A year and a half ago, Bucket Brigade brought us an original docu-musical about the
Great Hinckley Fire of 1894, entitled
Survivors of the Fire. It was a thoroughly gripping tale that shared the real stories and words of survivors, from books, journals, or articles of the time, combined with music of the period. I loved it so much I traveled to the
Hinckley Fire Museum last Labor Day
with some of my fellow Twin Cities Theater Bloggers to watch a shorter version of piece, tour the museum, and visit the burial site and memorial. During his research for
Survivors, Bucket Brigade Co-Founder and playwright Jermiah Gamble, who lived in Hinckley as a child, ran across the story of
one fire survivor who later published a collection of traditional songs of the North Woods, and was inspired to write another original musical filled with these songs.
Shanty Boys of Pine County is a sort of companion piece to
Survivors of the Fire, but without the death and trauma. Instead, it shares the music and culture of the 19th Century logging camps in the North Woods in 70 minutes of songs, stories, and laughter.
Check it out through May 9 at the charming former church known as Art House North in St. Paul's 7th Street neighborhood, with free cookies and coffee in the cute basement lobby. Or visit the Hinckley Fire Museum this Memorial Day Weekend to
watch a shorter version of the piece and tour the museum - for free!
