All aboard! We’re taking a trip back in time to the 1970’s!
Diamonds and Gold and Frankly Green Bay present Let Me Be Frank Productions’ all-new comedy musical “The Freedom Train ‘1976’”.
The Freedom Train was the brainchild of Ross Rowland Jr., a successful broker, and steam locomotive engineer. His idea was to travel across the United States in a steam train, much like the trains that traveled across the country in 1876 and then again in 1947. In August of 1975, the Freedom Train made its 25th stop at The National Railroad Museum in Green Bay. The 138-destination route was meant to celebrate the bicentennial year of 1976 and included artifacts of days gone by in America.
Got the facts? Good. Now we’ll move on to the fiction.
Our story is really about the kids from Green Bay who come to visit the train. Spanky, from the west side of town, has his eyes on some memorabilia the train is carrying. Is another great train robbery in the works? He and his sidekicks, Alfalfa and Lisa, are ready to break the law. The east side kids are just as eager to see the Freedom Train, but for an entirely different reason. History Buff, Waldo, and his gang of east siders, sisters Carla and Darla Costello, are looking to learn more about our beloved United States of America. They are looking to give Waldo a little more ammo for his slightly inaccurate history rants. Let’s just say the two sides of town really aren’t fans of each other at first, but the Porter of the Freedom Train (Porter Wagner) has a lesson to teach these youngsters. Take a journey with us and you’ll be singing along to every ‘70s hit song featured in this show!
“The Freedom Train ‘1976’” opens Friday, July 13th with a benefit for Downtown Green Bay. On opening night, $10 of every paid ticket goes to this wonderful organization in our community. In addition, on Thursday, July 19th, $10 of every paid ticket will go toward the Civic Symphony of Green Bay. “The Freedom Train ‘1976’” runs at the Meyer Theatre July 13th—August 4th on Thursday—Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. An additional matinee will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 4th. For tickets go to ticketstaronline.com or call (920) 494-3401. An encore presentation of “The Freedom Train ‘1976’” will be shared on Wednesday, July 25th at the Capitol Civic Centre in Manitowoc at 7:30 p.m. For tickets to the Capitol Civic Centre performance, visit cccshows.org or call (920) 683-2184.
Cast includes Pat Hibbard as Spanky, Michael O’Malley as Alfalfa, Lisa Borley as Lisa, Frank Hermans as Waldo, Amy Riemer as Darla, Talor Sohr as Carla and Tom Verbrick as Porter Wagner. Band includes Jeff Arnold, keyboards; Adam Cain, percussion; Dennis Panneck, guitars; and Pat Hibbard, bass.
Song selections:
That’s the Way (I Like It) – KC and the Sunshine Band
Moonlight Feels Right – Starbuck
Peace Train – Cat Stevens
One Toke Over the Line – Brewer and Shipley
Baby Blue – Badfinger
Long Train Running – Doobie Brothers
Squeeze Box – The Who
Locomotive Breath – Jethro Tull
Money Honey – Bay City Rollers
Hey Porter – Johnny Cash
Here Comes The Freedom Train – Merle Haggard
Tracks of My Tears – Linda Ronstadt
Right Back Where We Started From – Maxine Nightingale
Stoney End – Barbra Streisand
Love Train – The O’Jays
Do You Know Where You’re Going To – Diana Ross
More, More, More – Andrea True Connection
Midnight at the Oasis – Maria Muldaur
I Don’t Know How to Love Him – Helen Reddy
You Make Me Feel Like Dancing – Leo Sayer
