The story of Gloucester and its fishing families will be told this weekend in a new musical, “The Souls of the Sea,” written by architect, poet and songwriter Frank Tedesco.

“It’s kind of the gift that keeps giving; it’s the story of Gloucester,” Tedesco said. “The story of Gloucester is the story of America. I try to reflect that in this play.”

Tedesco has been writing songs about Gloucester fishermen and their families in collaboration with singer/songwriter and contractor Allen Estes for about 10 years. The pair wrote “Where’d They Go?” the official song of the city of Gloucester.

“While I was writing [songs], I felt this really would be best portrayed in a musical play,” Tedesco said. He began writing the script last winter and Estes and Tedesco have incorporated many of their songs—both new and old—into the play.

“He’s written some beautiful melodies and songs for this musical that I think are actually showstoppers. People will be very entertained,” Tedesco said.

Estes said the play was written around the music. “This is as much of a musical as you could possibly get,” he said.

The 16 actors and actresses will be singing in character over recorded music throughout the two-act play. Estes provided vocal coaching for the actors and actresses, all of whom are from Gloucester and Rockport.####

The play is fictional, and set in modern-day Gloucester. It focuses on the women who wait for their men to return from sea, but there are male characters in the play, as well. Nan Webber, Theater In the Pines founder and artistic director, is directing the play. ####

“Usually there’s, you know, great emphasis on the men and what they go through, and their daily lives and all, but you get to meet these women and know their fears and know that they know the men, and they are the better half of fishermen, really,” said Webber.

The characters are drawn from stories and people, both historical and contemporary, that Tedesco has read about or encountered. Howard Blackburn’s character is one of the historical figures with a role in the play. “Not With Your Hands,” one of Tedesco and Allen’s most popular songs, is about Blackburn.

“It’s not all about sadness and loss; there’s some funny moments … different emotions that go on in this play,” Estes said. “I think overall, it’s entertaining.”