'Kannon Gets the Wiggles' musical to debut in Bristow, highlighting life with epilepsy

What started as a children's book about one Oklahoma boy's journey with epilepsy is now becoming a full-length stage musical. Kannon Gets the Wiggles will premiere June 20-22 at the Freeland Center for the Performing Arts in Bristow.

The musical is based on Sometimes I Get the Wiggles, a book written by Andee Cooper in 2016 shortly after her son Kannon was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy.

Image Provided By: Andee Cooper

A Mother's Mission Becomes a Movement

Cooper, a Bristow native, said the book was written out of necessity. When emergency responders began showing up at Kannon's school, his classmates had questions and fears.

"We started calling Kannon's seizures 'the wiggles' to try to decrease their fear," Cooper said. "He loves being around his peers, and I knew I needed to be his voice to build his community."

The book's simple storytelling and empathetic message quickly found an audience. It helped normalize a frightening condition for Kannon's classmates and others dealing with similar diagnoses.

From Page To Stage

Though Cooper wrote the book, she didn't have a hand in adapting it for the stage. That vision came from family friend and theater artist Chapman Shields, who was introduced to the book by a mutual connection in Bristow.

"I loved the original purpose of the book: to take something like epilepsy and create a way for people to understand it," Shields said.

The musical was originally composed as a 45-minute play that would travel to schools. After hearing more of the story, Shields decided to make a full-length musical.

"We decided a full-length musical that allowed adults to relate to and learn from Andee's story is even more powerful," Shields said.

The two-act musical includes twelve original songs, written by Rolin Mains, with a script co-written by Shields and Gavin Thomas Drew.

Cooper saw the finished version for the first time during a reading in Indiana and said it was an emotional moment.

"Chapman owes us nothing and has given us the gift of a lifetime. But he's also gifting the community something so special and so rewarding," she said.

Event Details

Kannon Gets the Wiggles will take the stage for three performances at the Freeland Center: June 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., and June 22 at 2:30 p.m.

The Freeland Center for the Performing Arts is located at 808 North Ash Street in Bristow.

Tickets are available at etix.com or by calling 918-637-3540. More information about the show is available at freelandcenterok.com.

You can purchase the book online or wherever books are sold.