The Gothic musical, The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County with a book by Stephen King and words and music by John Mellencamp and T Bone Burnett will tour the mid-west and southeast U.S. this fall.
While the performers have not been announced, it is known that there will be 15 actors and a band that includes Andy York, Troye Kinnett and Dane Clark from John Mellencamp’s band will participate.
The Ghost Brothers of Darkland County production has been in development for 13 years after a chance conversation between Mellencamp and King about a cabin on John’s land where a man had killed his brother and later died, with his girlfriend, in a car crash. King took the snippet and developed a story which was then set to music by Mellencamp and Burnett.
Set in the tiny town of Lake Belle Reve, Mississippi, the Ghost Brothers’ story centers on two sets of brothers: the ghosts of Jack and Andy, dead in an apparent murder/suicide, and their nephews, the living Frank and Drake, who seem to be headed toward the same downward spiral as their uncles. Joe, younger brother of Jack and Andy, father of Frank and Drake, has decided it’s time to reveal his own terrible secret at the site of the tragedy, before it’s too late.
Directing is Susan Booth who said, “This is a gothic story-driven rock concert. I want the emphasis to be on this fantastic score and our great singers and how the story advances us from song to song. In most musicals, the songs advance the narrative. With Ghost Brothers, the story will advance the songs.”
The tour starts October 10 in Bloomington, IN and ends November 6 in Grand Rapids, MI
Tickets for the tour are on sale now.
- 10/10 – Bloomington, IN – Indiana University Auditorium
- 10/11 – Louisville, KY – Whitney Hall
- 10/12 – Knoxville, TN – Knoxville Civic Auditorium
- 10/13 – Asheville, NC – Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
- 10/16 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
- 10/17 – Evansville, IN – Aiken Theatre at The Centre
- 10/18 – Indianapolis, IN – Clowes Memorial Hall
- 10/19 – Akron, OH – Akron Civic Theatre
- 10/22 – Columbus, OH – Palace Theatre
- 10/24 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Embassy Theatre
- 10/25 – Madison, WI – Overture Hall
- 10/26 – Rockford, IL – Coronado Performing Arts Center
- 10/27 – Appleton, WI – Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
- 10/29 – Milwaukee, WI – Riverside Theatre
- 10/31 – Minneapolis, MN – State Theatre
- 11/01 – Sioux City, IA – Orpheum Theatre
- 11/02 – Ames, IA – Stephens Auditorium
- 11/03 – Davenport, IA – Adler Theatre
- 11/05 – South Bend, IN – Morris Performing Arts Center
- 11/06 – Grand Rapids, MI – DeVos Performance Hall
