A Pittsburg lady cowboy, a closeted housewife, and a husband soon forgotten were brought to life at the Emporia State Theatre Department’s production of “Late, A Cowboy Song”. Staged in Frederickson Black Box Theatre and directed by Aubrey Wilson, this production starred students Rachel Shaffer, Lexie Vega, and Lewis Trotter.
The musical, written by Sarah Ruhl, follows Mary, portrayed by Vega, a happy housewife who knows deep down she could be happier with a lady cowboy named Red from “outside of city limits,” played by Shaffer. Unfortunately for Mary, she’s already married to her fiscally irresponsible husband Crick, who is portrayed by Trotter. Married by circumstance, Mary and Crick find themselves with two different reactions to the same situations: the birth of their intersex child and Mary’s queerness.
“He’s not a bad guy, just not the right guy for Mary,” Trotter said of his character.
This statement rings true as the two grapple with changes in their life and as Mary has realizations of her own about what unrestricted love feels like. Reconnecting with Red, Mary begins spending time “outside of city limits,” riding horses and falling for her new cowboy friend.
The musical faces tough concepts of domestic abuse and LGBTQIA+ relationships all within 90 minutes and features songs composed by Shaffer herself, which also carried a strong message.
“(The process) was very new, really rewarding. It was a struggle though, because using someone else’s words, you want to do it right since it’s not yours,” Shaffer said.
The tone of the production shifts during a sequence of holidays over a year. Garnering a laugh from audience members because of its initial humor, laughter soon turned to silence as Mary found herself losing track of time in her unhappy home.
Delivering such an intense message is no easy feat, but the three cast members did so with ease. The cast members have all been close for at least a year and Vega says the roots run deep with Shaffer, which helps a lot when it comes to on-stage chemistry.
“Rachel actually lives in my hometown…I’ve known her since literally like first grade,” she said.
Late, A Cowboy Song ran from Feb. 29 to March 3. The season will close with Androcles and The Lion, which runs April 19 to April 21 in Fredrickson Theatre.
