Story, Script, Music & Aristic Director - Larry Carter
Stage Director - Bob Garrett

The Pied Piper of Hamelin Illustration by Kate Greenaway, 1888

Once upon a time, long ago in a city far away, an event occurred that we now call the tale of the Pied Piper. According to this well-known story, the Town Council of Hamelin refused to pay a piper after he rid them of a plague of rats, so he spirited off their children to a magical cave, never to be seen again. The original story, although accurate as far as it goes, is incomplete. There is a character so sneaky that no one even knew he existed - until now. He is best friends with tha rats, and he sent them in the first place, then tricked the Piper into bringing the children to his cave. This Rat Master doesn't want you to know how he was outwitted by the courage of the girl the original story calls the "Child on Crutches" who befriended the Piper and, with him, rescued the children from the cave. Borrowing from the vaudeville tradition, we start with a short pre-show "olio" concert where each actor performs a short piece. One might sing a song, the next recite a poem, the next play violin or guitar. And then we present the musical melodrama. The audience CHEERS ON THE HEROINE (the "Girl on Crutches") and HISSES AT THE VILLAIN (the Rat Master). Good triumphs over evil and everyone lives happily ever after. Larry Carter, Artistic Director