In their upcoming production of “Hank Williams: Lost Highway,” Hayward’s Douglas Morrison Theatre tells the life story of the highly influential American singer almost entirely through music.

Originally produced by Manhattan Ensemble Theater in 2002, DMT’s version of the musical biography will open on Friday. “Hank Williams: Lost Highway,” follows the short life of 1940s Country Western singer Hank Williams, played by Kevin Singer. The play explains how some of his most famous songs came to be and aims to show how influential Williams has been on modern day musicians.

“There’s comedy, there’s drama, there’s sadness, there’s gun violence, there’s sex … Everything you could want, it’s better than television,” said Rebecca Faiola, who plays Hank Williams’ mother Mama Lilly.

Faoila said the production was close to her heart because her father was a farmer.

“It’s a way to get a message across. There’s a lot of pain in the show, so my role as Mama Lily is kind of the comic relief,” said Faiola. “She’s that mother that we would all like to have that directs us and loves us so much and would fight for us.”

The on-stage band, who also play members of Williams’ band, The Lonesome Cowboys, perform songs like “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” as well as “Move It on Over.”

The production touches on some of the low points in Williams’ life as well: dependency on drugs and alcohol are believed to be a major factor in his death caused by heart failure at age 29.

“It makes it a special challenge and especially interesting, because of course you need to find that wonderful combination, the actor and musician,” said Susan Evans, artistic director at Douglas Morrison Theatre. “[The band is] the real deal. You do tend to have a little more intimacy when you have a band on stage.”

Casting the play was not always easy, Evans said. They wanted performers who had experience with bluegrass, country and the hillbilly style.

Faiola was drawn to this role because of her roots in southern music and culture. Originally from McKinney, Texas, she performed locally there as a child before relocating to the Bay Area. Fiaola is also a member of Bay Area jazz group “Jet Black.”

Band members were cast from all over the Bay Area, and getting a brand new band together to create the chemistry needed for a successful show was uniquely challenging, Evans said.

Musical biographies are becoming more popular, Evans explained. Productions have also been done on the lives of Johnny Cash and Billie Holiday.

“I think that everyone should learn about this part of American history because Hank Williams’ music has affected so many lives and so much of our music,” Faiola said.

DMT’s production of Hank Williams: Lost Highway will run for two weeks, opening Friday with a barbeque party. A Wednesday show has also been added for April 22.

On Saturday, April 25, in between a double-header, the band will stay and answer questions from the audience after the matinee showing. Tickets are available for all nights on the DMT website and at the theater box office.