John Henry is a well-known figure of American folklore. Born in poverty in rural West Virginia, John Henry's incredible size and strength became legendary as he worked laying track for the railroads that criss-crossed the countryside in the late nineteenth century. No one could match his skill or his endurance, until the invention of the steam-powered driver, that is. We remember John Henry for his famous contest with this newfangled machine. John won the day, but died soon afterwards of a broken heart. John Henry realized that ordinary men could not compete with the iron workhorses of the industrial revolution and that the days of men like him were numbered.

click the image to view a video clip

Mad River Theater Works has been creating plays based on American folklore for more than seventeen years. Past productions about Annie Oakley and Paul Bunyan, just to name a few, have been received enthusiastically in communities throughout the Midwest. The Theater Works production of John Henry uses storytelling, drama, and music to bring the story of an American legend to life. It is a tale that speaks to young and old alike and carries a strong contemporary parallel about the importance of our humanity in the face of changing technology.