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Date: 7/28/2021
WILBRAHAM – The first airplane flight by brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903 has long captured the American imagination. With a little imagination of his own, Hampden native Colby Herchel is using that story to bring theater back in the age of COVID-19.
“Brothers Wright: A Folktale with Songs” is an original musical written and directed by Herchel. It tells the story of Wilbur and Orville Wright, their dream of flight and their struggle to convince the community of Kitty Hawk to believe in their dream, as well.
“People are hungering for theater,” said Herchel, a founder and artistic director of the theater company Scantic River Productions. “Brothers Wright” is the first major production from the theater company. “We’re happy to bring it home to the valley,” said Herchel, who now lives in New York City.
“I grew up doing theatre with Mark Giza and the Theatre Guild of Hampden, and he and other great teachers of the area like Steve Hays of the Drama Studio taught me the great plays and musicals,” Herschel said. Scantic River Productions is working with the Theatre Guild of Hampden to put on the show.
Herchel added, “I also have an incredibly supportive circle in my family and friends, who have encouraged me to bring my works forth into the professional world. The natural landscapes in Hampden gave me my imagination room to grow.”
Herchel graduated from Minnechaug Regional High School in 2012 with Madelyn Wiley and Olivia Opal, who would go on to become Scantic River Productions’s artistic director and director of development, respectively. He attended the University of Connecticut to study music composition and moved to New York City a few years after graduating to pursue a future in theater. The theater company was founded in September 2020.
“During [COVID-19], me and Madelyn got together and started discussing how we could do theater during the pandemic,” he said. The two decided to form Scantic River Productions and stage a show in a way that would allow people to be safe and comfortable.
“From the outset, we wanted to do this outdoors where people can be socially distanced to their own comfort,” he said, adding that in case of inclement weather, the production will be in the park’s Barn. Theatergoers are welcome to wear masks if it makes them more comfortable, he said. With the coronavirus still circulating and cases on the rise due to the Delta Variant, Herchel said he is glad that they decided to stage it outside.
Scantic River Productions has dedicated itself to original productions. “It sets us apart. A lot of companies are still doing Shakespeare,” and other classics, Herchel said. “By only doing original productions and reaching out to young playwrights, it allows us to move into the future and lift up other voices. Everyone’s looking for new content.”
While Herchel originally had concerns that limiting themselves to new material would curb the amount of theater that the company could produce, he said the opposite has been true.
“We get new play submissions every week,” he said. “There really is no shortage of playwrights with new ideas.”
The theater company hosts virtual cabarets four times each year and bi-monthly readings during which playwrights can hear their work performed by actors. The company accepts suggested donations at these events to fund its theatrical productions. Funding for “Brothers Wright” was accomplished, in part, through a one-time theatrical telethon that was put on in late March.
Supporters can also become a member of the Scantic River Productions’s Patreon. For a subscription fee, patrons can see archived productions, deleted songs and other exclusive content.
“Brothers Wright: A Folktale with Songs” runs July 30, July 31, and Aug. 1 at 4 p.m. at Fountain Park. Guests may arrive as early as 2:30 p.m. and are asked to come prepared with lawn furniture for seating. For groups of 10 or more, email hello@scanticriver.com.
Tickets can be purchased at www.scanticriver.com/brotherswright and are $30 for general admission, $20 for students and seniors and $10 for children 12 and under. Light picnic concessions and beverages from Iron Duke Brewery will be available for purchase.
For more information on Scantic River Productions, visit https://www.scanticriver.com.