Based on the children’s book by Munroe Leaf; Originally produced at Lifeline Theatre (Chicago);

Book by James Sie; Music and Lyrics by Douglas Wood

Originally Directed by Frances Limoncelli

MUST LISTEN: #1 On the Widow Ortega’s Farm; #4 Smell The Roses; #7 At the Bullfight

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Mama Cow and Ferdinand (Nadine Gomes and Patrick Blashill)

At Lifeline Theatre in Chicago, they do fantastic adaptations of books and bring them to life on the stage. This was one of my very favorite productions I’ve been involved with. The Lifeline Kids Show aesthetic was to do good theatre that happens to appeal to kids, instead of the typical, overly-broad, pandering stuff that gives kid’s theatre a bad name. (If the performers have raised eyebrows and shout for the entire show, you know it’s bad.)

This was an adaptation of the children’s classic, The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf. Remember that one? Where the bull would rather smell the flowers than fight the matador? As a child, it was always one of my favorites. (A pacifist, even then.) But as you may remember, the story book was only 17 pages long, and most of those were pictures. Though I did yeoman’s work on the lyrics and the show was pretty much ‘sung through,’ James Sie did a great job of writing the book of the show. Where, in the original, it said, “Ferdinand didn’t want to butt heads like the other young bulls.” He had the other bulls, he gave them names and personalities and set up all of the songs… All I had to do was add songs.

James and I nearly strangled each other, of course, but the director, Frances Limoncelli, kept us from coming to blows. Mostly. And the result? Pure, theatrical magic. True story.

The original production got great reviews and was very successful and the show was revived at Lifeline several years later. The Story of Ferdinand was also produced at the Coterie in Kansas and got good notices there, too.

Here are a few of the songs from the original cast. The recording isn’t great, but the performers sure were. (Nadine Gomes as Mother Bull/Narrator; Patrick Blashill as Ferdinand; and the three amigos Michael Annetta, Jennifer Bradley, Ben Dooley as the young bulls and assorted other characters.) I got to use lots of Spanish guitars and the occasional castanet to get that authentic bullfight flavor just right.

One of my favorite memories was coming out of a Saturday matinee and seeing an adult friend of mine sobbing because Ferdinand got to go home.

For more information about producing The Story of Ferdinand: An Operateeny, please contact Lifeline Theatre.