Martin to present 'Meet Me In Missouri'

By Nancy Malcom

Herald-Tribune

Nevada, Mo. -- Marsha Martin has returned to Nevada again to present a program of music and enjoyment. She produced a widely popular show last year and this year promises to even top that one.

Born in Nevada, Martin now lives near Boston with her husband and son. Each year she returns in the summer to visit her hometown.

"My grandfather built this house," she said of her summer home here. Her mother and herself were raised in it and she just can't bear the thought of not having the house to come home to.

She graduated Nevada High School and attended the University of Missouri, then moved to Massachusetts to attend the Boston University of Fine Arts and the Boston Conservatory. She now freelances as an accompanist for choirs and conductor for musicals. She teaches private music lessons and plays music at her church and other places of worship. She teaches music classes in a prison and she works with special needs groups each week.

"I see music as a river that flows and connects people to one another and other time periods. I feel in a real sense it connects people to the ethereal world as well." Her talent as well as her passion for music, lead to her hobby of collecting antique sheet music. Her favorite time period for these collectibles is the late 1800s through the 1940s.

"I love the artwork on the fronts, but mostly I want to just play the music," Martin explained.

She has thousands of pages of sheet music, but she has her own system to keep it organized.

One category she dearly loves is Missouri music. "There are three types I consider Missouri music," she explained. "One music written by someone who lived or lives in Missouri. Two, music published in Missouri, and third, music about Missouri."

Percy Wenrich of Joplin is a good example. His nickname was "Jop" or "The Joplin Kid" as his maintained his ties to this area. His song "Put On Your Old Gray Bonnet" is the official song of Joplin.

"I just love his music!" she said enthusiastically. She was first introduced to his music through hearing his rags played by Bob Darch, a performer who later interviewed Wenrich. Both Darch and Wenrich were influenced by Scot Joplin, another well known rag artist. The synchronicity isn't lost on Martin who feels music connects people who might have no other connection.

Wenrich wrote a wide variety of music, including almost every category of popular music during his time. As an admirer of his work, Martin chose to use only his compositions in the performance she has put together while here in Nevada this year.

"We should know about him," Martin said. "He was a famous Missouri composer from Joplin who wrote music many of us recognize immediately." Her production, "Meet Me In Missouri" is co-sponsored by the Vernon County Historical Society and the Nevada Community Council on the Performing Arts.

Featuring 34 songs penned by Wenrich, the performance will include rags, waltzes, marches, humorous songs, nostalgic songs and sing-alongs.

Performing will be Tom Bunton, Sharron Johnson, Kenny Jones, Dave Killmer, Susan McBeth, Bonnie Query, Teresa Sword, Scott Theis, Sonja Wells, Tim Wells singing and Martin on the piano.

Some of the songs are classic favorites such as "Put On Your Old Gray Bonnet", "When You wore A Tulip and I Wore A Big Red Rose" and many others.

A raffle will be held to select a winner for the collectable movie "On Moonlight Bay" which features Wenrich's music.

"Meet Me In Missouri" will be presented July 23 at 2 p.m. at the Fox Playhouse, 110 Main Street. Admission is free but donations are gladly accepted to help build the Fox Playhouse Green Room.

"People will have a great time," Martin bubbled. "The music is fun and I guarantee everyone will leave feeling happy."