The Great Bear Folk Theatre

LOCATION: Rexburg, Idaho

SYNOPSIS: This concert version of the full-length musical “Pioneer Song” tells the story of the Oregon trail as seen through the eyes of the women who made that epic journey. This fictional work is based on the journals of women who crossed the Oregon trail.

Ruth Mariman, a disillusioned widow of the 1850’s, with her three daughters begins the journey across the country on the Oregon Trail. She is seeking a new life, hoping to find joy, a song as she calls it, to fill the void that her loveless marriage never could.

Ruth befriends a group of women, all damaged in different ways, and they form tight friendships. Each must face their own demons.

As the journey progresses, we periodically meet “the dead” who each tell their own story. As Ruth says, “The men count the miles, the women count the graves.” Ruth herself must face losing her three daughters, each differently.

Ultimately, she survives more than she thought humanly possible, but has also found love, and an inner strength and peace. She has found her song.

GENRE: Theatre, Drama, Original Script, Musical, Historical

RATING: F - Family Friendly (PG)

ARTIST BIO: Lori graduated from BYU in theatre education in 1982, and has been combining teaching and theatre in unique ways ever since. She has directed children in theatrical performances at numerous elementary schools, and she has directed the Children’s Theatre production at BYU-Idaho for 12 of the last 16 productions.

She was one of the founders of the Snake River Storytelling Festival and together with her husband, she founded the Great Bear Folk Theatre, dedicated to bringing theatre and storytelling to audiences across the country. They have performed as storytellers at libraries, and storytelling festivals from WA to IA to TN. Lori also teaches theatre and storytelling at the college level, finding great joy in sharing the craft that she loves so much.

Lori is the writer and performer for the one-woman show, Becoming an Honorary Crone. She received grants from both the Idaho Commission on the Arts, as well as the National Storytelling Network for this project. She has performed it in Utah, Idaho, at the National Storytelling Conference in Richmond, VA, and in New York City in November of 2013 as part of the United Solo Festival.

WEBSITE: http://greatbearfolktheatre.com

OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.facebook.com/GreatBearFolkTheatre, Great Bear Folk Theatre @plays_musicals, https://www.instagram.com/greatbearfolktheatre/