Original musical to debut tonight ‘What is This Life?’ plays in Skowhegan

SKOWHEGAN – Robert Lovelace of Brighton has had 12 songs floating around in his head for years but it wasn’t until he starred in a play about perseverance that he pushed himself to create a musical.

A farmer, actor and musician, Lovelace recently took those songs, wrote a musical around them and is producing the play this month in Skowhegan.

“What is This Life?” will premiere at the Skowhegan Opera House at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 5-6.

“It is a love story with a little tragedy and it is very funny,” Lovelace said recently. “It is set in a barroom in central Maine. A couple comes in late at night and the story unfolds.”

Lovelace said that when he played the role of Don Quixote in “Man of La Mancha” at the Waterville Opera House a year ago, he took Don Quixote’s words “always look forward” to heart. That was what propelled him to do something with his dozen songs.

“This was a very ambitious project,” he said. “It has taken me a couple of years to put together.”

Lovelace is well-known in central Maine as a musician and actor. He has released four CDs and plays regularly in local venues. His music has been featured on Maine Public Radio, WERU and WMHB. Along with the lead role of Don Quixote, Lovelace starred as Harold Hill in Lakewood Theater’s “The Music Man,” as well as playing dozens of minor roles at both theaters.

“The Skowhegan performances may be the world premiere,” he said, “but we’d like to take it beyond that, possibly to different venues.”

Along with Lovelace, the case of seven includes Jade Fortin, Richard Roberts, Mary Stewart, Chris Wright, Phoebe Larkin and Jamie Simpson.

Live music will be provided by Suzie and The Smelts, a popular central Maine band.