Men on Boats, written by Jaclyn Backhaus, and directed by theatre teacher Ms. Davis, tells the true story of ten explorers’ 1869 expedition of the Grand Canyon aboard four boats, led by John Wesley Powel. The play is vibrant and infused with comedic elements, and will be performed on September 18th through the 20th by an all-female cast.

In 1869, John Wesley Powell, a one armed veteran, traveled down the Green and Colorado rivers of Utah and through the depths of the Grand Canyon. Powell went on this expedition with a party of nine other people, departing on May 24, 1869.  This journey is known for exploring the Grand Canyon, but historically only roughly 58% of this expedition was on water. The Transcontinental Railroad through Wyoming,  made it possible for them to have  specially made boats that were brought in from Chicago for this mission. 

 You may wonder why women are playing the roles of the male characters, the decision to do this was made in order to flip classical theatre traditions. In Renaissance theatre, men played all the roles, including all-female roles, because women were not allowed on stage at the time. In this play, the opposite is the case as it challenges traditional gender roles. 

When meeting the cast of the show, I asked three cast members to share their thoughts on theatre and their characters. I spoke with Camila S., who plays William Dunn, Chloe T., who plays John Colton Summer, and Laura S., who plays O.G. Howlands. Their characters’ personalities, each is unique in their own way- but similar in that they are all men- face the same “struggles of survival”, leadership, and perseverance on this dangerous journey.

To find more information about the play, you can visit the Woodlands High School theater website: https://www.twhstheater.com/men-on-boats-company.html.