LYRIC STAGE PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF LARRY GATLIN’S QUANAH Musical Written by and Starring Country Music Legend Larry Gatlin to be Featured April 28 – May 7, 2017 at the Irving Art Center Carpenter Performance Hall in Dallas, Texas Today, Country music legend Larry Gatlin announced the debut of his new musical, Quanah, presented by Lyric Stage. Larry explains: “Howdy. For almost thirty years, I have been working on a musical about Quanah Parker, the last Comanche chief. It is the story of Quanah, his mother Cynthia Ann Parker, and the Parker family’s settling in Texas and the survival and ascendancy of the great Comanche people. It is, in part, a tragic, sad, heartbreaking story – a story of war, bloodshed, death and heartbreak – but it is, more importantly, a story celebrating the strength and power of the human spirit.” “As a kid in west Texas, I had a vivid imagination and I loved to make up stories with which to entertain my family and friends. For the last 30 years, as I have grown into a crusty old coot, I have allowed my already vivid imagination to run wild – much like Quanah Parker, the last Comanche chief. We are going to perform this at the Irving Arts Center Carpenter Performance Hall from April 28th through May 7th. I invite you to come join us, use your imagination and to let our wonderful cast, orchestra and crew tell you this incredible story.” Keep the Faith, Larry “P.S. My wife Janis – who is NEVER wrong – believes that it is the best music I have ever written. Why donchya come to the show and see if I am right about her always being right? Also, my sweet, beautiful, talented granddaughter Campbell did the pencil drawing of Quanah. It’s wonderful, don’t ya think?” “P.P.S. One of the great blessings in my life is that the very best singer that I have ever heard, is going to play the double roles of Peta Nocona, Quanah’s father and Quanah, the last Comanche chief. HALLELUJAH. Almost 20 years ago, when I heard the background vocals on my solo gospel album, In My Life, I asked Mike Smith, the producer of the album, ‘who are those people singing the background vocals?’ He said, ‘Tanya Goodman Sykes, Michael Sykes, and some kid named David Phelps.’ I said, ‘Wow, that is the best vocal sound I have ever heard that wasn’t sung by someone named Gatlin.’ A couple of years later I heard David Phelps sing with the Gaither Vocal Band and I said to myself, ‘he’s the greatest singer I have ever heard.’ It was true then and it is true now. It is truly a God thing that David is going to play the double role of Quanah and Peta in our new musical. I thank God. I thank David Phelps. And I thank my old and dear friend, Bill Gaither, for making this happen.” “P.P.P.S. I made my publicist write the Continue reading Larry Gatlin Writes and Stars in New Musical, QUANAH→
