CAVE CITY — When Floyd Collins was trapped inside Sand Cave a century ago, it’s unlikely anyone thought there would be a musical produced about his life.

On Saturday though, cast members of SKyPAC’s upcoming “Floyd Collins” musical gathered with members of the public at ACE Coffee in Cave City to honor Collins’ memory.

“Exciting’s not the word, but it is,” said actor Jesse McFarland, who will play the role of Collins in the musical. “The fact that you get to play someone who was real, it’s exciting and it’s challenging.”

Collins, a cave explorer, was traveling through Sand Cave when a rock was dislodged and fell onto his leg, trapping him 200 feet underground for several weeks.

Saturday’s event coincided with the 100th anniversary of Carnival Sunday. Carnival Sunday saw scores of onlookers flock to the area hoping to see Collins successfully removed from the cave.

The National Parks Service estimates that 10,000 people and 4,500 cars visited the area on Feb. 8, 1925. According to NPS, the scene was awash with food, entertainment and alcohol, taking on a carnival-like atmosphere. Collins was not freed that day, spending roughly another week underground before rescuers discovered Collins’ lifeless body.

Cast members of the musical performed one of the production’s songs, “The Ballad of Floyd Collins” and a poem telling Collins’ story was read as well.

Speaking to attendees at the shop Saturday, ACE Coffee owner and descendent of Collins Letitia Cline said the story of Collins is one she has “grown up with my entire life” and called the musical “amazing.”

“It’s just special to watch my family history unfold,” Cline said. “I’ve always heard it, but to watch it honored makes me feel really proud.”

In a house next door to the coffee shop, various pieces of memorabilia were on display from Collins’ story, including telegrams talking about the situation, photographs of his family members and rescue efforts and items created after his death.

Cline said as a relative of Collins, she feels a “huge responsibility” to share this history.

“I love history anyway, so I try to save as much of it as I can, especially anything that has to do with Cave City or my family.”

The musical about Collins is set to premiere at SKyPAC on March 8.

Musical Director Alan White told the Daily News that he chose to direct the musical because of how Collins’ story has shaped the area, and spoke on theater’s ability to tell stories such as this one.

“Getting to tell stories in this way, through theater, makes the stories more personal,” he said. “There’s something about being together as a small community and getting to experience that together.”