ATHENS, Ohio — A musical exploring the founding of Ohio and the single vote that shaped the state’s history will be featured at the Southeast Ohio History Center’s Lyceum Luncheon Speaker Series on Thursday, June 18, at noon.
Singer-songwriters Larry Groce and Todd Burge will introduce “One Vote! — The Musical,” an original work tracing the decisions made by Ohio’s early settlers between 1786 and 1820 that helped define the state — and the nation.
The musical centers on the vote cast by Ephraim Cutler in late November 1802, which secured Ohio’s entry into the Union as a free state. The production features historical figures including Cutler and Rufus Putnam, known as the “Father of the Territory,” alongside fictional characters. The work also examines the roles of frontier women and the experiences of Native peoples and African Americans during the era.
Groce is co-founder of NPR’s Mountain Stage, based in Charleston, West Virginia. Burge has appeared on the program multiple times. Both have spent years performing and leading educational workshops. The production is being developed in cooperation with the Northwest Territory Museum Society in Marietta as part of America 250 programming.
The Lyceum Luncheon is held monthly at noon on the third Thursday of each month at 24 West State Street in Athens. For more information, contact the Southeast Ohio History Center at 740-592-2280 or visit southeastohiohistory.org.