THE LEGEND OF JIM CULLEN               Music by  Aaron Robinson           Book/Lyrics by  Griff Braley      

Developed for Heartwood Regional Theater Co., beginning in 2011. After two staged readings, a first production, a full musical re-write, and a re-staging by the company, The Legend of Jim Cullen will fulfill your company's need for a searing, original musical. 

LJC is built for actors, directors and companies unafraid to dig deep into the dark heart of this common man's turmoil. No easy answers; no simple way out. 

Dark and delightful in its study of a murdering lost soul and a relentless storyteller who yearns to lay bare the raw emotions of a fateful, snowy night in Northern Maine. Described by audiences as "beautiful", "breathtaking"," intense" and a "tour de force. "

See more from the most recent staging HERE.             and HERE.

LJC is a full length musical dramatic work ready for its first major staging outside of our originating company. Contact us to preview the script and score.  

Reviews and more. . .

This fascinating production provides a company with a riveting story based on actual events in Northern Aroostook County, Maine1873

Filled with complex characters in a wide range of dynamic roles. 

Alternately heart stopping and heart wrenching.        

A unique and original challenge for an ambitious ensemble of performers and designers.  

INFO

Composer and Playwright are available for consultation.

Royalties negotiable

The Legend of Jim Cullen” is an examination of human nature, and at the heart of it the question is asked, “What is the soul of a man?”

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK HERE

The pairing of Griff Braley and Aaron Robinson, two extremely gifted men, is magic. Dark magic, perhaps, but magic nonetheless! Last year I described “The Legend of Jim Cullen” as a masterpiece. This year it is nothing short of a tour de force!

                                         -- Boothbay Register

The musical landscape for Jim Cullen presents a broad aesthetic; while rooted in traditional music appropriate to the period, the approach includes modern sounds, a strong Broadway feel, large choral pieces and character driven solos. In our workshops and auditions, comparisons have been made to Floyd Collins, Big River and other musicals deeply rooted in American lore. At the same time, the play delves into modern myth with a visual spectacle that combines a strong sense of place with an urgent sense of storytelling.   

Cullen's lynching is believed to be the only one to have occurred in all of New England. What motivated a group of citizens to take the law into their own hands and execute one of their own? Was it solely Cullen's murder or a sheriff and his deputy? Or was it the God-fearing townspeople's panic at having a loose cannon, a doer of evil in their midst, threatening their physical, spiritual and mental well-being?

The Legend of Jim Cullen weaves storytelling, drama and history, songs and musical numbers, dance and movement into a spectacle driven dramatic musical. Our production evokes a world of vaudeville, carnival or early American theater. With an ensemble of players supporting the story told by the central character, Professor Bateman, the play arcs in style from vaudeville to realism to fantasy in scenes that include a river baptism on the ice in New Brunswick, a log drive, an axe murder, and a lynching. Perspectives on how legends grow, personal responsibility, and multiple viewpoints weave around Professor Bateman's examination of the question: "What is the soul of man?"