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| Three musical fantasies... with narration, dialogue, songs
and sounds... all with environmental themes... to delight children and the adults in their
midst. Rufus and Nellie Rabbit are the animal 'stars,' venturing out of their Briar Patch
home to communicate with humans who speak 'wildness.' A New England trilogy... any one story complete in itself... but you'll want all three! Family-fare from HEDGEROW Studios. |
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These three stories are no longer available as cassettes. They have been digitally remastered for other uses. |
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THE BRIAR PATCH
FABLE The hometown of rabbits, frogs, woodchucks, skunks and Wiley Fox is threatened by 'bullydozers.' Two children, with Rufus and Nellie Rabbit, rally the animals to stage a startling demonstration, declaring their rights to the human citizens. A suspenseful town meeting decides the fate of the Briar Patch. |
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| " We first wrote and produced THE BRIAR PATCH FABLE as a musical play in 1974 to celebrate the purchase by the Town of Sandwich, Massachusetts of 52 acres of catbriars for conservation... the REAL BRIAR PATCH. The story is even more relevant today." |
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ALLAGASH! Hopping rides in a hot air balloon, a canoe and atop a moose named Taloose, Rufus and Nellie Rabbit travel to Maine to help save a wilderness waterway from being flooded by a giant dam. From critters and people to the Mayor of Iffick to the Governor to the President, a petition goes to 'Save The Allagash!' And who is the heroine? Why, a tiny flower... the Furbish Lousewort.
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"The 'real' Allagash is a necklace of connecting streams, lakes, rivers and falls in
northern Maine that flows to the St. John River, bordering Maine and Canada. There have been many proposals to dam the Allagash and St. John for hydro-electric power. The first sites would have completely destroyed the Allagash but the people of Maine voted to protect this 92 mile long corridor by designating it as a Wilderness Waterway. Horray for them! Then in the seventies, when another site was proposed, a tiny flower, thought to be extinct, was found growing on the banks where the St. John and Allagash rivers meet. The flower was the Furbish Lousewort. Since its discovery, all dam proposals in the area have been shelved." |
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THE PUMPKIN TREE Rufus and Nellie Rabbit, Molly Mole, Stretch the Flying Squirrel, Hover-Hover Hummingbird and other critters stowaway with their human friend, Meridith, on a space-chariot made of things from the dump. (Zeezabyth, the inventor-explorer, is seeking his special Place-In-Space.) After frightening encounters with planets Clang, Tinkle-Clink and Gummy-Goo, Zeezabyth finds the friendly Place-In-Space-For-Pumpkin-Trees, but it's not quite 'real.' The Pumpkin Queen sends him home with a pumpkin seed. Planet Earth chooses Meredith and Zeezabyth to clean up the dump (and inspire other 'human beans' to clean up their act!) Strong stuff... but all with song and dance, humor and surprise.
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"THE PUMPKIN TREE is a story about journeys, the gaining of
perspective and the discovery of a truely magical place... Planet Earth. We humans are dangerously close to making our Earth-home the ultimate throwaway. We've abused it, squandered it and claimed ownership of it. If there is any ownership, it's that we belong to Planet Earth. Let's rally 'round... not a flag... not a race... not a continent, but the planet... our special Place-In-Space... our tree of life... our magical PUMPKIN TREE. |
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MY FRIEND NESSIE Narration, Dialogue, Songs & Sounds First performed on stage in 1978 by the Sandwich Young Peoples’ Theatre as a benefit for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Massachusetts Chapter.
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In MY FRIEND NESSIE, Wilver, a seven year old boy, is living with his eccentric grandmother near the sea. He hasn’t spoken for two years… since the trauma of his parents’ death. Wilver’s first words are to Nessie. She comes to him simply because his need is so great. Wilver’s childhood adventure with his great green friend influences his adult life. As a young man planting persimmon trees he sings, “first, here’s one for Nessie… now, here’s one for me.” This story, throughout, embraces the beautiful meaning of ubuntu, “I am because you are.”
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From Scotland to Canada to Siberia to Sweden to the South Pacific… from Lake Champlain to the Chesapeake Bay… wherever an unexplained water-monster has been sighted, the whimsical word is Nessie. Is she our longing for wonder and surprise... the enigma we crave? This musical is dedicated to the Loch Ness Monster who started it all, so long ago.
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As of April 2007, all Hedgerow Studios stories & songs are available as CDs or DVD ROM at amazon.com. Also as digital downloads and/or CD rental from audible.com, simplyaudiobooks.com, audiobookstanddl.com and overdrive.com for libraries. For other purchasing information on Hedgerow stories & songs visit www.thorntonburgess.org. To see Winnie Fitch poster art visit imagekind.com. |
For any other questions email: hedgerow@reostudios.com
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