Play shows American history through music

By Trisha Stachowski
Cardinal Staff

On Thursday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m., the Saint Mary’s University Page Theater will host the Pushcart Players play, “Let Freedom Ring: America At the Beginning.”

According to the play’s website, “Let Freedom Ring … celebrates our nation’s birth and development.” Through music, the Pushcart Players move from the first inhabitation of America to the Pilgrims arrival in America in 1620, states the website.

The main characters of the play, Sam, Sarah, Jennie and Ginny experience many of the pivotal moments in America’s past. As stated on the Page Theatre website, these events include, “The Boston Tea Party, The American Revolution, westward expansion, The Underground Railroad, Civil War, California Gold Rush, and Industrialization.”

The Pushcart Players have been hosted by SMU previously. According to the Page Theater General Manager, Patrick Grace, Let Freedom Ring is a “family oriented show, [but] college students will have fun with it because it’s a musical.” Grace stresses the importance of parents and grandparents bringing children to the play as a way to expose them to music and theater.

“Let Freedom Ring” is a different kind of theater, said Grace. It is not lacking quality; it is just a different kind of theater that relies much less on technology. According to Grace, Let Freedom Ring encourages people of all ages to get more creative while also getting an educational experience.

The Page Series has been going on for 24 years, said Grace. Shows like Let Freedom Ring are chosen based off the results the Page Theater receives from SMU students, he said. In addition, Grace looks to his fellow colleagues to help make the decision. Grace stressed the importance of the artists providing educational components, which allows the SMU students and the Winona community to access things they are not otherwise aware of culturally.

Tickets for “Let Freedom Ring: American At the Beginning” can be purchased by phone at 507-457-1715, through www.pagetheatre.org, or at the Performance Center Box Office, located within the Page Theater. The tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for both seniors and students.