A Fine Upstanding Lad- World Premiere Workshop Production

400 E University Way,Ellensburg WA 98926

03 March, 2023

Description

A Fine Upstanding Lad tells of a very different time and place: 1910, a time when social unrest was on the rise, fights for minority equality were gaining momentum, and tensions were brewing between nations that would eventually erupt into what was called The War to End All Wars. Nestled snugly (yet fictionally) in between these great events of the world is the comparatively insignificant story of young Seamus Briggs, the campus hero of Ridgevale University. The musical chronicles his escapades, the dangers he faces, and the people who make him the fine upstanding hero everyone sees him as. The play focuses on friendships, relationships, and what it truly means to be a hero. Based around character archetypes from the works of Burt L. Standish, Edward Stratemeyer and Horatio Alger, authors Shawn Mulligan and Maverick McCarl have sought to bring a bright and lively score reminiscent of Golden Age musical theatre pieces to the story of Seamus Briggs, David Belmont, Pauline Elmslie, Dawson Carlton, and Ellie Holmes. Since the early days of musical theatre, songwriters have sought to capture a wide variety of emotions: joy, sorrow, longing, gratification, and pretty much everything else in between. Songs and stories make us think, make us feel, and make us look inward at ourselves. We connect to different stories in different ways, and that is what makes us each unique. The entire ensemble now invites you to close your eyes and step back into a past that never happened, a world that could have existed, a place where social barriers are down and societal expectations are not as stringent and hateful as they truly were at the time. Thank you to our incredible sponsor, The Hot New Jam, Central Washington University's Best (and Only) Improv Team!