Song of Rage: The Ballad of Joe Hill

by Chas LiBretto

Salt Lake City, 1914. Detective Carl Carlson investigates the violent murder of a grocer and his son, a case the state of Utah seems to want to close quicker than usual. When labor leader, songwriter, and Swedish Immigrant Joe Hill is arrested, Carl must decide if this is really just a case about the murder of a grocer...or if it's a conspiracy to strangle organized labor in the west for good.

A Play with Music...

Salt Lake City, 1914. Detective Carl Carlson investigates the violent murder of a grocer and his son, a case the state of Utah seems to want to close quicker than usual. When labor leader, songwriter, and Swedish Immigrant Joe Hill is arrested, Carl must decide if this is really just a case about the murder of a grocer...or if it's a conspiracy to strangle organized labor in the west for good.

A Play with Music.

read more
  • Inquire About Rights
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Library

Song of Rage: The Ballad of Joe Hill

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear: Song of Rage: The Ballad of Joe Hill by Chas LiBretto
    “

    A fascinating story that is ever present in a capitalistic society that loathes unions beyond sanity. Well done.

    A fascinating story that is ever present in a capitalistic society that loathes unions beyond sanity. Well done.

    ”
  • Jack Horton Gilbert: Song of Rage: The Ballad of Joe Hill by Chas LiBretto
    “

    Wonderfully told and dishearteningly poignant. Song Of Rage Revisits the tragically less-than-well-known story of Joe Hill and his fight to support worker rights and equity and the costs he paid for his beliefs. Constructed and presented in the style of a noir/mystery tale the script beautifully marries fact and fiction while utilizing the music of the Labor Movement to tell a resonating and necessary story with shocking immediacy for the times we're currently living in.

    Wonderfully told and dishearteningly poignant. Song Of Rage Revisits the tragically less-than-well-known story of Joe Hill and his fight to support worker rights and equity and the costs he paid for his beliefs. Constructed and presented in the style of a noir/mystery tale the script beautifully marries fact and fiction while utilizing the music of the Labor Movement to tell a resonating and necessary story with shocking immediacy for the times we're currently living in.

    ”
Actor 1: Joe Hill
Actor 2: Otto
Actor 3: Carl
Actor 4: Hilda
Actor 5: John Morrison, Grant, Scott, Frank McHugh
Actor 6: Arling Morrison, Arthur Bird
Actor 7: Magnus Olsen, Phil, Leatherwood
Actor 8: John Eselius, Ritchie, William Spry
Actor 9: Merlin

Characters:
Joe Hill (a organizer) - M, 30s
Otto Appelquist (a worker) - M, 30s
John Morrison (a grocer) - M, 50s
Arling Morrison (his son) - M, 16
Merlin Morrison (his youngest son) - M, 13
Carl Carlson (a Detective) - M, 30s
Zyker Peters (a Detective) - M, 30s
Frank McHugh (a Doctor) - M, 40s
Arthur Bird (another Doctor) - M, 30s
Brigham Grant (Police Captain) - M, 60s
Magnus Olsen (a Criminal) - M, 30s
John Eselius (owner of boarding house) - M, 50s
Hilda Erickson (a House Worker) - F, 20s
Morris L. Ritchie (Judge)
Scott (lawyer)
William Spry (Governor of Utah)
Elmer Leatherwood (Salt Lake City D.A.)
Jury

Development History

  • Reading, Play Date at Pete's, 2023