03/16/2026
“One Vote! – The Musical” is an original work by Larry Groce and Todd Burge that tells the story of the New England settlers who founded Marietta, Ohio, where the Muskingum meets the Ohio River, and how the decisions and developments of that time, from 1786 – 1820, helped shape our nation. The play features “Father of the Territory”, Rufus Putnam, legislator Ephraim Cutler, whose one vote helped secure Ohio’s entry into the Union as a free state, and other historical figures. It also features fictional characters including the lead female role, settler Abigail Worthy, and explores the roles of frontier women as well as the struggles and resilience of Native peoples and African Americans of the era. With a dynamic music mix of pop, rock, Americana, and folk, One Vote! blends humor, heart, and history to celebrate the birth of democracy in the Northwest Territory. Executive Producer of the production is Campus Martius Museum. The show’s debut performance is planned for July 2026 in Marietta, Ohio.
About the Playwrights:
Larry Groce is a singer-songwriter and co-founder of Mountain Stage, the NPR music program in its 42nd year that’s heard on over 270 stations. He’s recorded 24 albums spanning Americana, hymns, and children’s music, including the 1976 Top 10 hit “Junk Food Junkie.” A Grammy nominee for Children’s Record of the Year, he’s made nine albums for Walt Disney Records, with several going gold and platinum. Larry wrote songs for the musicals Paradise Park – The Musical and Miss Dirt Turtle’s Garden Club, both produced multiple times. Inducted into the West Virginia Music and Broadcasting Halls of Fame, he’s received the Governor’s Award for Leadership in the Arts and three honorary doctorates.
Todd Burge is a West Virginia–based singer-songwriter, playwright, and producer known for his witty, heartfelt storytelling and prolific catalog. He has released over fifteen albums and appeared multiple times on NPR’s Mountain Stage, as well as the syndicated TV program Songs at the Center. Burge has performed at Joe’s Pub and CBGB in New York City and at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. He wrote the music for an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost, produced by Hipp-Stage Productions and Marietta College. He also leads The Song Colony workshops and has taught songwriting at West Virginia University. Burge has served as a programming consultant for Peoples Bank Theatre and is the director of The Esbenshade Series.
Talent Contact: Todd Burge [email protected]
