Routt–Triopia Production (2011)
2011 · Green Pastures
This page gathers what survives of a 2011 Routt–Triopia stage project — not a finished script so much as the early thinking behind one. The surviving papers are a short journal entry, a note exchanged with a collaborator named Roger, and a scrap referencing a Jacksonville High School junior, Brian Coats.
The concept, as Roger put it, followed a "troupe" moving from the world of vaudeville into the era of the TV sitcom. Most of the songs and music would be the troupe performing their act, while the main story unfolded backstage — the interactions of the cast and how they coped with all the changes around them. Roger offered the idea modestly: "I know I'm not a writer. I was just hoping to inspire you. So throw all of this out — this is just thoughts."
The journal entry, written in the small hours after the Green Pastures cast party, catches the bittersweet end of one season and the hesitation before beginning another. The set had been torn down in quick time, stowed away in the Triopia shed, and the cast had finished praying and tearfully sharing a final circle. "Don't know if I've got the umph to do this all again," Ken wrote. "Such joy, but man, help gets shorter by the year. We'll see… we'll see." A working title surfaces in those same pages: Third Time's the Charm.
Cast
No roles were ever assigned to this contemplated production. The names that survive come from Ken's journal — the young performers gathered at Lydia's house for the cast party that closed the previous show — together with a one-line casting scrap for Brian Coats.
- Lydia
- Kyle
- CJ
- Corey
- Brittany
- Annie
- Katie T
- Erin
- Katie D
- Patrick
- Brennan
- Brock
- Brian Coats — Jacksonville High School junior
Production Notes
- A planning-stage record, not a finished show: Ken Bradbury was the writer being asked to develop an original concept. Roger disclaimed authorship outright — "I know I'm not a writer, I was just hoping to inspire you. So throw all of this out, this is just thoughts."
- The concept: a "troupe" moving from vaudeville into the era of the TV sitcom, with most of the songs and music being the troupe performing their act and the main story drawn from the cast's backstage interactions and how they dealt with the changes.
- A possible working title, Third Time's the Charm, appears at the end of the journal.
- The journal entry is dated Sunday, April 25, 2010, written the morning after Lydia's cast party for the previous show, Green Pastures.
- After that show closed, the set was torn down quickly and stowed in the Triopia shed by Mr. West, Dean, Big Ed, and Mr. Davis, once the cast had prayed and shared a final circle.
- Scenes from the cast party at Lydia's: Kyle playing guitar by the hot tub with C.J. and Corey listening; Annie, Katie T, and Patrick in the tub; Erin asleep with her chin on Katie D's leg; Brennan making bubbles; Brock looking lost; Brittany asleep.
- Ken's reflection: "Don't know if I've got the umph to do this all again. Such joy, but man, help gets shorter by the year. We'll see…we'll see."
- Production crew / staff who struck the previous set: Mr. West, Dean, Big Ed, Mr. Davis.