First, came the books.

Now, “Albert Lea Remembers” and “Austin Remembers” are coming to a stage near you as the play, “Tales of Two Counties.” The musical is being presented at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center in Albert Lea Thursday through Sunday and at the Paramount Theatre in Austin on Oct. 24 and 26.

Written by Joan Claire Graham and directed by Ellen Karsten, “Tales of Two Counties” includes a 21-member cast of actors and singers from both Freeborn and Mower counties whose ages span four generations.

Music for the show was written by composer Tom Shelton. Musical director is Gail Thurnau.

Graham, who is known for her “Minnesota Memories” book series, wrote children’s plays and lyrics with composer Shelton in Los Angeles at the Children’s Musical Theater Workshop for several years.

Shelton, who has been an actor and musician all his life, was the recipient of the Landers National Theatre Playwriting Award for his musical adaptation of “Caddie Woodlawn.”

Karsten is a freelance professional actor and director from Minneapolis. She’s directed at a variety of professional, community, college, children’s and summer stock theaters including Cleveland Playhouse, Starting Gate, Theatre in the Round, St. Cloud State University, Central Minnesota Children’s Theatre and Theatre L’Homme Dieu.

“Tales of Two Counties” celebrates the achievement of 214 people from Mower and Freeborn counties who overcame their initial doubt to create two books of county history, “Albert Lea Remembers” and “Austin Remembers.”

For the play, Graham took the nearly quarter-million words and 256 stories and grouped them into similar themes, said Albert Lea resident Jeshua Erickson, who is helping not only to publicize the play but is also acting in it.

The actors are in reality there to tell the stories, he said. There are a few play-like pieces and a dozen songs — most of which were written for this play — mixed in.

Erickson said there are pictures that go with many of the stories — most of which came from the writers who contributed them. There are photos of snowstorms, accidents and baseball games.

He said the the play will be like nothing any people have seen before.

Performances of “Tales of Two Counties” are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center in Albert Lea.

Additional performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 and 2 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Paramount Theatre in Austin.

Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased at Tone Music, Doyle’s Hallmark and Nancy VanderWaerdt’s State Farm office. Tickets will also be sold at the Albert Lea Farmers Market. In Austin, tickets are available at the Paramount box office.

“It reminds me of the big-top Chautauqua shows,” Erickson said. “It’s not your typical play.”

For him, hearing the stories have made him feel more a part of the town.

“Slowly the stories become your stories, too,” he said.

In a press release, Graham said, “I believe this show is unique. If there has ever been a show of this type created specifically for and by Freeborn and Mower County people, I am not aware of it. Audience members will hear the words of people they know, or they will hear familiar stories. They will hear characters talk about their relatives, neighbors or familiar town characters. The music is contagious, the material is suitable for all ages, and the sentiment is real. ‘Tales of Two Counties’ gives new meaning to the term reality show.”

Added Erickson, “It’s a chance for the community to celebrate itself by listening to stories.”