Changes: Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (stage show)

Revision as of 05:25, 19 December 2015

Emmet Otter Musical - designs — Costume design sketches by Gregg Barnes for Emmet, Ma, Wendell and Stan.

Jim Henson's Emmet Otter, originally titled Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas, is a live-action stage musical adaptation of the 1977 television special Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. The show first opened on December 7, 2008 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut and ran until January 4, 2009. The show was developed by Goodspeed Musicals and the Jim Henson Company. The show returned 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).

Opening night of the show included attendees Jane Henson and Jerry Nelson (Nelson having been the original puppeteer for the title character), and the Goodspeed Opera House went on to honor Paul Williams with the Goodspeed Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre in 2010.

For the second run of the show, the show's title was changed, and shortened, from Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas to Jim Henson's Emmet Otter.^[1]

A majority of the original cast members and puppeteers reunited for a one-night only concert at 54 Below on December 15, 2015. The performance featured a slightly modified script, with the subplot with Jane and Russ was completely gone, though Kate Weatherhead participated in the performance as the narrator. "Trust," already a new song, was rewritten to be sung with Emmet instead of Kate.

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)

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

2009 Cast

Jane - Meg Guzulescu
Russ/Stan Weasel - Stephen Bienskie
Emmet Otter - Justin Bohon
Mrs. Alice Otter - Kathy Fitzgerald
Wendell Porcupine - Scott Barnhardt
Mrs. Gretchen Fox - Lisa Howard
Mayor Harrison Fox - Thomas Cannizzaro
Yancy Woodchuck/Fred Lizard/Pa - David Stephens
Madame Squirrel - Jennifer Barnhart
Doc Bullfrog/Chuck Stoat - Leo Daignault
Mrs. Mink/Hetty Muskrat - Jill Abramovitz
Howard Snake - James Silson
Charlie Muskrat - Stanley Bahorek
Harvey Beaver - Matthew Furtado
Old Lady Possum - Anney McKilligan
Swings - Jessica Elovsson and Craig Glenn Foster

Sources

↑ New Title for "Emmet" at Goodspeed

External links

Goodspeed Musicals

[1] New Title for "Emmet" at Goodspeed

[1]

@@ Line 18: / Line 18: @@
 For the second run of the show, the show's title was changed, and shortened, from ''Emmet Otter's Jug-band Christmas'' to ''Jim Henson's Emmet Otter''.<ref>[http://blogs.courant.com/curtain/2009/11/new-title-for-emmet-at-goodspe.html New Title for "Emmet" at Goodspeed]</ref>
-A majority of the original cast members and puppeteers reunited for a one-night only concert at 54 Below on December 15, 2015.
+A majority of the original cast members and puppeteers reunited for a one-night only concert at 54 Below on December 15, 2015. The performance featured a slightly modified script, with the subplot with Jane and Russ was completely gone, though Kate Weatherhead participated in the performance as the narrator. "Trust," already a new song, was rewritten to be sung with Emmet instead of Kate.
 ==Songs==

Muppet Wiki