When Hollywood came to Moses Lake: Big Bend musicals

From 1974 to 1992 Big Bend Community College ran a spring musical program that brought Hollywood stars to our small town. The program was the brainchild of Wayne Freeman, the director of the music program at BBCC. In an interview he said of the program, "This all began with a brainstorm (I) had in the fall of 1973. A late April date was chosen to not interfere with the Spokane World’s Fair and was a hiatus time for TV and movie actors.”

The first musical produced by the program was “Oliver!” starring Leonard Nimoy as Fagin, the criminal who recruits Oliver and other children for a pickpocketing ring. Nimoy’s career was on the rise after role in TV’s “Star Trek,” but he was not yet too famous to take a short off-season gig in Moses Lake. 

Freeman had the forethought to pick shows that could accommodate a large cast of locals and their children in the roles, ensuring a healthy audience for the performances. The addition of famous actors to the cast raised interest and awareness, making the musical series a smashing success. Nevertheless, Freeman always maintained that the Hollywood talent was nice to have, but the locals in the cast really made the shows worth seeing. 

After “Oliver!” Freeman planned more shows and other stars found their way to Moses Lake. Some highlights include 1981’s production of “Li’l Abner” starring football legend Joe Namath in the title role and 1985’s “Oklahoma!” starring “Brady Bunch” actor Barry Williams as Curley.

Unsurprisingly, some of the shows went more smoothly than others. About 1982’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” Wayne Freeman said it was “maybe our finest hour.” He also said that Carol Lawrence, who came to town in 1990 to star in “Mame” was, “the most miserable person I have ever had to work with.” Conversely, his experience with “One Day at a Time” star Pat Harrington was quite positive. He called Pat “the most fun star to be around of all the celebrities for he was intelligent, a great jazz piano player and was easygoing and always off the wall.” 

The series produced a show a year for 18 years, the only exception being 1991 when Mr. Freeman was ill and unable to do the show. That fact alone is a testament to the vision, energy, and effort Wayne put into the series. When he was unavailable, the show simply didn’t happen.  

The final show in the series occurred in 1992 with “Big River,” which brought in three Broadway stars, Bob Fitch, Martin Moran, and Cedric Turner. Freeman called that final show, “my most satisfying experience of all.” 

The series should be remembered as local history and for the intangible benefits it provided to everyone involved. Locals got a taste of fame in these shows, the community was treated to professional performances from bona fide stars, and it seemed like the entire town turned out to support their friends and neighbors. It was proof positive that nothing is out of our reach if enough talent, time, and energy is invested in the project. 

A new exhibit at the Moses Lake Museum & Art Center celebrates the BBCC musicals and the work that Wayne and others put into the shows. It features the original costume worn by Joe Namath, as well as programs, headshots, and other ephemera from that era. Visit the museum (admission is free!) to see the exhibit and learn more about this series. 

Back in the Day appears bi-weekly and looks at the rich and sometimes little-known history of the Columbia Basin.

Big Bend musicals and stars

1974: “Oliver!”/Leonard Nimoy

1975: “Guys and Dolls”/Soupy Sales

1976: “Bye Bye Birdie”/Dick Gautier

1977: “Anything Goes”/Edie Adams

1978: “Music Man”/Bobbie Van

1979: “Kiss Me Kate”/Liz Torres

1980: “South Pacific”/Howard Keel

1981: “Li’l Abner”/Joe Namath

1982: “Fiddler on the Roof”/Jan Peerce

1984: “Annie”/ Norwood Smith

1985: “Oklahoma!”/Barry Williams

1986: “Hello Dolly”/Gretchen Wyler

1987: “Finian’s Rainbow”/ Paul Williams

1988: “My Fair Lady”/Gordon Jump

1989: “Pajama Game”/Pat Harrington, Jr.

1990: “Mame”/Carol Lawrence

1992: “Big River”/Bob Fitch/Martin Moran/Cedric Turner