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‘Sale Saturday’ musical opens this Friday Print E-mail
Written by Kathy Browning   
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 00:00
The talent in Paonia are once again bringing the theater going public an original musical play. This time it is a play written by Zach Mann and his late mother, Patricia Fought-Mann. The premiere is this Friday, June 5 at the Blue Sage Center for the Arts in Paonia.

 

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Donna and Zach Mann
Joining the locals at the premiere will be four people from Goodland, Kan., who won a contest with their local newspaper, Goodland Star-News. They will receive accommodations, dinner at the Flying Fork, and VIP seating for the play. The play is set in Goodland. Zach said "Sale Saturday" was originally conceived as a country musical play. Zach describes the origins of the play from a "rather harrowing adventure" when he and a friend traveled from Los Angeles to Tulsa. In New Mexico, his old Toyota gave up ghost. Thanks to the kindness of a Catholic Rescue Mission they survived Albuquerque. They worked day labor jobs to pay for repairs on the Toyota. "On our last night in the mission, we met a gentleman who had been a fourth generation Nebraska farmer right up until his place had been foreclosed upon just weeks before. Realizing that my car had rolled its last inch, I helped him siphon my tank of gas for which he gave me a pack of cigarettes and the subject matter for this saga. "Sale Saturday" at least the darker parts, are his true story, not unlike thousands of American family farmers of the time." Zach shares in the play's dedication. "This production of "Sale Saturday" is therefore dedicated to the real Will Browns of the world, and to the greatest mother a man could ever have, who was a fabulous writer, Patricia Fought-Mann."

Zach and his mother wrote the play in 1984. They had planned to produce it together after she moved to Paonia. Sadly, she died of a massive heart attack three days after arriving in Paonia. Understandably, plans to produce the play were shelved until Zach saw the success of "Babbitt," a play in which he acted. "I thought now is a good time to do it."

The original music is special to Zach because he wrote it with his mother. "I was welding and living in a man camp (construction camp) in Wyoming," he said. He corresponded by mail with his mother collaborating on the music.

Zach as a bass player has played professionally with Jimmy Payne and Claude King, who sang "Wolverton Mountain." Of course, he has played many times in local bands like ZBS Newz.

Patricia Fought-Mann was a professional writer and editor. She was editor of the Arkansas Mirror in Pine Bluff, Ark.Donna directed "Steel Magnolias" in 2004 at the Warehouse Playhouse. About "Sale Saturday" Donna reflected, "I've know all these characters for 20 years. I pick the play up and every once in a while I listen to the songs that Zach wrote. It's really fun to see these characters come to life."

Zach and his mother wrote three plays. The other two are "Holy Dirt" about a preacher who runs for president and "Harry and the Piano" about a piano player in a bar. "Sale Saturday" is the first to be produced.

"I think he and Pat always wrote prophetically," Donna said. "They wrote "Sale Saturday" and never got it out there, and then the whole farm crisis happened. Willie Nelson picked it up, and we thought darn, ‘We missed that.' Then they wrote "Holy Dirt" and the Jimmy and Tammy Faye Bakker thing blew up. You guys keep writing about stuff that actually happens!"

Zach added, "This is happening again with the farm crisis re-heating. With the current economy it is really rough on the farmers."

Zach noted the musical is "a tale of foreclosure" but look out for the surprise ending. Despite the subject, "Sale Saturday" has an uplifting message.

Donna added, "The subject matter is grim, but there is lots to smile about."

 

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Patricia Fought-Mann
Randall Utterback produced and engineered the entire soundtrack at his Paonia studio. Utterback plays acoustic, electric and bass guitars, fiddle and mandolin on the recording. He is joined by drummer Justin Hess and Zach Mann.

"Randall's contribution to this project is immeasurable," Mann said. "His talent is world class and we are lucky to have his facility as well as his expertise in our midst."

"Sale Saturday" will have its opening on Friday, June 5, at the Blue Sage Center for the Arts in Paonia. $20 tickets include a gala cocktail and appetizer reception at 6:30 p.m. Show time is 7:30 p.m.

Other performances will be Saturday, June 6 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12. Call 527-SAGE for more information.

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