The Canticle of the Plains

The Canticle of the Plains is a musical written by songwriters Rich Mullins and Beaker, loosely based on the life of St. Francis of Assisi.

The story centers around a character named Frank, a 19th century cowboy, and his travels through the Midwest after returning home from fighting in the civil war. Frank then meets Buzz, a former slave, in a burned out church in Lawrence[?], Kansas and Ira, in a saloon[?]. Frank also runs into a childhood friend in the saloon, named Clare. Frank, Buzz and Ira set out in search of the imaginary land of Dineh Bekeya.

In 1996, a soundtrack album was recorded, featuring Mitch McVicker[?] as Frank, Leigh Bingham Nash from Sixpence None The Richer as Clare, Kevin Max as Ira and Michael Tate as Buzz.

The musical premiered in Wichita[?], Kansas on February 2, 1997.