Carolyn is a singer/songwriter/actress and has lived in the Hurricane Valley, Utah with her husband and five children since 1983. She was honored to work with the late Wilford Brimley where she learned of their common New Mexico connection.
He listened to her Tales of Tila on CD, fell in love with the stories, and declared, “I’m going to put you on stage!” Thank-you, Wilford and Beverly! She has produced four CD’s of her original music, plays guitar, piano, mandolin, and banjo. Find her online: mycarolynmurset.com. In her podcast, you can listen to more of Tila’s tales.
Carolyn is a family history enthusiast. After reading her Grandma Tila’s difficulty in making the family’s tortillas as a young girl, and of her plea for divine help in making them, Carolyn was convinced that she needed to bring Tila’s story to life. She found juicy tidbits in the family ledger, and interviewed other family members for even more details and stories of their lives. Tales of Tila was a 2019 AML Drama Award nominee. It is produced by special arrangement with Premiere Theatricals on behalf of Zion Theatricals.
Wilford was a former Marine, born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He first worked as a ranch hand, wrangler, and blacksmith. He began shoeing horses for films and television and began his acting career in the 1960s as a riding extra and stunt man in Westerns. He continued his work in films at the encouragement of his friend, Robert Duvall.
Mr. Brimley starred in many films including The China Syndrome, Cocoon I and II, The Thing, Crossfire Trail, Absence of Malice, Ewoks: The Battle For Endor, Hard Target, The Electric Horseman, High Road to China, End of the Line, The Stone Boy, Hotel New Hampshire, Country, Blood River, Brigham City,Tender Mercies, Brubaker, Borderline, Harry & Son, Last of the Dogmen, The Good Old Boys,The Firm and The Natural. Wilford sadly passed away August 1, 2020..
Scenes and Musical Numbers
Tortilla Tale, scene one (1912)
My Name
My Prayer
Tortillas by Tila
Boarding School for Girls, scene two (1916-1917)
Thank-you
Silencio
The Great War, scene three (1917-1919)
Home, Home, Home
The 1st Wonderful Thing
Oh, Juan Manuel
El Presidente Trujillo, scene four (1919-1951)
The Life of the Wife
No, He Did Not
Trujillo, Trujillo
The Life of the Wife, (reprise)
Ask a Taoseña
Intermission
La Familia, scene five (1928-1940)
It Should Have Been Springtime
Chow Chow
Children of a Shepherd
The Secret City, scene six (1941-1948)
To the Movies
Post Office Box 1663
The Pickup
The Temple & the Ledger, scene seven (1948-)
Pobrecito
The Photo
The Price We Paid
My Name (reprise)
.Tales of Tila Soundtrack Musicians
Rhythm guitar: Carolyn Murset
Classical guitar: Lisle Crowley
Mandolin, Bouzouki: Ryan Tilby
Bass guitar, accordion, harmonica, piano keyboards:
John Houston
Percussion: Gordon Strang
Lauretta enjoyed any art that brought passion and joy into her life. She was a singer-songwriter, actor, director, painter, crafter, seamstress, cake decorator and soloist for The John Houston Gospel Choir, and recently threw her hat into the stand-up comedy circle. She loved and greatly appreciated the support of her sweet husband, nine children, 18 grandchildren and one great grandchild. She sadly passed away May 3, 2023.
DIRECTORS NOTES: “I am delighted and honored to be asked to direct Carolyn in this spellbinding work of hers. Being a wordsmith she has expertly taken the writings from her grandmother’s journal and set them free to dance from the page to the stage. The ordinary events of life turn magical with such depth and passion, spelled out in story and song.It’s not often that one has the privilege of being part of such an engaging work of art. Thank you my dear friend Carolyn, for trusting me with this piece of your heart.”
Many Thanks to:
Zion’s Camp and Cottages (Iota, LLC)
Rich Murset, Husband, Sound Board Operator and Roadie
Tyler Murset, QR code creation
Kevin Murset, NYC Off-Broadway Soundboard Operator
Tony Beatty , La Verkin Stake High Council
Susan, Stephen and Brent Peterson
Los Luna, New Mexico Stake
Bishop John Miera, Taos Ward
Presidents Stokes, Allen, Lockwood, Santa Fe, New Mexico Stake
Daniel Rushton, Santa Fe , New Mexico Stake High Council
Irene Francis, Cathy Lindblom
East Valley High School, Mesa, AZ
Tio Jesse A. Trujillo,
(the late)Tia Lula Cantu, research
FamilySearch.org
Davy Crockett, website guru
Miriam Rawson, poster artist
Trails of Tila (the sequel) eBook, Paperback and Soundtrack are available on Amazon. The Soundtrack is also available on iTunes.
Listen and subscribe to my podcast here at mycarolynmurset.com It’s FREE! Find my other music online @ iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Cdbaby.com.
Hello, and welcome! You’re listening to Song Stories, Quiet Stories, episode 18, Silver Curls. I’m your host, Carolyn Murset.
This is the one-woman musical I began writing twenty years ago, after finding and reading my Grandma Tila Miera Trujillo’s autobiography. Her story about her difficulties making the daily tortillas, as her parents and older brothers labored in the fields nine miles away from Taos, and praying in the cornfield for help captivated me. I knew I had to do something creative with it. Once I resumed writing the script and began composing the music, the Magic began.