I am John Diaz and I’m the artistic director of the two river theatre up in
director of the two river theatre up in
director of the two river theatre up in Red Bank whoa
Red Bank whoa
Red Bank whoa thank you when I heard that this year’s
thank you when I heard that this year’s
thank you when I heard that this year’s TEDx conference was on the subject of
TEDx conference was on the subject of
TEDx conference was on the subject of identity I thought we have something
identity I thought we have something
identity I thought we have something really quite special that I thought we
really quite special that I thought we
really quite special that I thought we could share with you
could share with you
could share with you so rehearsing in our theatre right this
so rehearsing in our theatre right this
so rehearsing in our theatre right this very minute as you were just told isn’t
very minute as you were just told isn’t
very minute as you were just told isn’t as a brand-new musical that I have loved
as a brand-new musical that I have loved
as a brand-new musical that I have loved for many years it’s called The Ballad of
for many years it’s called The Ballad of
for many years it’s called The Ballad of Little Joe it’s based on the true story
Little Joe it’s based on the true story
Little Joe it’s based on the true story of a remarkable woman named Josephine
of a remarkable woman named Josephine
of a remarkable woman named Josephine Monahan who lived in a frontier Idaho
Monahan who lived in a frontier Idaho
Monahan who lived in a frontier Idaho mining town at the end of the 19th
mining town at the end of the 19th
mining town at the end of the 19th century and the reason we know about her
century and the reason we know about her
century and the reason we know about her is because for most of her adult life
is because for most of her adult life
is because for most of her adult life which she spent mining for silver and
which she spent mining for silver and
which she spent mining for silver and then being a stunt rider in a Wild West
then being a stunt rider in a Wild West
then being a stunt rider in a Wild West Show nobody knew that she was actually a
Show nobody knew that she was actually a
Show nobody knew that she was actually a woman it was only upon her death in 1904
woman it was only upon her death in 1904
woman it was only upon her death in 1904 that the true identity of cowboy Joe as
that the true identity of cowboy Joe as
that the true identity of cowboy Joe as she was called was revealed we don’t
she was called was revealed we don’t
she was called was revealed we don’t know too much about the motivations of
know too much about the motivations of
know too much about the motivations of the real Josephine Monahan why she went
the real Josephine Monahan why she went
the real Josephine Monahan why she went to Idaho or why she chose to live as she
to Idaho or why she chose to live as she
to Idaho or why she chose to live as she did but her story inspired the writers
did but her story inspired the writers
did but her story inspired the writers Sarah Schlesinger and Mike Reid to
Sarah Schlesinger and Mike Reid to
Sarah Schlesinger and Mike Reid to examine those questions and imagine some
examine those questions and imagine some
examine those questions and imagine some answers in the gorgeous musical that
answers in the gorgeous musical that
answers in the gorgeous musical that they wrote Josephine begins her story as
they wrote Josephine begins her story as
they wrote Josephine begins her story as a headstrong independent young woman who
a headstrong independent young woman who
a headstrong independent young woman who was setting off on her own to San
was setting off on her own to San
was setting off on her own to San Francisco intending to bring a new life
Francisco intending to bring a new life
Francisco intending to bring a new life for herself and for the infant child she
for herself and for the infant child she
for herself and for the infant child she bore out of wedlock back in Boston when
bore out of wedlock back in Boston when
bore out of wedlock back in Boston when Josephine is forced to make an
Josephine is forced to make an
Josephine is forced to make an unexpected stop in Idaho she is attacked
unexpected stop in Idaho she is attacked
unexpected stop in Idaho she is attacked and raped by two soldiers she’s forced
and raped by two soldiers she’s forced
and raped by two soldiers she’s forced to wear his mint men’s clothing to hide
to wear his mint men’s clothing to hide
to wear his mint men’s clothing to hide from them and without any money she goes
from them and without any money she goes
from them and without any money she goes in disguise to Silver City for what she
in disguise to Silver City for what she
in disguise to Silver City for what she thinks is a temporary stay but ends up
thinks is a temporary stay but ends up
thinks is a temporary stay but ends up lasting over 18 years the bold
lasting over 18 years the bold
lasting over 18 years the bold optimistic Josephine Monahan is a person
optimistic Josephine Monahan is a person
optimistic Josephine Monahan is a person she can no longer be and the tough
she can no longer be and the tough
she can no longer be and the tough protective mr. Joe is
protective mr. Joe is
protective mr. Joe is over the course of those years she lives
over the course of those years she lives
over the course of those years she lives discreetly and makes a couple of good
discreetly and makes a couple of good
discreetly and makes a couple of good friends
friends
friends namely the handsome miner Jordan with
namely the handsome miner Jordan with
namely the handsome miner Jordan with whom she secretly falls in love and his
whom she secretly falls in love and his
whom she secretly falls in love and his wife Sarah whom Jordan loves like crazy
wife Sarah whom Jordan loves like crazy
wife Sarah whom Jordan loves like crazy but Sarah of course holds a torch
but Sarah of course holds a torch
but Sarah of course holds a torch unwisely for Joe for 18 years Joe never
unwisely for Joe for 18 years Joe never
unwisely for Joe for 18 years Joe never reveals her true identity until that is
reveals her true identity until that is
reveals her true identity until that is she provides refuge to a Chinese man
she provides refuge to a Chinese man
she provides refuge to a Chinese man tinman Wong who is unwelcome in the town
tinman Wong who is unwelcome in the town
tinman Wong who is unwelcome in the town because of his race
because of his race
because of his race another outcast another person with
another outcast another person with
another outcast another person with secrets he can actually see right
secrets he can actually see right
secrets he can actually see right through the taciturn cowboy that Joe
through the taciturn cowboy that Joe
through the taciturn cowboy that Joe pretends to be and for the first time in
pretends to be and for the first time in
pretends to be and for the first time in all these years Joe is in the wonderful
all these years Joe is in the wonderful
all these years Joe is in the wonderful terrible vulnerable position of sharing
terrible vulnerable position of sharing
terrible vulnerable position of sharing her true self with another person and
her true self with another person and
her true self with another person and for Joe this intimate connection with
for Joe this intimate connection with
for Joe this intimate connection with tinman is even more vulnerable and
tinman is even more vulnerable and
tinman is even more vulnerable and frightening because it means stepping
frightening because it means stepping
frightening because it means stepping back into the woman she was the woman
back into the woman she was the woman
back into the woman she was the woman who was hidden away and buried after
who was hidden away and buried after
who was hidden away and buried after that terrible act of violence the song
that terrible act of violence the song
that terrible act of violence the song that you are about to hear unbuttoning
that you are about to hear unbuttoning
that you are about to hear unbuttoning the button’s captures this moment for
the button’s captures this moment for
the button’s captures this moment for joe tinman has just told her that he
joe tinman has just told her that he
joe tinman has just told her that he knows who she is he tenderly kisses her
knows who she is he tenderly kisses her
knows who she is he tenderly kisses her then sends her before him to her bedroom
then sends her before him to her bedroom
then sends her before him to her bedroom alone to undress I remember when I first
alone to undress I remember when I first
alone to undress I remember when I first heard this song Sarah and Mike had been
heard this song Sarah and Mike had been
heard this song Sarah and Mike had been working on this musical for a while and
working on this musical for a while and
working on this musical for a while and back in the beginning of the creation of
back in the beginning of the creation of
back in the beginning of the creation of it in the mid-90s it was they had just a
it in the mid-90s it was they had just a
it in the mid-90s it was they had just a few songs written and this was one of
few songs written and this was one of
few songs written and this was one of them the gay civil rights movement was
them the gay civil rights movement was
them the gay civil rights movement was at its height in this country and all
at its height in this country and all
at its height in this country and all kinds of people were talking about
kinds of people were talking about
kinds of people were talking about coming out and this song suddenly felt
coming out and this song suddenly felt
coming out and this song suddenly felt to me like an anthem a great metaphor
to me like an anthem a great metaphor
to me like an anthem a great metaphor for all of us who confront the fear the
for all of us who confront the fear the
for all of us who confront the fear the heartbreak and yes the liberation when
heartbreak and yes the liberation when
heartbreak and yes the liberation when we finally choose to live our true
we finally choose to live our true
we finally choose to live our true identities so to sing a song like this
identities so to sing a song like this
identities so to sing a song like this you need an actress who can capture all
you need an actress who can capture all
you need an actress who can capture all the facets of the complex contradictory
the facets of the complex contradictory
the facets of the complex contradictory wonderful Josephine Monahan luckily we
wonderful Josephine Monahan luckily we
wonderful Josephine Monahan luckily we have exactly that in the magnificent
have exactly that in the magnificent
have exactly that in the magnificent teal wicks I’d like to welcome out teal
teal wicks I’d like to welcome out teal
teal wicks I’d like to welcome out teal and our fantastic musical director John
and our fantastic musical director John
and our fantastic musical director John O’Neill I hope
O’Neill I hope
O’Neill I hope you enjoy the song and like the
you enjoy the song and like the
you enjoy the song and like the gentleman said please come up to Red
gentleman said please come up to Red
gentleman said please come up to Red Bank and see the show with us
Bank and see the show with us
Bank and see the show with us performances start on June 3rd and we
performances start on June 3rd and we
performances start on June 3rd and we run through the end of the month
run through the end of the month
run through the end of the month thank you I welcome out
thank you I welcome out
thank you I welcome out [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
longing for
longing for [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Music]
[Music] I give you he’s left of me what
I give you he’s left of me what
I give you he’s left of me what [Music]
”
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