JOHNNIE'S SONG: A Musical Odyssey to Premiere at Indiana University

Indiana University Theatre & Dance will welcome back retired faculty members for the premiere of Johnnie's Song: A Musical Odyssey, a new musical that reunites former Head of Musical Theatre George Pinney and former Music Director Terry LaBolt on the IU stage. Performances will take place August 15 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Pinney, who retired in 2017 after leading IU's nationally recognized Musical Theatre program, directs and choreographs the production and co-authored the book with Larry Kass and Sara Kass. LaBolt, who retired in 2023 after several years of service as IU's Music Director, returns to provide musical direction and arrangements for the production.

Set against the dust, danger, and dreams of the Great Depression, Johnnie's Song is a rousing new musical odyssey about a young Arkansas singer whose extraordinary voice carries him from a small mountain town toward the bright promise of California. Along the way, Johnnie encounters hobos, carnival dreamers, con artists, lost souls, and fellow performers chasing their own visions of survival and stardom. Blending folk music, gospel passion, vaudeville comedy, romance, and toe-tapping theatrical energy, the musical invites audiences on a moving journey of ambition, friendship, faith, temptation, and redemption. At its heart, Johnnie's Song is an uplifting story about finding hope when the world feels broken-and discovering that music can become both a refuge and a road home.

"We are thrilled to welcome George Pinney and Terry LaBolt back to Indiana University," said Ansley Valentine "Their impact on generations of IU students is immeasurable, and it is especially meaningful to have them return to collaborate on an original work that celebrates the enduring spirit of musical theatre."

Performance Information