The song 'Greasy Pole Rock N' Roll' is featured in the show, courtesy of Kitt Cox. (Vocals by Candace Unis)
2011 - 2018
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NOW showing!
GREASY POLE THE MUSICAL Synopsis:
A love letter to Gloucester's Greasy Pole Champions and the Mammas who love them, the story unfolds in 1931 (the year the Greasy Pole tournament was introduced as part of the St. Peter's Fiesta festivities) in the hot, busy kitchen of Mamma Giuseppa Scolafazza "down the Fort," a historic fishing enclave neighborhood of Gloucester immigrants. Her son, Filippo Scolafazza rushes in, begging his mamma to let him walk the greasy pole with his pals. She grabs him hard by the ear and proceeds to lay a curse that no men in her family would ever walk a greasy pole during her festa Di San Pietro!
Progressing through every decade since, the family Scolafazza's sons (and one daughter) all musically lament the generational curse that prevents them from vying for a chance to become Greasy Pole champions... until the final, contemporary vignette when the curse is finally broken.
The 9 original songs are inspired by each decade since the 30's, including an Italian tarantella, an Andrews Sisters-style Boogie Woogie, 50's teenage lament Doo-Wop, Motown, Disco, New Wave, 80's Rock Ballad and more, all with a Greasy Pole theme!
Between each vignette, the audience saw a scroll of actual images of Fiesta through the years, and the Greasy Pole tournament from every decade since the 1930's, underscored by traditional Italian songs crooned by Gloucester's adopted son, the Italian minstrel Carlo Cicala. Also included in the show was a short animated film , by local animator, Ben Wickey, depicting the Hurricane Irene collapse of the pole and its subsequent rebuilding. This show was suitable for all ages.
A
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In 2016 & 2017, The Folklore Theatre Company was proud to be a featured partner of Welcome.Us, and with Greasy Pole, The Musical part of the celebration!
June is Immigrant Heritage Month. Throughout the month and beyond, we'll be celebrating our diversity and our shared American heritage by telling the stories of individuals that, together, comprise a uniquely American narrative.
OUR MISSION
is to foster a culture of living Theatre in the heart of community.
We honor stories as vital to our humanity. We remember, imagine,
re-imagine and tell stories, reminding us all of where we came from,
who we are, and of our dreams for tomorrow.
Our original theatrical projects and productions are born of the historic and modern folklore of Cape Ann & the North Shore. We welcome people of all ages and life experiences to participate in our programs.
We are a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization, under our account "The Cape Ann/The Annie".
Contributions for our purposes must be made payable to Fractured Atlas and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
