Billy Cane; A young, aspiring writer who returns home to North Carolina after serving in World War II. Eager to make a name for himself, Billy sets off to Asheville in hopes of getting published in the prestigious Asheville Southern Journal, where he meets Alice Murphy, the journal’s tough yet enigmatic editor.

Billy is characterized by his earnestness, optimism, and determination. Throughout the musical, he navigates personal growth, romantic feelings for his childhood friend Margo, and the challenges of pursuing his dreams. His storyline intertwines with Alice’s past in a way that leads to powerful revelations and emotional depth.

Working alongside a magical cast at West Virginia University in my Senior year of undergrad, I was able to dive extensively in the background of Billy Cane and the trials and tribulations that led him to who he is and what his story conveys along the show.

Characteristically, he is a natural tenor with a cadence for storytelling through his voice. Not so much a ‘dancer,’ which plays into ‘Pour Me Another Round.’

Theatrically, understanding the balance between Billy and Alice’s storylines until the final moments meant reading between the lines of the songs, which is still crucial to genuine Appalachian Blue Grass music.

This show gives a background into the beautiful history that Appalachia has and continues to show. From the beautiful melodies of Blue Grass music to the cadence of their voices, the different locations of Appalachia bring their own beauty to an umbrella term that most see only at face-value.

Performing this in West Virginia, and underrated and beautiful state, we not only find a deeper love for this viewpoint of Appalachian history but an even deeper introspective viewpoint on what different Appalachian cultural backgrounds mean for different locations of the mountain range.