When Joshua’s Boots premiered at COCA’s former theater in 1999, it opened a window into a chapter of American history that rarely gets its due. The opera introduced young audiences to the real lives of Black cowboys and Exodusters who carved out futures for themselves in the American West. Nearly three decades later, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and COCA are bringing the work back to St. Louis for a new generation. The production is underway through October 24 at COCA’s Catherine Berges Theatre.
At the center of the story is Joshua — a young Black teenager whose life shifts after a traumatic turning point at home. With only his instincts and what he’s been taught, he heads west. He follows his mother’s guidance and reaches for a future that looks nothing like the one he left behind.
For composer Adolphus C. Hailstork, that moment of departure shaped the entire score.
“It was the story of a young man who had to leave everything he knew behind,” he said. “His mother recommended he head out west, and he went out west.”
Joshua’s father had taught him how to handle horses — a skill that becomes central to the life he builds. When Joshua reaches Dodge City, he tries out for work on a cattle drive. The Trail Boss isn’t convinced he belongs there, but Joshua’s ability in the saddle quickly changes the room.
“Once Joshua showed that he could really handle horses, the rest of the hands on the ranch rooted for him,” Hailstork said. “He got on the team, and then he wound up saving the young man’s life.”
For Hailstork, the opera’s message remains as urgent as it was in 1999.
“Personal determination is really what the story is all about,” he said. “The young man had talent, and he demonstrated his talent. With support of others, he wound up getting a position he had longed to have. It’s a story of success in the face of adversity — and we definitely need something like that right now.”
The opera’s return also means many students will encounter opera for the first time through Joshua’s journey. Hailstork hopes it shifts how young audiences see the art form.
“Hopefully they’ll change whatever attitude they had about opera being a stuffy thing in an opera house,” he said. “They might see that opera can be fun, but also meaningful and relate to their own dreams.”
He also knows many will be learning, for the first time, that Black cowboys were real — and central to the history of the American West. “And if they watch this, they’ll also see a story about a person triumphing over adversity,” Hailstork said.
This new staging features a mix of emerging and established artists. Michael Breaux stars as Joshua, with Angel Love as Mama and Sallie Fingers. James Stevens takes on multiple roles, joined by a large ensemble of student performers from Webster University, UMSL, John Burroughs School, Clayton High School and other institutions.
The creative team includes Stage Director Adam Flores; Conductor Stephen Mager — who led the opera’s 1999 premiere; Associate Music Director Jonathan Heaney; Youth Music Director Phil Woodmore; Lighting Designer Jayson Lawshee‑Gress; Costume Designer Ange’lique Newbauer; and Video Designers Kylee Loera and David Sajewich.
Opera Theatre’s Director of Education & Engagement, Allison Felter, first conceived the idea 30 years ago after encountering stories of Exodusters and Black frontiersmen. She believed the history belonged onstage — and that young audiences deserved to see themselves in it.
“What began as a simple idea in a teachers’ workshop has become an established work in the operatic canon for young people,” Felter wrote in her program notes. “Joshua’s Boots continues to educate, inspire, and connect audiences with great stories and great art.”
For Hailstork, seeing the opera return is meaningful.
“I’m glad Opera Theatre thinks well enough of it to restage it,” he said. “It is kind of a rare event when something is done again after almost 30 years. That’s a good sign.”
He also hopes the opera opens doors for young people who may not see themselves in traditional opera narratives.
“They don’t have to want to be cowboys,” he said. “They might want to be business executives. They walk into a building and people turn their nose up at them — but they prove their worth, and the rest is history.”
And when asked what it felt like to see Joshua’s Boots onstage for the first time, Hailstork kept it simple.
“It works,” he said. “I’m happy about that.”
Stage director Adam Flores sees the opera’s return as an opportunity to center voices often left out of the country’s historical narrative. “Telling a story of marginalized people in a historical context is essential,” he said. “Hard work hasn’t always guaranteed acceptance or survival, but there have been moments where that promise felt true. This story is about those who willed the American promise to be true.”
Joshua’s Boots runs Oct. 21–24 at COCA’s Catherine B. Berges Theatre. For tickets or additional information, visit www.cocastl.org or opera-stl.org.