Brigham Young began calling the new arrivals to settle towns throughout the West. Given a choice, most of them would have stayed in the Salt Lake Valley. Harder yet, after having started a home in the valley, was being called to start over again away from Salt Lake. Perhaps the hardest of all was being called to Dixie in Southern Utah. Cottonwood is about one family’s feelings when being asked to leave their home in Cottonwood and go south to Washington County. In a more general sense it is a story about people who, because of their allegiance to a grand cause, stronger than any commitment to personal comfort and security, experience isolation and longings for home. A sensation in it’s premiere performances at Promised Valley Playhouse in Salt Lake City, “Once I Lived In Cottonwood” is now available for production by Wards and Stakes.
PLAY DETAILS:
- 7male 6female + ensemble
- Open staging
- Pioneer Costumes
- 2 hrs
- ORDER #2046
PERUSAL MATERIALS
- The PERUSAL PAGES file (in PDF format) is available here: OnceILivedInCottonwood PERUSAL (The PDF file contains Acts One & Two of this 3-act musical)
SONG TITLES
- ACT ONE
#l ONCE I LIVED IN COTTONWOOD Ballad Singer
Scene 1 – LDS Meeting House – Spring of 1863
Scene 2 – A Pasture of Will Larson’s farm
Scene 3 – Another pasture and the same pasture
#2 WHAT SHALL I DO? Tom Hicks
#3 FEELING HUMBLE Will Larson
Scene 4 – A continuation of previous scene
Scene 5 – The following day In the living room of the Larson Home.
Scene 6 – A continuation of previous scene
#4 WALTZ Bonnie & Jenny
Scene 7 – Outside the Larson Home
#5 THE COTTON MISSION Finn, Robert, Fred & Friends
Scene 8 – Somewhere on the Larson Farm
#6 I CAN LOOK OUT TONIGHT Jenny & Luke
Scene 9 – Backyard of the Larson home
#7 WANDERERS Tom & Bonnie - ACT TWO
Scene 1 – The Larson Barn
#8 SQUARE DANCE Fred and Company
#9 SOAP Fred, Will & Company
Scene 2 – The Cooper Kitchen
#10 MEN ARE ALL ALIKE Bonnie, Malt & Women
Scene 3 – An orchard
Scene 4 The Larson Bedroom & home
#11 NIGHTMARE MUSIC Instrumental
#12 WAS MISSOURI JUST A DREAM? Bonnie & Will
Scene 5 – Yard of the Endowment House
#13 DOWN THE AISLE Instrumental - ACT THREE
Scene 1 – “In One” – Fall of 1863
#14 MISSOURI Bonnie
Scene 2 – The Larson Front Yard
Scene 3 – The Larson Yard
Scene 4 – The Local LDS Ward House
#15 WHO’D CALL FRED? Company
Scene 5 – The Cemetary
#16 WANDERERS Bonnie, Tom, Jane, Luke, Finn & Jenny
SONG SAMPLES — Here is THE OVERTURE to the show in a video trailer from YouTube.
REHEARSAL MATERIALS AVAILABLE
- Performance License Application: No production rights can be granted until this application is filled out and sent to us. This is a filler form that after you click “SUBMIT” will send directly to our email address. Response averages 2-3 business days.
- Script in PDF format — Order #2046a : $25.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to make copies for your production)
- Piano-Vocal Score — not available for this title. Use the Vocal book to sing to the PerformanceTraks.
- Vocal Book (in PDF format) — Order #2046c : $15.00 (will be sent to you by email, from which you will be authorized to make copies for your production)
- First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #2046d : quoted on application (for the first or only performance)
- Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #2046e : quoted on application (For each successive performance)
- Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application
- PerformanceTraks CD (or mp3 transfer) — included with your royalty payment (May not be distributed to anyone outside of your production’s cast and Production Staff) (Please, specify CD or electronic transfer.)
- A special Piano-Vocal Version of WANDERERS, a duet song from this show in a new arrangement by Taylor Williams, is available as a PDF for $6.00
EMAIL us for rights and information. Be sure to give us anticipated performance dates and the address of your group and, if different, your theatre. Please also include a contact name and phone number.
PRODUCTIONS
- Premiered at The Promised Valley Playhouse, Salt Lake City — 1990
BILLING CREDITS
The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:
Once I Lived In Cottonwood
Book and Lyrics by
John D. Rather and Susan Rather
Music by
Lynn G. Burton
NOTE: The names of the Playwright(s), Composer, Lyricist, and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness, and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent than the billing to the Authors except for the title of the play.
ALSO:
THIS NOTICE MUST APPEAR IN ALL PROGRAMS, ON ALL POSTERS AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS AND INTERNET ADVERTISING/WEBPAGES FOR THE PLAY:
“Once I Lived In Cottonwood” is presented through special arrangement with Zion Theatricals. All authorized materials are also supplied by ZT, www.ziontheatricals.com”
from the catalog of
