THE STORY
Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story of a girl who is no bigger than your thumb who seeks to know what the great big world has to offer. But, when she finally gets out there, she finds that the world has the potential to be overwhelming.
Along the way, she encounters many outrageous, diverse and sometimes unpleaseant characters, and is able to overcome all of the adversities by following her heart, and the guidance of friends she meets along her journey.
THE MUSIC
The music for this story is all original. It began as a children's musical, but in the process of developing the story, Ms. Coder and I decided that a more broadly scoped format would be desirable for not only the audience, but the performers as well. It has now become a musical which is fun for kids and adults alike, but also adds an intellectual element especialy designed for adults. This version has been developed to accomodate either an all-child cast (6-14 years of age), or a blended cast with primarily adult principals and smaller children for the chorus. All of the music is fun, challenging, zany and profound. None of the music is easy! However, it is all well within the reach of any age performers for the respective roles.
PRINCIPLE ROLES
(Some cast members will play more than one role)
THUMBELINA - Mezzo Soprano (Range: Middle C to 5th line F): Petite young lady, or girl aged 8-14 years. Minimal dancing required. A young girl seeking to find a place and community in the world who will accept her for who and what she is. This role requires dramatic variations in mood, but maintains a consitancy of attitude throughout.
WITCH - Mezzo Soprano (Range: Middle C to 4th line D): Female age 15 - 45. Minimal dancing required. A comical, elderly looking and haggard woman who is misplaced in her story. While this unplanned mislocation bothers her, she decides to forego her schedule of events to aid a poor, childless woman with the acquisition of a child.
WOMAN - Mezzo Soprano (Range: Middle C to 4th space E): Female age 18 - 45. Minimal dancing required. A middle aged-looking woman who seeks to have a child of her own. Not the nicest mother figure, but wants a child nonetheless.
MRS. TOAD - Mezzo Soprano (Range: Middle C to 5th line F): Female age 18 - 45. Tap and jazz dancing is required. A self serving, in-your-face busy-body of a mother who wants nothing more than to see her son married and "happy". She kidnaps Thumbelina and tries to have her marry her toad son, Splat.
SPLAT - High Tenor (Range: Middle C to 2nd space A): Male age 12 to 18. Tap and jazz dancing is required. A light-headed character whose only ambition is to change his name and dance on stage. Has no interest at all in getting married to anyone, least of all a human-looking girl.
MALCOLM MAYFLY - Tenor (Range: Bass Clef 4th line F to 3rd ledger space F): Male age 15 - 25. Stage sword play required. A high-spirited, swashbuckling semi-hero figure who rescues Thumbelina from an untimely doom only to try to convince her that he is the one for her. But his attention to commitment is fickle in his exceptionally short life span.
MILDRED & MAUDE MAYFLIES - Mezzo Sopranos (Range: middle C to 4th line D): Females ages 12-25. Good stage movement only; no dancing necessarily. These two man-hungry "babes" help Malcolm realize the folley of his "love" for Thumbelina in the hopes of bagging him for themselves.
LADIES TRIO - 1st Soprano/2nd Soprano/Alto. Female age 14 - 30. Extreme harmonization required. Strong dancing skills required. This trio appears a couple of times throughout the show. They are first seen in the rescue of Thumbelina as three different acquatic entities who sing a repeating round of rhythmically and harmonically challening musical snippets. Later they return as three ants who teach Thumbelina the virtues of hard work and the benefits this can produce.
MISS MOUSE - Lyric Alto (Range: Middle B to 3rd space C): Female age 15 - 45. Excellent part singing and harmonization abilites required. Minimal dance experince required. An interferring, self- serving, but good-natured field mouse who plays an ill-equipped matchmaker for Thumbelina and Mr. Mole.
PROFESSOR MOLE - Baritone (Range: Bass Clef 1st space A to Middle D): Male age 30 - 50. Harmonization and part singing required. No dancing. A shallow, wealthy, educated, elderly, blind bachelor with whom Miss Mouse seeks to match up a trapped Thumbelina.
SPARROW - High Tenor/Soprano (Range: Treble Clef 1st space F to High Bb): Male or female age 16 to 40. Must have fluid movement skills/high mobility. A high-energy, caring sparrow who is injured during some late-autumn frolicking with his brother (not seen), and falls unconscious into Mr. Mole's tunnel. After being secretly nursed back to health by Thumbelina, he helps rescue her from a near-marital situation and find the place where she truly belongs.
PHILLIPE - Lyric Baritone (Range: Bass Clef low Bb to Middle C): Male age 15 to 30. French dialect, excellent diction and minimal dancing required. A young, handsome, arrogant "Taylor" from Paris who is summoned by Mr. Mole to create his wedding ensemble, and is unintentionally and unhappily reunited with an old girlfriend.
MARGUERITE - Mezzo Soprano (Range: Middle B to 4th space Eb): Female age 15 to 25. French dialect, excellent diction and minimal dancing required. A mature black widow spider who accidentally finds herself in unfamiliar surroundings, but ends up helping Miss Mouse and her friend design Thumbelina's wedding gown.
LULA - Mezzo Soprano (Range: Middle B to 4th line D): Female age 10 to 20. French dialect, excellent diction and minimal dancing required. A young, not-too-bright spider who is romantically remeniscent of her Parisian past. Loves Phillipe with her whole heart and can't imagine he doesn't love her back.
QUEEN DIAPHENIA - Mezoo Soprano (Range: Middle C to 3rd space C): Female age 15 to 40. Movement only. Strong stage and solo vocal presence required. Mother to Prince Larkspur and Queen to the Flower Fairy realm. Knowing the origin and nature of Thumbelina's life, she explains who Thumbelina is, how she got misplaced from her home, and counsels Thumbelina to follow her heart and be content.
PRINCE LARKSPUR - Baritone (Range: Low C to Middle C): Male age 15 to 25. Minimal dancing required. A young, handsome prince of the Fairy court who finds Thumbelina and aids her as she finishes her search for her place in the world.
CHILDREN'S CHORUS - FISH and FLOWER FAIRIES - Males and females age 6 - 12. Good diction and movement skills required. Three featured dancers must have strong dancing skills. Two featured singers must have strong solo-singing skills and stage presence.
SONG BREAKDOWN
The following clips are low-quality segments of each of the songs recorded from the orginal cast recording on September 30, 2001 at DeWitt Theatre in Auburn, California. They are intended only to give a taste of the character of each song, not impress you with how the recording itself turned out.
Rehearsal and performance package includes:
--Piano/vocal score for each song and scene change/incidental and underscore music
--Full orchestral score (optional; extra charge)
--CD recordings of orchestrated sound track accompaniment, underscore, and scene change, bows and exit music.
4. Fish Ballet - Ladies Trio and Chorus, Malcolm Mayfly
8. Frere Jacque - Trio: Thumbelina, Professor Mole, Miss Mouse
11. Merrily Welcome - Company: Queen, Prince Larkspur, Rose, Violet, Chorus
12. Finale - Queen, Thumbelina, Sparrow, Company
(The Finale was written after the original workshop cast recorcing was made, and therefore, no recording ia available. However, the sheet music and accompaniment are included in the package. So, too, are scene change and incidental music, Bows and Exit Music.)
