S75 - The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo adapted by Dwayne Hartford - 2m, 2w
Edward Tulane is an expensive toy rabbit made of china. He is loved by a little girl named Abilene, but Edward doesn’t care. He is vain and self-centered. He has no interest in anyone other than himself. On an ocean voyage, Edward is accidentally thrown overboard and sinks to the bottom of the sea. So begins his journey—a journey over which he has no control, for he is a toy rabbit. He can neither move nor speak. As years pass by, Edward meets many different people in many different situations: an older grieving couple who find comfort in Edward’s presence, a hobo and his dog who introduce Edward to a whole community of homeless wanderers, a farmer in need of a scarecrow, a sad little boy and his very ill sister, and finally a doll mender and an old doll who teach Edward an invaluable lesson. Through this miraculous journey, Edward learns what it is to love, what it is to lose that love, and how to find the courage to love again. Based on Kate DiCamillo’s beautiful novel of the same name, the play is a theatrical tour de force for a small ensemble of actors and musicians.
Labels: adaptation, family
posted by Jim Vogel at 5:33 PM
8 Comments:
I find Edward Tulane to be more of a family show than Flora and Ulysses. In Tulane, the actors cover multiple roles with only minimal change, such as a hat, to separate them. As few as 4 actors to many may be employed. One plays guitar and another the harmonica. Music from the original is available. The setting is minimal with a few pieces being employed in different ways to represent different settings. The major requirement is that several Edward dolls are needed. The original used 7 dolls. The story is of a self centered rabbit, with no concept of love, who goes through a 20 year journey where he is loved, suffers a number of disasters and losses, learns and returns home. I think this is a good possibility for the family slot
A Kate DiCamillo show would be a big draw. It is a sweet story and would be fairly simple to mount. I think it should be considered in the mix, especially as we are short of titles for family shows.
It's a sweet story and could certainly be a draw for audience. I agree that it could be a good option for the family slot. However, I watched YouTube videos from the Stage Theater production and it appeared to be more of a children's theater production than what we would normally do as a "family" show. Having said that, we should keep it in the mix.
Agree with others that this is more family focused than F & U (and as I said with that one I do love DiCamillo's characters). My concern is that Stages did it so recently. I really wish that there was a Mercy Watson play. I say keep it in the mix, but we should still look for a better fit for the Family Slot.
Not as concerned about Stages having done it recently as the family show would be slated for spring of 2027 which is 2 1/2 years after they did it. But it feels like more of a kids show than a family show.
From Melissa - Giant Yes! Perfect for the family spot. Heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once, and then all over again. A good kind of challenging for performers to play many roles, and designers to be beautifully creative with their choices.
I think there is a way to stage this with more maturity. Something that captures the deeper meanings while still having that whimsical magical element. I think it would be beautiful in the round. Could be a beautiful lighting show.
This one is a big yes from me. I found it fun, engaging, and imaginative. If done right, I think it will definitely engage more than just the little kids.
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