The Pied Piper
A Medieval Musical Mystery Play for Grownups as well as Children
Book and lyrics by Robert D. Carver
Adapted from The Pied Piper by Jossephine Preston Peabody
Music by Tim Horace
piedpipermusical@gmail.com
Copyright © 2005, 2008, 2019
Synopsis
THE PIED PIPER is a Musical Medieval Mystery Play, a genre generally dealing with the lives of saints and martyrs. This version of the classic children’s story is aimed primarily at adults and concerns the problems and challenges of parenting. The title character, in this case, is based on the historical character of Tyl Eulenspiegel, a highwayman, thief and con man who leads a band of strolling players, performing in mid-14th century Germany during the onset of the Black Death aka the Bubonic Plague. This medieval pandemic was caused by the transmission of parasites carried by fleas which were carried by rats.
The unfulfilled bargain struck by the Piper and the people of Hamelin is the background behind a more complex plot concerning the interactions between them and the Players which involves the title character’s adopted son Michael, a handsome dolt and his romance with the daughter of Hamelin’s mayor, a ditzy blonde named Barbara. Added to the mix is a wise fool known only as Cheat-the-Devil. The principal antagonists to these three are the mayor himself, the rather parochially-minded priest, Father Anselm, and Kurt Fuger, a wealthy merchant-banker who wants himself to marry Barbara, despite the fact that he already has a wife, Veronika, whom he drives into the arms of the all-too-willing Piper.
The children of Hamelin are indeed stolen away to the Piper’s Magic Mountain, but to save them from the plague rather than as an act of vengeance. The plot is resolved and the children are returned to their parents thanks to Veronika’s persuasion, motivated primarily by her separation from her own son, Jan, who is lame.
Music and Design
Setting the Scene
Dies Irae Plain Chant
Father Anselm
Meet the Piper
Proud Barbara, daughter of Jacobus
Children play and sing Baa Baa Black Sheep
Reynard the Fox, later, the Pied Piper aka Tyl Eulenspiegel
Reynard the Fox, Orso the bear, and Cheat-the-Devil enter the town square
The Piper must be paid!
Kurt, Jacobus, and Father Anselm converse
The Piper Must be Paid!
Pastiche
Veronica, Jan, and Piper
Hellmouth, The Black Death
Returning the children
Costumes of the era
Children of the town
Piper returns the children
To see how it ends...
Meet The Team
Robert Carver
carver.robertd@gmail.com
Robert D. Carver (Bookwriter-Lyricist) has nearly a half-century of professional experience in all theater discipines: directing, dramaturgy, producing, design, stage management, backstage tech, publicity & advertising as well as acting. He has performed numerous roles including that of Greg in the Southeastern premiere of Alan Ayckbourn’s “Relatively Speaking,” as well as that of Bernard of Clairvaux in the Midwestern premiere of Ronald Millar’s “Abelard & Heloise,” earning critical plaudits in both. He holds an MA in directing and theater management from the University of Cincinnati where he also studied Advanced Acting with Word Baker at Cincinnati’s Playhouse in the Park. He also studied acting with Stuart Culpepper in Atlantta as well as both acting and directing with Gene Frankel and Roger Hendricks Simon in New York City. In addition, he served as Artistic Director of both The Chameleon Theatre Co., Ltd., and the Spectatorium Performing Arts Collaborative. He is now semi- retired and focuses primarily on writing libretti.
Tim Horace
timhoracestudio@gmail.com
Tim Horace (Composer) Currently on hiatus as composer from, “From Scratch Performance Company”, a resident company of Theater for the New City, had compositions performed in two successful performances, “The Gala”, and “The Five Stages of Grief”. As a graduate of Berklee Music Production program, he has successfully produced audio for commercial placement. Always staying true to his music education, he joined community musical groups, church groups, accompanied the religious service at a nursing home, and is currently composing music for musicals. After completing his studies in music theory with Pulitzer Prize recipient Dr. George Walker, Mr. Horace graduated Rutgers University in 1984. Not soon after graduation, he was married to his wonderful wife Eileen. Having to support a growing family, he took a job as project manager for an Architectural Furniture Company.
It is a creative person who uses the long road to success, tasting and trying related avenues to influence the one true ambition .....creating music!