“It's Columbia. We are better served by seeing something for the first time rather than a variation on what we've seen before. We've all seen that. We need new, we deserve it. We deserve the newest things now.”
- Chad Henderson
Hundred Days is a musical memoir based on a true story that premiered for the first time in 2018. This fresh, contemporary take on the goal of loving and living fully is coming tomorrow to Workshop Theatre. Running from May 12 – May 27, the show is directed by Chad Henderson with music direction by Tom Beard and a cast that features Katie Leitner, Catherine Hunsinger, Taylor Diveley, Kari Lebby, and Patty Boggs.
The show has been described as “luminous,” “exhilarating,” and “raw,” and Leitner herself asserts that “people can expect to be immersed in a multi-media, emotionally gut-wrenching story accompanied by powerful folk- blues ballads, dense and haunting harmonies, uplifting folk pop toe-tappers, and clap-along rock tunes.”
Jasper sat down one-on-one with director Henderson to get more details on the show.
JASPER: How did you decide to direct this show?
HENDERSON: This show has been a three-year journey for me. My friend and collaborator Jonathan Whitton sent me an email about this play with a message that read something like "You need to know about this. You're welcome." He was right. It is entirely the type of work I seek and savor. I kept my eyes on the licensing for the show, because in this market you are at the whims of the licensing companies. This was all before the closures of the pandemic. Fast-forward some time later, and Workshop Theatre took my submission seriously. They were willing to produce a "little musical that would be one of the hardest things to achieve." I'm so glad that Jeni McCaughan and the script selection committee committed to this production—they have been absolutely amazing to work with.
JASPER: What makes you excited about this musical, specifically?
HENDERSON: Honestly, this is the kind of work that I gravitate towards, having spent four years in a rock band and being a lover of live music. I have directed theatrical works like "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," "Spring Awakening," "Passing Strange" and "American Idiot." These all have a special place in my heart because they closely align with my personal aesthetic and have an impactful connection to the type of storytelling that moves me as an artist.
JASPER: Why this story here? Why now?
HENDERSON: It's Columbia. We are better served by seeing something for the first time rather than a variation on what we've seen before. We've all seen that. We need new, we deserve it. We deserve the newest things now. Also, love is timeless—and that is still (somehow) a revolutionary thing to explore presently.
JASPER: How long have y’all been working on this?
HENDERSON: I've been working on this for three years now in my mind. I've been dreaming of a local cast for that long as well. I'm very lucky that two of the original people I dreamed of are working on this production (Katie Leitner and Catherine Hunsinger). Even luckier to have one of my favorite collaborators, Tom Beard, reach out to me to ask, "what are we doing next." Then after a string of auditions and conversations we found the remaining alchemy that this production needed: Taylor Diveley, Kari Lebby and Patty Boggs.
JASPER: Have there been any unique challenges in this show?
HENDERSON: Once the casting was complete, the challenge fell to the actors. They have to be a band. They have to create that synergy. They also have to be open to the unknown due to the fact that the show is a live set from a band, and the story that arises from their performance must be a sneak attack.
JASPER: What’s special about your rendition?
HENDERSON: I'm me and this is me doing what I love to do: make it as hard as possible for everyone. So, while the cast is rehearsing tirelessly to become a band with 90 minutes of music and banter to memorize—while also being able to live truthfully in the moment—we have added a film element to the production. We spent three weekends filming auxiliary storytelling that is presented through on-stage media.
JASPER: Have there been any exciting “oh my god this is it” moments?
HENDERSON: I've had many "Oh My God" moments. They've happened at every rehearsal, which is a testament to this cast. Damn, they're good!
JASPER: The music in this show is described as “anthemic folk-punk music” — what can a not music-savvy person expect?
HENDERSON: If you have heard the works of Mumford and Sons, Ani DiFranco, Frou Frou, Queen, Jump Little Children, Son Volt, or anything else that sounds totally relatable but also entirely singular—that's what it sounds like. The music lifts your heart because the compositions have that effect. It's also very Americana. There's no banjo or mandolin, but plenty of cello and accordion. It also doesn't sound French. I don't know...the music is singular. It's the Bengsons [group who originally created and performed the show]. Just come hear for yourself or get a taste on Spotify or Apple Music.
JASPER: How would you summarize this story in your own words?
HENDERSON: It's about love (cue memories of Christian in Moulin Rouge). It's about the rewards, challenges, magnetisms, insanities, and fears of love. It's about the weight of commitment: the work that comes with it, but ultimately the joys.
JASPER: Why should people see this show?
HENDERSON: Simply put: It's one of the few contemporary shows you can experience in the coming months. To call it a musical is misleading. You're coming to see a band. A very good band. It just so happens they are going to make you relate to their crazy story in 90 mins flat. Also, the bar is open throughout the show because...that's just civil, isn't it? It's a show and space where you'll be comfortable, and you'll leave with plenty to talk about. You might even kiss somebody (if they consent).
It’s hard to describe what to expect, but in attending Hundred Days, you are guaranteed a once-in-a-lifetime story. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll groove. For more details about and to get tickets, visit Workshop Theatre’s website.