More Theater Monday - The Picher Project

We were given complimentary tickets to The Picher Project for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: The Picher Project 

Where: Dixon Place 

            161 Chrystie Street

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 10 and Up 

When: Through October 21, 2023

The Picher Project is the hard-hitting true story of the town of Picher, Oklahoma which was once a boom town and one of the largest producers of lead and zinc. However, the same mines that enabled the town to thrive later became its downfall when toxic waste caused by the mines led to the eventual forced abandonment of the town. This may seem like an unlikely subject for a musical, but it works surprisingly well. The show really packs an emotional punch.  It is extremely gut-wrenching and even more so because it's true and many of the characters in the show are based on real people as well. The projection of real pictures of the town throughout the show as well as pictures of some of the real people involved which are shown at the end of the show only add to the poignancy of the story.

The songs really add to the show as well. The story is bookended by an extremely upbeat opening number with the townspeople singing about how happy they are and how much they love their town and a sorrowful finale where they sing about the heartbreak of being forced to abandon their town. The juxtaposition of these two songs is really affecting. The songs in general really punctuate the story and cover the gamut of emotions experienced by the townspeople as they move from innocent happiness to disbelief, to anger, to sorrow and reluctant acceptance. The large cast really gets an opportunity to show off their chops displaying this wide spectrum of emotions as well.

This is an extremely stirring and timely show that will really make you think.  It is a stark reminder of the negative effects of the actions of human beings not only on the earth but on themselves.

And that's our view. For more about The Picher Project or to purchase tickets, visit www.thepicherproject.com.

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Photo credit:

The Picher Project production photo by Peter Yesley

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