The Scarecrow (1976)

A chamber opera in two acts

Cast
Mother Rigby – mezzo-soprano
Feathertop - baritone
Justice Goodkin - tenor
Polly Goodkin (Goodkin’s daughter) - soprano
Governor - bass
Lady Governor – mezzo-soprano
Man 1 - tenor
Woman 1 - soprano
Man 2 - baritone
Woman 2 – alto
Man 3 – baritone (Part may be played by Man 2 in different costume)
Woman 3 – alto (Part may be played by Woman 2 in different costume)
Dickon (optional) Rigby’s imaginary companion. Played as a pantomime (Dickon is only seen by Rigby, Feathertop & the audience)
Narrator (optional) Note: There is an optional Narrator part (spoken) appearing before Act 1 & 2 with underscore. At the discretion of the director this may be included or not.

Short Synopsis
The Scarecrow is an operatic adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Feathertop: A Moralized Legend. The story follows a living scarecrow who was fabricated by his mother and animated by the devil to take revenge against a hypocritical, well-to-do neighbor. The scarecrow beguiles the neighbor's innocent niece, but becoming more human than his mother had intended, he falls in love with the girl. As the scarecrow discovers what it means to be human, he must determine his own fate. On one level, it's a thoughtful piece about the redemptive power of love - on another level; it's an existential examination of the theory that existence precedes essence.

The mood is set by a powerful overture that is classically structured, seamlessly flowing through its hypnotic sequences, the mystical beginning, dramatic middle and poignant end, which heighten the audience's anticipation for masterful storytelling. A unique artistic adventure, suitable for all ages.