Marilyn Morales has been writing her musical about a family that flees Cuba for the past 15 years. But you could argue that she began working on it when she left Cuba with her mother, father and two siblings as a 10-year-old girl in 1971.

"It took us 10 years to get permission to leave the country. We left on Christmas Eve with just a suitcase," she said. "It was a good Christmas present."

Her musical, “Always Remember,” is about the trials and tribulations of the fictional Santos family escaping from the terror of living under Castro’s rule in Cuba and struggling to reunite in the U.S. The story has parallels to Morales’ life, but draws on accounts of other Cubans who lived under Castro’s brutal regime.

The songs from the musical will be performed as a concert as the season finale to this summer’s Cranberry Coast Concerts.

Morales is producing the musical alongside her husband Kirk Whipple, who together have run the Cranberry Coast Concert series on the South Coast for the past nine years.

“Always Remember,” which will be performed in town on Aug. 29, will feature both of them on piano, a small orchestra and a chorus of featured singers perfomring songs in both contemporary and traditional Cuban rhythms.

"I was brought up on classical music, so this gave me a chance to teach myself about Cuban music," Morales said.

In addition to the music, Morales said she read volumes of books, spoke with friends, professors and even political prisoners in order to make the musical as realistic as possible.

But there were many things she did not have to research, having witnessed it first hand. She knew about the about the anti-American propaganda that was broadcasted through the streets of Cuba because she heard it. She knew how people relied on bartering and the black market just to be able to eat, because she saw it.

She laughed at the claims of Cuba's "world class" education and health care.

"The first time I went into a library was when I was 10 years old in Spain," she said.

Morales said that the musical covers oppression in Cuba, but also overcoming it.

"I want the musical to be about hope," Morales said. "I want people to feel hope by the end of it."

She said during a concert rehearsal of the full run of songs her emotions got the best of her.

"The whole time I was fighting because I have to play [piano]," she said. "Then at the very end I broke down and cried."

The concert features professional, semi-professional and amateur singers from all across the South Coast. At the concert venue there will be displays with pictures and information about life in Cuba. There will also be a 30-minute talk back with the composer, arranger and lead characters after the performance.

“You can educate and give lectures and get a small audience, but to be able to communicate not just information but passion and rhythms through music, you get a much deeper experience,” said Whipple. “Hopefully it will inspire people to look up what has happened [in Cuba].”

“Always Remember” will be performed at Eastern Bank, 226 Main St., in Wareham on Friday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. There will also be a performance at the Murray United Unitarian Universalist Church in Attleboro at Thursday, Aug. 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20, and $18 for students/ seniors. Children aged 5 -17 are free with an adult (limit two children per adult). Tickets are available at the door 30 minutes prior to show time.

For more information or to order tickets call (508) 291-8888 or check them out on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CCCFestival