Senior White House economic adviser Todd Buchholz and his daughter Victoria Buchholz have collaborated on Glory Ride, the incredible true story of Italian cycling legend Gino Bartali, who secretly rode thousands of miles to save hundreds of children from Mussolini’s fascists – and never told a soul.
Todd Buchholz is a novelist and economic historian. He was an original co-producer of ‘Jersey Boys’ and his novel ‘The Castro Gene’, a mystery about a megalomaniacal investor in the Rat Pack era, was named a finalist for the USA Best Book Prize.
His daughter Victoria encountered the story of Gino Bartali while travelling in Tuscany and set out to put it to music as Glory Ride, which was developed through workshops in New York and Los Angeles featuring top Broadway talent, with sold-out staged concerts last year at The Other Palace Theatre in London.
Glory Ride is at Charing Cross Theatre 22 April to 29 July, 2023.
Your new musical Glory Ride, is coming to the Charing Cross Theatre, what can you tell us about the show?
Glory Ride is a musical that asks the question: “What would you do?” It’s a true story about individuals who banded together to fight Mussolini’s fascists and German invaders. We tell the story of Gino Bartali, one of the most beloved Italian athletes of all time. A Tour de France winner, he was the second most famous man in Italy, after Mussolini.
But Gino led a secret life. Glory Ride explores how Gino conspired with the Resistance and rode his bicycle to sneak persecuted people out of Fascist Italy. Gino could have lived through fascism as a privileged celebrity. Instead, he took action, knowing if he was caught, he would be killed. Glory Ride puts to soaring music this uplifting story.
What inspired you to write a musical about Gino Bartali?
We wanted to create a musical that revealed a truly heroic story packed with passion and conflict – but we also wanted a story that was stirring, with moments of humor. The show becomes a heist, as Gino, the Cardinal of Florence and an accountant – three individuals with nothing in common – conspire to fool Mussolini’s Blackshirts.
The audiences root for our characters, laugh at the antics, but feel their pain as they struggle against evil. Today, we live in a world plagued by aggressive despots who are invading other nations. So did Gino Bartali. Gino’s story inspires us to protect the weak and shows us how to fight back. His heroism was remarkable: he risked his life over and over again. He was thrown in a dungeon by one of the most vicious men in Italian history. And yet he didn’t give up…he just kept riding.
Todd, how did you make the leap from Senior Advisor at the White House to writer of a new musical?
Politics is storytelling. When I served at the White House and offered advice to the president, I had to think carefully about how best to explain a policy idea. But I also had to suggest to the president how he could convince Congress or the American people to go along with the idea. I basically had three audiences: the president, other politicians, and the American people.
The difference is in politics you know that about half the people (the other party) will usually disagree with your idea. In theatre, we’re determined to tell a story that is universal and, we hope, reflects glimmers of humanity that cross partisan lines. In addition to working in policy and finance, I’ve written a number of books – more story-telling – and eventually became a co-producer of Jersey Boys, and a participant in the success of Kinky Boots and an Aaron Sorkin play, The Farnsworth Invention.
And what have you learnt most about each other during the process?
We learned that we’re both fascinated by Italian history and by storytelling. We wanted to create an entertaining show, while also respecting the rich history of Tuscany, the birthplace of da Vinci, Michelangelo, Puccini, and, of course, Gino Bartali. Together we’ve been taking Italian lessons. We have two tutors: one from the north of Italy; one from the south. Since they don’t know about each other, they think we’re twice as smart as we really are.
How would you describe the musical style of Glory Ride, and what do you enjoy most about the sound you’ve created?
When Victoria composes, she channels the emotions of the character who is singing, expressing through music their pain, fears, joys, and hopes. What emerges are melodies that we hope will take audiences on an emotional journey through our story world. Each song takes inspiration from a different idea or action – from riding a bicycle up the Alps to Dante’s Inferno to the sometimes-difficult relationships between parents and children.
What was the biggest challenge you both faced writing Glory Ride?
Gino’s story is such a wonderful adventure, it would be easy to get too caught up in the exciting plot and the heroics. But he wasn’t a superhero from Marvel. We pushed ourselves to find the emotional pull, and to depict some moments that could be heart-wrenching and other moments that are comic. As any writer will tell you, even if you write a spectacularly good piece, getting it produced is an invitation to a party given by Sisyphus. But we are delighted we have shoved it up the hill, and onto the stage of Charing Cross Theatre.
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking to see Glory Ride?
We’re going to take you to Tuscany for an inspiring, true story that will surprise you, make you laugh, and make you cry. And I suspect you will be humming songs on the way home. Sound good? See you at the show!
