Ed Dixon, who plays "Ozzy" in The Scarlet Pimpernel on Broadway, took a week off to prepare the premiere of his own musical-Cather County -- at the Lyric Stage in Irving, Texas.Dixon wrote the book, music and lyrics for this show, based on on five short stories by the celebrated American writer Willa Cather. The five stories are welded into one that takes place in a small town called Hawkins Gap, which the author describes as "A fictionalized amalgam of Americana, circa 1900." One Texas critic has stated that this musical "...has atmospheric kinship with Our Town."

The musical had a workshop production two years ago at Manhattan's Playwrights Horizons with Judy Kaye and Brent Barrett in the cast. The Texas cast uses local actors who were praised by local critics. Cather County runs through Feb. 21.

-- By Louis Botto