Jul 21 - Aug 2, 2025, 2025

John Henry Vs. Mach 21

Inspired by the most famous ballad in American history, a legend that gave birth to new genres of music and storytelling, comes an all-new chapter in the unfinished saga of "man versus machine": Stephen Gashler's "John Henry Versus Mach 21". The fight isn't over yet!

When mama brings home a robot ("Mach 21") to be Bobby's new father, Bobby seeks out the legendary John Henry, the only man who can stand up to the machine. Come for a good laugh (reminiscent of "Little Shop of Horrors"), fantastic music ("Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" meets "Rocky"), and thought-provoking themes as this timeless tall tale returns for a twenty-first-century follow-up.

Type of Show	Musical
Genre	Comedy / Urban Fantasy
Length	≈ 1.5 hours
Address	Angelus Theatre (165 N Main, Spanish Fork)
Dates	Jul 21 - Aug 2, 2025
Time	7:30 PM

John Henry	male, African-American, the legendary man of steel himself
Bobby	male/female, a youth who still believes in magic and doesn't want a robot for a father
Gramps/Granny	male/female, Bobby's technologically-illiterate grandfather or grandmother, laments about the good-old-days when folks still had character, rediscovers childlike magic
Polly (Mama)	female, Bobby's mother, down-to-earth, no-nonsense, lonely
Mach 21	male, the most advanced robot in the world, even when it comes to wooing women
The John Henry Singers	female, narrators, chorus girls