Ever come across an amazing, true story that intrigued you so much that you couldn’t stop thinking about, a story that made you want to bring it up in conversation and ask others what they thought?
That happened to me with the story of Gabriel, the enslaved blacksmith who, in 1800 Virginia, organized a statewide uprising to end slavery. I first read the story in 2016, in a history of Richmond Virginia written by Ben Campbell. The more I read the relatively little that was available about Gabriel, the more I was intrigued.
And the more it felt like a musical waiting to happen, so that others could enter into the story and take away that sense of wonder and inspiration.
I started researching this story in 2016, devouring everything I could find about it. I then began writing the script and songs in May 2017 and spoke with local thought leaders about slavery and racial reconciliation. When I’d finished a complete first draft of the entire musical in September 2018, I began recording demo’s of the songs.
Since then I've speaking with various musical theatre professionals toward organizing a reading of the show, which is the first step in moving the show toward production.
That happened to me with the story of Gabriel, the enslaved blacksmith who, in 1800 Virginia, organized a statewide uprising to end slavery. I first read the story in 2016, in a history of Richmond Virginia written by Ben Campbell. The more I read the relatively little that was available about Gabriel, the more I was intrigued.
And the more it felt like a musical waiting to happen, so that others could enter into the story and take away that sense of wonder and inspiration.
I started researching this story in 2016, devouring everything I could find about it. I then began writing the script and songs in May 2017 and spoke with local thought leaders about slavery and racial reconciliation. When I’d finished a complete first draft of the entire musical in September 2018, I began recording demo’s of the songs.
Since then I've speaking with various musical theatre professionals toward organizing a reading of the show, which is the first step in moving the show toward production.
Synopsis
In 1800 Richmond Virginia, an enslaved blacksmith named Gabriel works toward earning enough money to purchase his freedom. But when Gabriel rescues Nanny, a fellow slave, from a vicious assault, Prosser sees to it that Gabriel will never be free. Backed into a corner, Gabriel, along with Nanny and new companions, channels the longings of the enslaved throughout Virginia into an army, devising a revolutionary plan that will turn the tables on Virginia’s leadership, including governor James Monroe and soon-to-be president Thomas Jefferson. -- based on a true story