An Exuberant New LGBTQ+MusicalKicks Off Pride at 54 Below.
“The rodeo has come to town!” sings Gurney (the powerhouse-voiced Erich W. Schleck), to open Queer Cowfolk: The Gay Rodeo Musical. “Time for chasing dreams that don’t last, let’s forget the world and have a blast!” he implores, with a compulsory yippee-kay-ay.

The musical, crafted by writer Bear Kosik and composer Lani Madland, is a rollicking good time throughout, and a celebration of LGBTQ+ creation and community. The town that Gurney sings of is Denver Colorado, where the International Gay Rodeo Association has landed for a weekend event. The center of activity is the bar Chutes, where several members of the local community explore love, relationships, and their place in the world.

Amid the backdrop of the rodeo we meet Brace, the owner of the leather shop next door. She introduces us to Fred, “one of our favorite people here,” who was recently injured and thus unable to participate in the rodeo. This impacts his relationship with his partner Ron, who is having trouble dealing with Fred’s “lost sense of purpose,” and is seemingly falling out of love with him.

“What the hell has happened here? We were the couple of the year!’ Fred laments in “Last Time You Kissed Me. “Are you ever gonna miss me again?”

Meanwhile, Ron sets his eyes on Marty but has competition in Dolly (Candace J. Templeton); Derik, the sex-loving beer delivery driver and rodeo cowboy, and Dane, the lonely Chutes bartender, express their despair about having never found true connection in the moving “Lonely After 40”. They’ve been “picking up men but avoiding relationships”, and the rodeo weekend makes them rethink their life choices.

Paul and Martin arrived at the rodeo in a rental car from Baltimore. Paul has had an “encounter” with the promiscuous Derik, in the latter’s truck. Martin, having realized he is bisexual, has “proceeded to break up with both his wife and his girlfriend.” The two sing “Purple Mini-Rental” as they play tag around the parked vehicles.

Rebecca and Tina met at a previous rodeo and are now an item but live on separate ranches miles apart. “That’s how people stay together,” muses Brace. “They live far away from each other!” Tina sings about wanting the same love her parents shared in the lovely “Day Old Roses.”

The lyrics clearly and poignantly illustrate each character’s journey, set to music that is a perfect blend of Classic Country and Broadway. Boisterous singalongs sit very comfortably alongside moving ballads.

The songs are wonderfully crafted and the love that went into creating them is evident, from the opening stomper “The Rodeo Has Come to Town!” to the gorgeous, award-winning “What I’m Saying” to the soon-to-be iconic “The First Drag Queen Rodeo Clown.” “Tell the World” could be the theme of Pride 2025, as it urges all to banish hate and choose love.

As Kosik has pointed out, Cowfolk’s characters are entirely from the LGBTQ+ community, thus freed from being relegated into the box of the “other” in a society where heterosexuality is stubbornly clung to as the norm. They are relatable and 3-dimensional, and feel like new friends you want to hang out with by show’s end.

At the 54 Below world premiere performance on June 9, presented by Bearly Designed Productions, Cowfolk was emceed by Lisa Dennett and Schleck (of the Jesus Christ Superstar national tour). The cast also included Dennett, Allison Calabrese, Anthony Castellano, Farid Garofalo-Germes, Laura MacLean and Andrew McNamara, all bringing the characters and songs to life with gusto.

Sue C. Maskaleris provided expert musical direction and accompanied the cast on piano and violin. Nelson Riveros did stunning guitar work throughout, backed by the impeccable rhythm section of Tony Ventura on bass and Brian Woodruff on drums.

Cowfolk the Gay Rodeo Musical is a love letter in song to LGBTQ+ pride, and a tremendous showcase for the artists of the community. Keep an eye out for it Off-Broadway.

“Tell the world we choose love.”