NOTE: No animals were harmed during the making of this musical…
Book and Lyrics by Suzy Conn
Music by Mitchell Kitz
Directed and Choreographed by Marc Richard
THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND will premiere at The Toronto Fringe Festival at the Palmerston Library July 5 to July 16, 2006.
THE TALE OF PIGLING BLAND is a fun family musical based on the Beatrix Potter story of the same name.
Beatrix Potter is the most popular children’s author of all time, so this musical is sure to be a hit with kids age 3 to 9 (and their parents). The running time of 45 minutes is perfect for a child’s first musical theatre experience!
SYNOPSIS
The Tale of Pigling Bland is the story of a young pig who is forced to find his way in the world – a classic coming-of-age pig story.
STORYLINE
The show opens with WE’RE PIGS!, a song about pigs doing piggy things like rolling in mud, snorting, and of course, eating.
Over the course of the opening song we find out that it’s time for Pigling Bland and his brother Alexander to go out in the world and go to market to work. Aunt Pettitoes gives them two licenses so they can go alone and Pigling’s objections fall on deaf pig ears…
On the road, Alex starts carousing, and the licenses get mixed up. Pigling ends up with both of them by mistake. They come upon a Policeman who discovers that Alex doesn’t have a license. Alex must now go back to the farm and Pigling must go on to market alone. Again his objections are unheard. Pigling is left alone and finally realizes what he wants, singing A LITTLE PATCH OF POTATOES.
As he finishes he finds Alex’s license in his pocket and heads offstage to find Alex, but gets lost and ends up at a hen house at night where he falls asleep and is awakened by squawking hens singing WE’RE HENS!
Chaos ensues with much squawking and in comes John Piperson, a grizzled ugly old man who thinks a fox has gotten into the henhouse. Pigling tries to leave but Piperson grabs him and sings YOU’RE UNDER MY THUMB NOW!
Piperson leaves Pigling at his house with instructions to clean up and stay put. Pigling is intimidated enough to stay. Piperson’s minions, Cat and Dog, enter and menace Pigling. Pigling distracts them and they run off leaving Pigling alone, or so he thinks…
Pigling hears some noises coming from a locked cupboard. Who can it be? THE DOOR SONG starts, with Pigling and PigWig (a female pig who is locked in the cupboard) doing a dance number on either side of the cupboard door. Piperson returns, unlocks the cupboard door but neglects to relock it before going to bed. PigWig jumps out, Cat and Dog return, and Pigling learns the facts of life as Cat and Dog sing WAKE UP AND SMELL THE BACON.
This rousing number wakes up Piperson who throws Cat and Dog outside and goes back to bed.
PigWig admits to Pigling that all she wants is WIDE OPEN SPACES and the two pigs discover they have a love of the outdoors in common.
While looking for a tissue to dry PigWig’s tears, Pigling finds the two licenses and the pigs decide to escape.
A Keystone Cops-stlye CHASE starts as we hear the two pigs have run into Cat and Dog and Piperson discovers they’ve escaped. Finally the Policemen enters and blows his whistle: Stop!
Piperson tries to claim the pigs but the Policeman sees the licenses and hustles him off. The Policeman explains to the pigs that if they cross the bridge they won’t be protected by the licences. Together the two pigs decide to face the unknown and cross the bridge in search of WIDE OPEN SPACES and A LITTLE PATCH OF POTATOES.
All the pigs are reunited when Pigling Bland and Pigwig return to Aunt Pettitoes farm with potatoes. Piperson sheepishly shows up to buy potatoes from Pigling. Everybody sings a rousing reprise of WE’RE PIGS!
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