When Cecilia Tomko wrote her first song at age 7, she had no idea that one day she might write an actual musical.

Tomko of Butler Township is a busy wife and mother of four. She is worship leader at Mars Alliance Church and the director of Classical Conversations, a home-school group of 30 families in Mars.

She will debut her play, “Cecilia: The Saint of Music” with a reading Friday evening at Mars Alliance Church, 997 Route 228, Mars.

She began writing about her namesake when she awoke with the idea in her heart.

“One night in 1997, during missionary training in Norway with Youth With A Mission, I woke up and had the story line in total,” said Tomko. “In the middle of the night, I switched on my bedside lamp and wrote the complete outline of acts and scenes with general content.”

She continued over the past 17 years to flesh out that outline, adding details and words and music and scene descriptions, but she totally attributes the inspiration to God.

Perhaps the concept of the play was decided before her birth.

“Before I was born, my father, an immigrant from Norway, commented to a friend that America has so many holidays but none to celebrate something as important as music. His friend, a Catholic, mentioned Saint Cecilia's Day (Nov. 22),” she explained of her namesake.

After the inspiration struck, Tomko returned to the States and began her research.

“I visited my local library and checked out everything I could find out about Saint Cecilia. She is a favorite in many books about the saints, is often depicted in art, and there are lots of great classical instrumental and choral pieces written in her honor. There is even a long passage about her in Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales,'” Tomko said.

Last summer a more tangible piece of inspiration came to her when her mother visited Saint Cecilia's Basilica in Rome and returned with some pictures and literature.

Tomko said the purpose of Friday's reading is to see how her words sound coming from the characters.

Her friend, Sue Fabish Errico, from Nashville has had international success with her musical comedy, “Motherhood, the Musical,” and is helping Tomko move her work forward.

“She is coaching me in the process of text to stage and highly recommends the audience reading for the purpose of experiencing how the words and songs flow, as well as for audience reaction; do they laugh when they are supposed to laugh, etcetera, and to get audience feedback,” said Tomko.

“The nine actors will be seated on the stage. Actors who are 'in scene' will stand at a microphone and dramatically speak and sing their lines,” she explained.

Tomko has assembled an experienced cast to bring the work to life including Jordan Luntz, Nathan Rockcastle, Mitch Tepper, Jeff Carey, Kim Orchard, Bob Meals, Joshua Brugere, Tim Waldenville, Dana Celich, and her daughter, Chesna Tomko.

Two of the performers, Al and Kara Whitmire, are father and daughter and got to know Cecelia through their mutual involvement in the hobnob theater co.

“I had a chance to sing with Cecilia at hobnob theatre's 'A Christmas Carol' and decided to help if I could,” said Al Whitmire of Butler Township. “I have several small speaking parts, and I'll sing with the group.”

His daughter Kara will be doing the same but has a solo as well.

“I found it intriguing that Cecilia and her husband lived lives set apart for God and they were martyred for their faith,” said Kara Whitmire.

The songs will be sung to piano tracks.

“ I will also have a reader speak out the necessary scene details to help the audience imagine the action and setting,” Tomko said about the reading, which is open to the public.

Tomko said she is thankful for all who offered to share in this showcasing of her work, especially her family.

“We moved to Butler to be close to my in-laws, David Tomko and Terrie Mourningdove, a talented visual artist, and my sister-in-law, Mary Brewer, who released her first music CD this year. I've been very thankful for their help in reading and editing the musical for me,” Tomko said.

“I am hopeful that the Christian, and certainly the Catholic community, will welcome this work,” said Tomko.

“ Of course, my greatest desire is that many both inside and outside of the church would appreciate the music and be captivated by the story and ultimately confronted with the question of what they themselves are willing to die for,” Tomko said.

St. Cecilia was born in Trastevere, Italy, to a wealthy (patrician) family and was a Christian during a time of intense persecution.Most scholars place her martyrdom under Emperor Diocletian around A.D. 303. She took a vow of purity, yet was forced to marry Valerian, and on her wedding night told him an angel guarded her and only if he believed and was baptized would he see her angel. He became a Christian, and the couple did good works together until they were both martyred.Her martyrdom was unique in that the first attempts to kill her were unsuccessful, and she led many to Christ on her deathbed.

<B>WHAT: </B>Reading of “Cecilia: The Saint of Music” by Cecilia Tomko<B>WHEN: </B>7 to 9 p.m. Friday with an intermission<B>WHERE: </B>Mars Alliance Church, 977 Route 228