TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

 

OINK! A Pigsical is a fast-paced musical parable for all ages.  Run-time is approximately 60 minutes and is designed to be performed in one act, but can be two short acts with an intermission.

 

Cast

6 actors for 7 characters, 4 singing and 1 speaking and 1 physical.  Singers will need more mature voices and ability.  The speaking and physical roles could be more widely adaptable.

 

Peony Pig/The Wolf (female):  As Peony, she is the eccentric, free-spirited single mother who is ready for an empty pigsty.  As the wolf , she’s flighty, easily-winded and male but brings the scary soon enough!  Large vocal range and ability.

 

Pam Pig (female):  Oldest pig sibling, Pam is practical, stalwart and takes no guff.  Vocal range is medium high with capacity for a high belt.

 

Peter Pig (male):  Middle pig sibling, Peter is vain, flamboyant, snarky and considers himself an artist.  Vocal range is high baritone with good agility.

 

Paul Pig (male):  The youngest piglet.  Paul is intellectual, extremely cautious and a home-body.  Vocal range is high tenor.

 

Tad Nosey (male or female):  A pompous local TV newscaster always trying to stir up a story.  Vocal range:  speaking only.

 

Tom (male or female): Tad’s hapless cameraman who always seems to be in the wrong place.  Vocal range:  Silent, physical comedy character.

 

Set - Pigtown USA

 

Peony’s house – centered on the living room with ability to peek into the bedrooms of the three pigs.

 

News Studio of Tad Nosey – front of curtain scene with no built set required

 

The Barren Ridge – site of the pig’s three houses, first in beginning stages and then complete.  The brick house must end with a finished front.  The wood house ends as only a frame.  The straw house must end with a finished front and able to collapse.

 

Orchestration

Piano accompaniment – either live or recorded

 

SYNOPSIS

Scene One (Peony’s House)

The three pigs, (Pam, Peter and Paul) now young adults, have been living with their mother (Peony) in what, at first seems like a fairy tale household (Happily Ever After Preprise).  Upon closer look (Brothers! Sisters!) the pen is not so peaceful.  Peony arrives home to the usual mess and chaos (When the Kids Leave Home), but this day will be different.  She reveals her plan (This is Your Day) and sends the piglets to their rooms to pack their things (The Packing Song).  They set off to build their houses on a ridge outside of town and she rejoices (When the Kids Leave Home Reprise).

 

Scene Two (Front of Curtain)

Tad Nosey and his cameraman, Tom, receive a phone tip that there is trouble in PigTown and try to get their act together to get the story.

 

Scene Three (Peony’s House)

Tad and Tom arrive at Peony’s house and try to frame her as an unfit mother. 

 

Scene Four (Barren Ridge)

The pigs are beginning their house construction, when Tad Nosey arrives to pursue his story.  (The Brick Song, The Straw Song, and A Room for Mother).  He gets nowhere as he encounters each of the pigs wacky self-absorption.

 

Scene Five (Barren Ridge)

Enter the WOLF, posing as a dim-witted complainer.  At first, his antics don’t fool the confident Peter, but with Little Pig the stakes are raised.  The Chase ensues with the pig’s houses all proving unready to protect them.  Just when things are looking grim, Paul finds his courage and pulls the siblings together and they capture the Wolf!  Tad and Tom arrive just in time to see the capture and reveal that the Wolf has been Peony all along!  The whole ruse was her way of making sure that her precious children would truly be okay out on their own. In the closing number, (Happily Ever After) Peony reminds everyone of what her grandmother used to say, “If you want a happily-ever-after, you must try first to find your happily-ever-after deep inside.”