SHOWS

Master Stitchum and the Moon

Presented by Theater Oobleck

October 20, 2001 — December 08, 2001
Storefront Theater

An original work that draws from a number of Grimm’s fairy tales as well as other sources, both old and modern, Master Stitchum and the Moon is written, adapted and directed by Mickle Maher with music by Michael Smith.

A musical fairy tale about how the moon came to be, the story takes place long ago, when the earth was so young the birds had not yet learned to fly, and the mountains were only as high as an elbow.  The play follows the career of Master Stitchum, a failed tailor and a terrible know-it-all.  Seeking gainful employment, Master Stitchum and his brother and sister steal the moon from a neighboring village and bring it back to their own village where they make their living taking care of the moon.  Years later when Stitchum’s siblings pass away and take their thirds of the moon into the afterlife, the village is dark at night with only a third of the moon left, and Master Stitchum no longer has a job.  Stitchum sets out after them to retrieve his livelihood, and has many strange adventures in both heaven and the underworld that change him forever.

A playwright, actor and director, Mickle Maher is a cofounder and company member of Theater Oobleck.  He has worked closely with Redmoon Theater, Theater for the Age of Gold and with members of the Curious Theater Branch.  Most recently, two of his plays, An Apology for the Course and Outcome of Certain Events Delivered by Doctor John Faustus on This His Final Evening and The Hunchback Variations were published by Hope and Nonthings Books.

Master Stitchum and the Moon is the first production in the Storefront Theater Children’s Series, supported by the Sears on State Downtown Neighborhood Campaign.  A collaboration between Sears and the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs, the Campaign supports programs that enrich the quality of life for Chicagoans who live, work and play in downtown Chicago.