A legend stalks the Northwest woods — the subject of scary stories, heated discussions and long-lived fascination. Not a hairy creature with footprints the size of small boats, but a real, live, shy man whose tragedy lives on 111 years past his death.
Now the story of John Tornow, “The Wildman of the Wynoochee,” takes on even bigger life with the premier of a musical playing at the Key City Theatre in Port Townsend. The theater production is based on the legend with a fictionalized approach to the events of 1911 to 1913, and stars a musical cast of professional and local talent.
The actual John Tornow took to the woods of the eastern Olympic Peninsula as a fugitive for 19 months following the death of his twin nephews, killed in a fog during a search for a bear. The musical portrays only one nephew, among other alterations necessary for plot and staging. A man who wanted only to be left alone, Tornow evaded captors while the search itself captured sensational newspaper stories nationwide. It ended in a shootout north of Montesano and west of Matlock in what is now Grays Harbor County.
The musical tells the story of Tornow, his sister and a land-hungry brother. A sympathetic sheriff and a blood-thirsty journalist spreading news — or disinformation — create the conflict. The passion comes from a fictional love interest reminiscent of a Shakespearean tragedy.
The idea of a musical came to Jessica Welsh, a Los Angeles-based playwright, after hearing the story. She co-authored the script and musical with Sequim resident Linda Dowdell, composer and musical director with a national resume. The pair collaborated virtually during the COVID-19 shutdown to develop solid characters and memorable music.
Directed by Brendan Chambers of Port Townsend, the creative team and the cast members boast a long list of credentials acquired far beyond the intimate northwest Washington venue. The lead role of John Tornow is performed by Casey Raiha, an Olympia native and an established Seattle-based stage and voice actor.
An ensemble of violins, bass and drums accompany the performance, creating the eeriness and mystique of the Northwest woods.
“The setting of the woods is more than just a backdrop; it is a character in its own right…a place of beauty and danger and we reconnect with our most primal instincts,” according to the writers’ notes.
A well-documented book about Tornow, “Villain or Victim?,” was published in 2014 by life-long journalist Bill Lindstrom of Olympia.
“As an author, I could not have been more delighted to see my work come to life on stage,” he said. “What made this even more memorable was when Casey Raiha, the leading actor, told me that reading my book gave him insight into developing John’s character.”
The audience is left with lingering questions: Why do we as a society struggle to allow people to be different? Was the tragedy inevitable? Was John Tornow a murderous villain — or a victim?
Lindstrom’s book is available at local book stores and museums. “The Wildman of the Wynoochee” plays at the Key City Theatre in Port Townsend Thursday through Sunday in October. Tickets and information are on the Key City website, www.KCPT.co, or at 360-385-KCPT.
