Book by Sarah Lawrence
Music by Terry Allen Langfitt and Paul Vincent Gandolfi
Lyrics by Langfitt, Gandolfi and Lawrence
In 1836, heroic young Emily West—the legendary Yellow Rose—sacrifices her own freedom so that Texas can win its independence from Mexico. Emily, nicknamed the Yellow Rose, is a light-skinned woman of mixed race—called at the time “high yaller.” At the brink of the Texas Revolution, Emily finds herself trapped in a perilous love triangle between Levi Gates, the noble black dock foreman and Santa Anna, the president of Mexico. The music brings together the unique and rich confluence of cultures—Mexican, African-American, and white settlers—that made Texas the colorful and diverse place it is today.

Story: The opening presents a tableau of three cultures singing their Song of Freedom. In a church in Connecticut, former slaves sing, “none of us are free until all of us are free.” In Mexico, President Santa Anna seeks a different kind of freedom—to establish law and order, and put an end to slavery in Tejas (Texas), a state within Mexico. Captain Morgan and his settlers in Tejas learn that slavery has been abolished--Morgan’s fervent desire. He sets sail for New England to gather more recruits for his utopian colony on Galveston Bay where all can be free.

In New Haven, the Rev. Simeon Jocelyn, a renowned white abolitionist, runs a school for former slaves that Emily attends. Emily is haunted by the death of her slave mother, who died trying to protect Emily from unwanted advances from her slaveholder father. Her mother’s dying wish was for Emily to run, and find freedom on her own terms. Levi Gates, the noble dock foreman, wants to marry Emily but she is determined to make her own way, beholden to no one. Morgan recruits settlers on the docks with his stirring song, “Everything’s Better in Texas.” Levi Gates, broken-hearted over Emily’s rebuff, signs on with Morgan. Later that day Rev. Jocelyn delivers some startling news. He wants Emily to marry the Rev. James Pennington, a gifted young black preacher. He tells her that her schooling is complete and she needs to move on. Startled at this strange turn of events, Emily realizes that her best shot for finding a place of her own would be to sail with Morgan to Texas, so she signs on, too.

During the voyage, war breaks out in Tejas. Morgan’s ship arrives at the height of the rebellion against Mexico. President Santa Anna has just completed his ruthless slaughter at the Alamo and is heading east to meet Sam Houston’s army. Colonel Morgan sails off with the Texas provisional government to safety on Galveston Island, leaving Morgan’s Point unprotected. Santa Anna’s troops come through Morgan’s Point and capture Emily.

The soldiers deliver Emily to the feet of Santa Anna, who is charmed by her courage. He sets up a romantic dinner for two in his tent with fine wine, china, and—a piano. Emily is wary, but becomes enchanted with his sophistication. Upon hearing her sing, he promises her a career in Mexico City—the opportunity of a lifetime. After Santa Anna falls asleep with exhaustion, Levi Gates suddenly appears—he’s come to her rescue. She reveals that she plans to go with Santa Anna. Crushed, he tells her he will be watching over her in the nearby woods, just in case.

Next morning, Santa Anna seems to be a changed man. He shares his plans to wipe out Captain Morgan and his family, crush the Texian army, and take back Spain’s lost lands for Mexico. Emily weighs her difficult choices. If Houston wins, slavery returns to Texas. Yet her love for the Morgans compels her to save them. Knowing the Texians are outnumbered three to one, she forms a plan. She sneaks out to Levi, urging him to signal Houston to attack during the Mexican siesta, a time when no civilized army would fight. Emily recognizes her own sacrifice—she must give herself to Santa Anna, to distract him long enough to guarantee a victory for the Texians. Act I ends with the Texian army marching toward the Mexican troops with the entire cast singing, “Seize the Day.”

Act II opens with “Remember the Alamo” and the blaze of cannon fire upon the unsuspecting Mexican army. It’s an instant and complete slaughter. Santa Anna hears the commotion and realizes he is surrounded. He comes out of his tent disguised as a peasant and fools the conquering Major Hockley into thinking that Santa Anna has escaped. Emily nods in agreement, as she still has feelings for Santa Anna and doesn’t want to see him shot in front of her.

A few weeks later, Emily realizes she is pregnant with Santa Anna’s child. In the interim, she has developed serious feelings for Levi. She won’t tell him because of the child she carries. She has one last meeting with Santa Anna in his prison cell, where he tries to seduce her in the “Tango del Diablo.” Finally recognizing he’s a scoundrel, she leaves in disgust. Back home at Morgan’s Point, Levi and Emily are miserable, afraid to share their feelings. Levi’s friend Ray and Mrs. Morgan encourage the young lovers to “Just Tell Him/Her How You Feel.” In the end, Emily recognizes she has found true freedom through her love with Levi, who joyously claims her child as his own. In the final scene, Emily and Levi return to Connecticut, where the Rev. Simeon Jocelyn marries the happy couple. The wedding guests break into a joyous rendition of “The Yellow Rose of Texas.”