Redwall: The Legend of Redwall Abbey is a two act children's musical based on the book Redwall adapted by Evelyn Swennson and published by Dramatic Publishing. It was officially published on May 5, 2004; Vince Leonard contributed the orchestrations.
The premiere was on March 7, 1998, at the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, Delaware. The original Opera Delaware production was directed by Leland Kimbal, with music conducted and directed by Evelyn Swennson.
The musical has an approximate running time of 80 minutes, but may be cut down to an hour if desired.
The script itself is around 80 pages in length. See here for excerpts.
The song "Redwall Abbey is a Place of Peace" received a composition award from the National League of American Pen Women Inc. in 2000.
Official Description[]
Musical. Book, music and lyrics by Evenlyn Swensson. Based on the book by Brian Jacques.
Cast: 8m to 16m., 3 to 5w. (extras/doubling)
Based on the first book of the acclaimed Redwall series, this adventure-packed musical tells the tale of a courageous mouse, Matthias, and how he saves the abbey from the cruel rat, Cluny the Scourge. As the Redwallers gather to honor their abbot and remember their hero, Martin the Warrior, the mice sing about their happy life in "Brothers of Redwall." They are interrupted by the singing of the rats, bragging about their leader, "Cluny the Scourge," as the "scrappiest, scruffiest, rowdiest, raunchiest rat in history."
Cluny demands that the abbot give him the abbey, but little Matthias rips the articles of surrender.
Though the mice practice to defend themselves with sticks, Matthias knows that mice will need more than sticks to fight the rats and asks Warbeak, a sparrow, to help him find Martin's sword, which was stolen by a giant snake, Asmodeus. With the help of the shrews, Matthias finds the sword, defeats Asmodeus. In the final battle with Cluny, Matthias wins by his wits, not by the sword, and Redwall is again "A Place of Peace."
Areas staging. Approximate running time: 1 hours, 20 minutes (may be cut to 1 hour).
Promotional CD[]
A promotional CD featuring samples of the following songs from the musical is also available from Dramatic Publishing:
- Brothers of Redwall
- Redwall Abbey
- Cluny, The Scourge
- Cluny, Cluny
- We Are Ready
- Whenever You See a Wrong
- Song of the Shrews
- Song of Asmodeus
- I Apologize
Cast from the premiere[]
- Matthias - Eric Miller
- Abbot Mortimer - John Dennison
- Methuselah/Wormtail/John Churchmouse - Kurt Bieg
- Constance - Lois Alt
- Cluny the Scourge/Asmodeus Poisonteeth - Alan Wagner
- Fangburn - Carl Pouncy
- Frogblood - Gerald Blanchard
- Ragear/Basil Stag Hare - Rob Hull
- Mangefur/Squire Julian Gingivere - Ray Murphy
- Redtooth/Captain Snow - Jack Hollister
- Cheesethief - Carlos Alicea
- Darkclaw - Justin Vye
- Scumnose - Andrew Curtin
- Killconey/Friar Hugo - Brandon Burk
- Jess - Marie Rose Gardner
- Silent Sam - Conner Gardner
- Brother Alf - Elliot Jones
- Sela - Tina Betz
- King Bull Sparra - Gerald Blanchard
- Warbeak - Jennifer Zetlan
- Dunwing - Stephanie Santer
- Chickenhound/Shadow - James Smith
- Ambrose Spike - Andrew Coonin
- Winifred - Dayle Joseph
- Sister Clemence - Melissa Daniels
- Mrs. Churchmouse - Lisa Dodson
- Cornflower - Caitlin Ganc
- Mrs. Vole - Rupal Pinto
- Colin Vole - Thomas Anderson
- Battlehawk - Caitlin Kerchner
- Windplume - Jessica Moss
- Guosim (shrew) - Arwen Sheridan
- Log-a-Log (Redwall) - Ryan Maguire
- Foremole (Redwall) - Robby Williams/John Dennison
- Doby - Andrew Coonin/Carl Pouncy
- Walt - John Lasher/Fred Smith
Trivia[]
- Ambrose Spike describes himself as a "porcupine."