The following is a brief of the story. For the full version, see the Tuesday, Nov. 25 print edition of the BDN.
Local artists enjoyed the fruits of their labors when more than 1,000 people attended the opening of Gumbo Bottoms: A Big Muddy Musical. The production, frequently referred to as a “homegrown” effort, was the result of local talent from top to bottom, including the script and and song writing, acting, producing and directing. Three performances were presented this past weekend at Thespian Hall.
Producer Meredith Ludwig was thrilled with the attendance. “We’ve never had an advertising budget to work with, and the grant from Boonville Tourism Commission made all the difference,” she said. “I couldn't be happier with the response from the community, from helping financially to baking brownies to striking the set.”
The production was a huge group effort, Ludwig said. “Our contact sheet has 27 names on it and that’s just the core,” she said.
She said the development process the musical went through worked. “The production was the direct result of a supportive arts organization, the River Rats, that gave Cathy Barton and I the opportunity to explore and collaborate,” Ludwig said. “The fact that we have Lesley Oswald, Dave Para, Janice Bradshaw, Christopher Bolin, that cast and crew right in our region is phenomenal. Sitting in the balcony of that old theatre, listening to the songs, my words, the laughter and applause, I was just beaming and kept thinking ... ‘We did it. We did it.’”
Amy Humphrey, who played the role of Vivian, said she considered it an honor to be included in the production. “There’s always been such a wealth of talent in this region, but to have so much of it pooled together toward this creative endeavor was truly extraordinary,” she said. “I was amazed at the dedication, passion, and hard work not only of the cast and crew, but also the community as a whole. People from all over embraced the project and that enthusiasm and excitement was infectious. After so many weeks of hard work putting it all together, the response this past weekend made it all worthwhile. I hope we’re able to continue performing the wonderful scenes and songs throughout Missouri!”
Composer Cathy Barton, who also played banjo and flute in the Bottoms’ band with husband Dave Para on guitar, said the couple felt profound gratitude to the people of Boonville and to the surrounding communities for their support of this musical. “Dave and I are lucky indeed to live in such a beautiful and supportive town, and in this time of Thanksgiving, we count this as one of our richest blessings,” she said.
