- Here’s a short trailer of the musical video.
- Enjoy the musical as a video here.
- Flyer to download & print.
The first public in-person performance held on 4/1/22 was creative, interesting, historical and relative to today.
Thank you for attending this grand occasion relevant to today’s voting issues, and for supporting this local creative event series.
Donations are for school outreach performances.
Teachers, you can request at performance to be held at your school, at your convenience. Please contact Jason Heald.
Photo Gallery
- Donna Spicer as Abigail
- Dr. Kevin Helppie as Harvey
- Debra Gaddis, pianist
- Dr. Christina Allaback, director
- Dr. Jason Heald, music, lyrics & book author and composer
Created locally right here in Douglas County, Oregon, this new and original musical is all about the struggle for women’s right to vote in Oregon back in the early 1900’s.
The League of Women Voters of Umpqua Valley is proud to announce this 42-minute musical, written and directed by Dr. Jason Heald, Umpqua Community College Professor of Music, featuring two actors and a pianist. The musical encompasses the history of advocacy pertaining to women gaining the right to vote particularly in Oregon, and then other states. Abigail Scott Duniway (1834-1915) was a nationally known leader of the early woman’s movement , a lecturer, organizer, writer and newspaper owner/editor of The New Northwest and devoted 40 years to women’s rights. As a newspaper editor, Abigail wrote about social issues, such topics as voting rights, daycare, equal pay and equal protections. Harvey Scott (1838-1910), Abigail’s younger brother, was a long-time Editor-in-Chief of The Oregonian at a time when Oregon women were working to gain suffrage. He was a dominant editorial voice in the Northwest for 40 years wherein he monitored politics and advised voters how to vote. Harvey’s opinions differed greatly from Abigail’s and they frequently found themselves at opposite ends of an issue.
The League of Women Voters of Umpqua Valley and the UCC Performing and Visual Arts sponsor this creative and educational endeavor with help and expertise from Dr. Jason Heald, the actors and musicians, and League members, who generously provided funds for the development of and outreach for the musical. Thanks go out to all!
Schools have an opportunity, too.
The Musical is being offered to local middle and high schools also. Primary and secondary school teachers can request an in-person performance for their classrooms. We have offered this curriculum to show the video in their classrooms or for an in-person event.
If you find this interesting and would like to help spread the word, or if you are willing to have a video showing in your classroom setting or a live production in your back yard or on your stage — > Email us at info@lwvuv.org!
Links:
- Here’s a short trailer of the musical video.
- Enjoy the musical as a video here.
- Flyer to download & print.
The Voting Rights Panel to be held on Friday April 1st at 5PM is entitled “Women’s Voting Rights in Oregon and Douglas County”. A moderator and 3 panelists will discuss and inform about Douglas County’s suffrage history, Kathryn Clarke, first woman to serve as an Oregon Senator, and women running for office.
An intermission will follow the panel prior to the Musical performance.
League of Women Voters of the Umpqua Valley 