The GRASS WIDOW 2025!

I spent last weekend at the Festival of the Book in Brookings, SD. Got to meet some amazing authors, including Trent Preszler, whose book Little and Often was the ‘One Book South Dakota 2024’ for good reason. He’s also a very cool guy, and watching him build boats on Instagram is my new favorite relaxation technique. BUT the highlight by far was getting to perform selections from our ‘folk-opera-in-progress’ with my musical partner Jon Bakken (who also happens to have a new book out…) I’ve played a lot of great music with a lot of great folks over the years, but the Grass Widow is in its own category. These songs just…I don’t know…have their own life, and it’s an honor and a pleasure every time we get to play them for people. So we are going to take the show on the road next summer! Hopefully with a fuller sound (aka other musicians and actors.) How big and how much we tour is wholly dependent on funding. We aren’t going to do a full staging…yet…this will be readers theater style. We will leave costumes and sets for the next iteration. We’d especially like to bring this production to rural spaces and small towns, so if you think your arts org or front porch or main street needs more musical theater send me an email!And please enjoy this tiny preview video. I made this earlier in the summer for the folks over at Rural Strategies but it gives a little of the opera’s backstory. You can also find our ‘Rough Drafts’ recording here and here if you are interested! Get full access to Our Little Pasture at elizablue.substack.com/subscribe