J. B. SMITH is Professor of Music and the Coordinator of Percussion Studies in the School of Music at Arizona State University.

He’ll be in town staging a school holiday musical, “The legend of Sam ‘Tumbleweed’ Barton,” at Gary France’s Groove Warehouse in Hume tomorrow morning, Tuesday July 7, only at 10am.

With the assistance of 10-30 participants playing a variety of musical instruments and sound effects, Professor J. B. Smith will weave a daring tale of a lonesome cowboy’s journey home. Participants will create the sonic background as he recites the story. Participants and all others in attendance will be surrounded by desert ambience, storms, cattle drives, and other sounds of the Wild West.

The mostly young resident musicians will be taught how to operate their instruments and then shown how to respond to prompts projected by a PowerPoint display. No previous musical experience is required, just a desire to learn about the various contraptions used to make sound effects and to participate in a musical adventure’s “pit orchestra.”

Unlike other theatrical and story-telling productions, audience members will be active participants in the presentation.

The program lasts from 45 minutes to an hour depending on the number of participants.

“The legend of Sam ‘Tumbleweed’ Barton,” an interactive western drama accompanied by your own sound effects orchestra at The Groove Warehouse, 1 Sawmill Circuit, Hume, Tuesday July 7, only at 10am. Tickets $20 at the door. Inquiries to 6260 2847.