'Kansas: An Original Musical' Comes to Canton
Sweet family ties, charming romance, and a classic small-town hoedown: all of it comes together in 'Kansas,’ an original musical performed by Lolek Storytellers. Set to a lively score and filled with wistful and dreamy original songs, 'Kansas' was a well-polished production that showcased local talent. Since the show is no longer in Canton, anyone who could not attend the show missed out on an outstanding original performance.
![Loleks Storytellers presents Kansas at the Historic Canton Theatre in Canton Georgia](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=25a1fa643fa025afb7ac5b4b0aa911bc 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=2a1695e4d2a336854b67621b9a60a177 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=6084b8a6dab44240628175d64a0fe0bf 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=1de664f1e9f9e86b23c5b8138b8768f3 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=e81defe77343bb723f02b37ca67ddffb 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=2b925c32916778e894eff9c8cbd701a7 1440w)
'Kansas' takes place in the titular state during the 1940s and is written and directed by Dani Dickinson. The musical was originally performed a few years ago and features an original score and songs. While the musical took around a few months to write, many revisions were made in between performances to polish 'Kansas' into the musical it is today.
The musical focused on Bobbi Jo, played by Sophia Ann Dickinson (also the music director for the production). Along with her boy-crazy sister Amy, played by Miriam Scavelli, she begrudgingly offers the family barn as shelter for Bear, a boy on the run (played by Sam Bradford). As a romance develops between Bobbi Jo and Bear, Bobbi Jo opened her heart just in time to protect Bear when a group of gangsters from his past track him down.
![Kansas: An Original Musical at the Historic Canton Theatre in Canton Georgia](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=4b14387e47500a961caf3da0f43a85ef 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=357d224d5513852ce598b155597adbe5 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=73294053be54d2e7efb4112ecc9d040e 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=404ad34eff6b4672442084b2d3a17905 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=666417e070d7015066fc1d1737469f61 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=2426d6abcff523b3fb82611e6483fd0a 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=02640b93fa5ec9a02658e79f6686394d 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-4.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=4db66d55ebd00989c6e42f02fcadca74 2048w)
“The inspiration for the show was the opening monologue. It just randomly came to me in a flash, and the entire show ended up built around it,” said Dani Dickinson, the writer and director for the show. The opening monologue by Sophia Ann Dickinson introduces the ensemble of characters. “The characters are definitely very central to the storyline. We have a lot of big personalities in this show.”
The play earned a standing ovation from the audience at the end. Friends of the actors, patrons of the arts, local residents and families alike all attended the show when it ran March 15-17 and March 23-24 at the Canton Theatre. The play was family friendly, funny, and a balanced mix of lighthearted and emotional. The set was beautifully designed to match the vibes of a Kansas small town. The costumes captured the essence of characters as well as staying true to the setting and time period, from Bobbi Jo’s trademark overalls to Amy’s flowy birthday dress.
![Actors perform in Kansas at the Historic Canton Theatre in Canton Georgia](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=1bbd856be0ac9e421b45119aae37dbd1 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=96320713c8a528225bf1802ccb8d381f 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=4fe4661495016eb23f4352bb4b90bb55 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=14887e0331f7e44fc23c0ebf4802b23c 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=c59a62ab7f3a1d224329912e800a5ff9 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=d4d1d0acdbac21a967a12396c6371cd5 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=7dd6ccf1ddf9551cfb40c65d96c438a3 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-1.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=17141ef28a501b7d23a3fda91c391389 2048w)
The entire cast gave an outstanding performance. In particular, Sophia Ann Dickinson and Miriam Scavelli’s powerful voices filled the small Canton Theatre and their accents never failed once. Sam Bradford’s sheepish smile and sarcastic charm brought out a new side of Bear’s character, and the cast as a whole had incredible chemistry and performed well as a team.
“I really love the comradery the cast has. Amy Rose is basically like my little sister, and Mama is like my second mama. I love the relationships we have onstage,” said Sophia Ann Dickinson.
Sam Bradford chimed in, “I’ve really enjoyed the atmosphere of working with Lolek, and like she said, the comradery. I also love the ability to add my own personal spin to an original character.”
![Kansas at the Historic Canton Theatre in Canton Georgia](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=34aeff275c0f3e1fe57d91bda707509c 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=c44dbfc00ec8e69777fc756472b193c8 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=e0d528414df809545f6d49ad6e7f77c5 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=c35167ca9a6174ce4afefa1a15b17f05 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=21f99db7f252c324261c071d9c3645f4 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=96ac4856162b70e935e4ef887d1109c8 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=42b068d4331a2cc7efc9ac6dd77cbf82 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-3.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=416875cd96d3723abfee809bcb90ff0d 2048w)
'Kansas' is original to Lolek Storytellers, a Marietta-based theater company with a focus on Christian and family values. They perform all across the Atlanta area and donate a good share of their proceeds to charity, and they work to showcase local talent in all aspects of production.
Lolek Storytellers will return for a summertime performance of Beauty & The Beast. Auditions are open and show dates are yet to come; tickets will be able to be purchased online at the Lolek Storytellers website (lolekstorytellers.com).
![A scene from Kansas at the Historic Canton Theatre in Canton Georgia](https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=abe16c3640bb75836825c7d9b7dec6a3 320w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=de42d156e71bc00e9abff6ab0c323529 540w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=016438077048bf7254200e69bcd35ec0 768w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=3e8cdd69600df30a7aa0eda349e82fa9 1024w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=3058524df69327586d5c77360905cc4a 1200w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=906787a6a2edc16368f88521181c4092 1440w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=f7dd4633134fbe9eb4962a1798fbec08 1920w, https://cantonga.imgix.net/images/Loleks-Storytellers-2.jpg?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=cdabc0ee84f9669a56e622d771e6b5ea 2048w)
Filled with raw emotion and relatable themes, 'Kansas' brought fresh characters to life onstage, filled the theater with new music, and kept the audience smiling and laughing. While original musicals are stereotyped as shabby and cheesy, 'Kansas' had a professional touch that left the audience amazed.
To learn more about the Historic Canton Theatre and view a schedule of upcoming productions, Click Here!
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171 E Main St Canton, GA 30114 (770) 704-0755