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.