BRISTOW, Okla. — An original musical is making its world premiere in Bristow, the hometown of the author of the book it's based on. The original story is about Andee Cooper's son, Kannon.
"Around the time he turned 4, he started having seizures, for a year that went undiagnosed with just general childhood epilepsy, and by the time he was 5 1/2, Kannon was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy that's not controlled with medicine called Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome," said Cooper.
So, she wrote Sometimes I Get the Wiggles, a superhero-themed children's book about epilepsy. Little did she know, more than a decade later, heroes from around the country would bring her story to the stage.
Playwright Chapman Shields spearheaded the project. "It was a no-brainer for us that we had to honor her story," said Shields.
Along with Gavin Thomas Drew and Dove Award-winning composer Rollie Mains, Kannon Gets the Wiggles, the musical was born. Shields said, "It's literally pages of comic books come to life on stage."
"There's a child in this play with asthma, dyslexia, and one has a speech impairment, so this is about every child. Not just Kannon," said Cooper.
The musical is told in two acts.
"The sets are massive; the lighting is massive. We've hired the best of the best people from across the country, and so the people that do this professionally everywhere in the world are here," said Shields. That includes a full orchestra playing 14 original songs. Composer and Musical Director Rollie Mains said," There's a showstopper called Zach Chewy. Spoiler alert. I won't say what that means, but that's kind of a big one."
Local and national actors are performing like Missouri's Abby Brady, who lost her 14-year-old sister, Amanda, to epilepsy. "We were the sisters that sang in the living room all the time, and she tried to learn to dance with me, and she would think this was so cool, that we are honoring her story and the journey of so many," said Brady.
After the musical debuts in Bristow's Freeland Center for the Performing Arts, the plan is to take the show on the road.
"We hope to take this statewide and possibly even further than that," said Cooper.
Inspiring others with its message of advocacy, awareness, and inclusion.
"Your difference is nothing to be afraid of- it's nothing that somebody should look down upon you for, but it's something that you should hold tightly to," said Shields.
The musical is a chapter that the Author, Mom, didn't see coming/. A super sequel she hopes will change the world.
"Community is community, and if we can build that for everybody, we've done something right," said Cooper.
You can catch Kannon Gets the Wiggles on stage for three performances at the Freeland Center for Performing Arts on June 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and June 22 at 2:30 p.m.
Kannon Gets the Wiggles will take the stage for three performances: June 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., and June 22 at 2:30 p.m. at Bristow's Freeland Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are available here.
More information about the show is available here.
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