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Costume design sketches by Gregg Barnes for Emmet, Ma, Wendell and Stan.
The Goodspeed stage.
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Jim Henson's Emmet Otter[1] is a live-action stage musical adaptation of Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. The show first opened on December 7, 2008 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut as Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas and ran until January 4, 2009. The show was developed by Goodspeed Musicals and the Jim Henson Company. The show is set to return to Goodspeed for the 2009-2010 season; running from December 5th to January 3rd.
The production features a mix of live actors and stage puppets built and refurbished by the Jim Henson Company. Paul Williams returned to write four new songs just for the stage adaptation, and finished "Born in a Trunk" which he originally started for the television special.
In addition to the extra songs, other changes were made in adapting the musical from the television special. Some are minor, such as merging Yancy Woodchuck with the fruit stand owner; while the most significant update is that of a framing device added by way of two new characters, Russ and Jane, a contemporary father and daughter who read the storybook together one Christmas Eve. In a move similar to The Wizard of Oz and Labyrinth, Jane ultimately finds herself within the context of the story itself. Another new character is Madame Squirrel, something of a leader for the acrobatic squirrel characters that appeared in the special (they themselves having been upgraded to more scenes for the stage version as well).
Songs
- The One Bathing Suit - Emmet & Ma
- Waterville - Mayor Fox, Residents of Waterville
- At the Music Store - Mrs. Mink
- Ain't No Hole in the Washtub - Emmet & Ma
- Trust - Jane & the Squirrels
- When the River Meets the Sea - Ma & Emmet
- Barbeque - The Jug Band, Ma, & Hetty
- Alice Keep Dreaming - Pa
- Barbeque - Yancy
- Born in a Trunk - Mrs. Mink
- Brothers - The Jug Band
- Our World - Ma
- River Bottom Nightmare Band - The Nightmare Band
- Brothers in Our World - Jane, Ma, Emmet, & the Jug Band
- When the River Meets the Sea (Reprise) - The Company
Original Cast
(In Order of Appearance)
- Jane - Kate Wetherhead
- Russ - Alan Campbell
- Emmet Otter - Daniel Reichard
- Mrs. Alice Otter - Cass Morgan
- Wendell Porcupine - Robb Sapp
- Mrs. Gretchen Fox - Lisa Howard
- Mayor Harrison Fox - Kevin Covert
- Yancy Woodchuck - David Stephens
- Madame Squirrel - Sheri Sanders
- Doc Bullfrog - Tyler Bunch
- Will Possum - Jeff Hiller
- Mrs. Mink - Madeleine Doherty
- George Rabbit - James Silson
- Melissa Rabbit - Anney McKilligan
- Chuck Stoat - Leo Daignault
- Howard Snake - James Silson
- Stan Weasel - Stephen Bienskie
- Catfish - Tyler Bunch
- Fred Lizard - Colin Hanlon
- Hetty Muskrat - Sheri Sanders
- Charlie Muskrat - Jeff Hiller
- Harvey Beaver - Daniel Torres
- Penelope Possum - Anney McKilligan
- Pa Otter - Alan Campbell
Crew
- Puppeteers - Tyler Bunch, Anney McKilligan, James Silson, David Stephens
- Ensemble - Stephen Bienskie, Kevin Covert, Leo Daignault, Madeleine Doherty, Colin Hanlon, Jeff Hiller, Lisa Howard, Sheri Sanders, Robb Sapp, Daniel Torres
- Swings - Kristin Feeney, Matthew Furtado
- Dance Captain - Kevin Covert
- Puppet Captain - Tyler Bunch
- Assistant Stage Manager - Derek Michael Digregorio
- Understudies
- Jane, Mrs, Gretchen Fox, Madame Squirrel, Hetty Muskrat: Kristin Feeney
- Russ, Pa Otter: David Stephens
- Emmet Otter: Daniel Torres
- Mrs. Alice Otter: Lisa Howard
- Wendell Porcupine, Mayor Harrison Fox, Will Possum, Chuck Stoat, Stan Weasel, Fred Lizard, Charlie Muskrat, Harvey Beaver: Matthew Furtado
- Mrs. Mink: Sheri Sanders
Credits
- Music and Lyrics by: Paul Williams
- Book by (adapted for the stage): Timothy A. McDonald, Christopher Gattelli
- Based on the Book by: Russell and Lillian Hoban
- Director and Choreographer: Christopher Gattelli
- Set Designer: Anna Louizos
- Costume Designer: Gregg Barnes
- Lighting Designer: Brian MacDevitt
- Music Supervisor: Michael O'Flaherty
- Music Director: Larry Pressgrove
- Assistant Music Director: William J. Thomas
- Music Arranger: Greg Brown
- Orchestrations: Dan DeLange
- Puppets by The Jim Henson Company
- Produced by Michael P. Price, Brian Henson