ROCHESTER, Vt. (WCAX) – It’s a story of love and empowerment from the minds of an 80-year-old couple. A theater company in the small town of Rochester, Vermont is gearing up to perform the original musical for the first time.
This might be the first onstage rehearsal for the White River Valley Players’ production of Rochester Light and Power, but Dick and Dorothy Robson planted the seeds for the musical several years ago. “I started work on this show early in 2019,” said Dick.
It’s the couple’s first time performing their original show in the Rochester Auditorium. It’s filled entirely with Dorothy Robson’s original music set to Dick’s lyrics.
“I’ve always liked to play music by ear, and there’s something really exciting about being given somebody else’s lyrics, and then you find the music in the words,” said Dorothy.
“What’s really fun is when I hand her something and she comes up with something that is so different from what I was imagining, but that works and is usually better than what I was imagining,” said Dick.
The show is described as ‘love triangle hijinks meet women’s empowerment, all set to music in rural Vermont,’ “and it all comes alive once you have people who can sing it,” said Dorothy.
Director Ethan Bowen then brings the narrative to life. ”I love playing with people in a big space and see what happens. It’s just really fun,” said Bowen.
And even after the curtain opens on show day, the Robsons say they’ll keep creating.
“It’s a magical process. I have no idea where the ideas come from, they just present themselves, and it’s such a magical thing when that is working,” said Dick.
“It’s very satisfying, that extra reason to get up early,” said Dorothy.
The show will go on here at the Rochester Auditorium from May 2nd through the 5th.