Singing Their Praises

There's only one proper thing to do with unsung historical figures, according to Rainbow Company Youth Theatre artistic director Karen McKenney: Sing about them.

McKenney will direct "Unsung Characters from Nevada's Past" at the Reed Whipple Cultural Center. Scheduled for eight performances over two weekends beginning Friday, "Unsung" shines a musical light on Las Vegas pioneers Walter Bracken, Helen J. Stewart, Roy Martin and Charles "Pop" Squires.

"I picked them because I thought they had interesting stories, and they were all here at the same time," McKenney said.

As the 20th century dawned, Bracken suggested where the railroad depot that became Las Vegas should be built, Stewart sold the land that let the tracks pass through, and Martin established the area's first hospital. Squires -- a newspaper publisher, hotelier, banker and real-estate agent -- did what pop culture gives all the credit to Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel for: standing on a blip in the desert and imagining its future.

"They all had an impact on early Las Vegas that laid the foundation for who we are today," said McKenney, who has penned a new Rainbow show about Nevada history every year for the past 17. (The music is always by J Neal, who also always acts in the show.)

"It's a way to make history more exciting and accessible for kids who maybe find it boring," McKenney said.

"Unsung" -- which stars five adult actors -- also celebrates Mammy Pinkston, a black woman from Alabama who owned a Second Street cafe in the 1910s.

"I had a really wonderful African-American actress and I wanted to find a strong character for her," McKenney said, "and I wanted to show how African-Americans had a presence back then."

After the 50-minute musical ends its run on Valentine's Day, a tour of 28 valley schools is scheduled through May.

Contact reporter Corey Levitan at clevitan@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0456.