Redwood Musical Lyrics

Baltimore, Maryland, 2019. In the background, Stevie Durbin composes an email to his entire extended family while a hip-hop dancing class plays. Since their genealogy is steeped in American slavery, Stevie wants to let everyone know that he has started a genealogical journey on behalf of the entire clan. Although their roots are difficult to trace, Stevie believes it is well worth the effort. And his preliminary investigation has revealed that there is a genuine, breathing Tatum family descendent in Baltimore who formerly owned members of the Durbin family as slaves.

Stevie persuades Drew, the young Tatum, to get together for coffee so they can talk about their common ancestry. The news that he is descended from slave owners breaks Drew's heart. When they learn that Drew is Stevie's niece Meg Durbin's partner—in fact, that Meg and Drew recently moved in together to intensify their relationship—things become even more confusing. After realizing that his own family had enslaved his girlfriend's family, Drew rushes out of the café without planning to speak with Stevie again. Drew and Meg have a tense talk about the legacy of slavery and the continued oppression brought on by systematic racism that afflicts Black Americans after receiving disturbing news.


Though they come to differing conclusions about how to make meaning of their identities as American women of color, Meg and her mother Beverly enjoy a strong bond and laugh over their mutual bewilderment over Stevie's obsession with internet genealogy.

Stevie's extended family becomes frustrated with the depth of his studies, so they break off communication. In an attempt to build a community, he enrolls in a variety of dance and yoga programs. However, he feels even more alone because he is so out of place. Beverly steps up to take care of her family's financial needs as Meg and Drew search for a way forward and as Stevie starts to feel lonely. Things eventually start to improve through a string of tough but incredibly relatable family conversations, even when Beverly eventually admits that her marriage has failed and that she is experiencing loneliness and despair of her own.

Drew tries to face his terrible family background and how it affects his current relationship, even though confronting his father about their genealogy doesn't work. After their reconciliation, he and Meg go out on a family night out with Beverly and Stevie. They all appear to be aware of how challenging it will be to put their common past into perspective and move past it, but they are determined to love and respect one another as Americans, as people, and as a family that sticks together and laughs. The spirits of the Durbin ancestors approach the stage and speak to the audience to make sure their own stories are neither forgotten nor sanitized as the modern protagonists look to the future.
Release date: 2025
Last Update:June, 14th 2024