On National Road-The Musical

Howard Community College | Horowitz Visual & Performing Arts Center : Smith Theater | 

On National Road, an original new musical chronicles historic milestones during the last 250 years in Ellicott City and Howard County premiered at the close of the town’s Sestercentennial year on THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8th 2022! A signature piece of Ellicott City’s 250th anniversary celebration, this magical, entertaining, educational, family-oriented musical featured 19 songs in a variety of musical genres.

The musical tells the story of significant people and events in the history of Ellicott City and Howard County when a family inadvertently opens a portal through time at Grandma and Pops’ in Ellicott City! Pieces of days-gone-by explode into the room and figures from the past dance across the floor. The walls reverberate in song as Charles Carroll of Carrollton, The Ellicotts, Benjamin Banneker and even Babe Ruth tell their stories.

A musical ode to the mighty Patapsco River ripples through the family’s adventure as historic events unfold before their eyes.  But the past is unraveling, time is disappearing, and they must find a way to put it back together to ensure the future!

Directed by Jesse Baxter | Music direction by Tiffany Holmes | Orchestration by Philip Milman
Book and lyrics by Ellen Nibali | Music by Kevin Crouch & Ellen Nibali (with additional music by Colin Hodge)

SONGS INCLUDE: (read the lyrics here)

presented in partnership with:

funded in part by Howard County Arts Council through a grant from Howard County Government