10-MINUTE MUSICAL COLLECTION
Ant and Grasshopper
Book & Lyrics by A. J. Freeman, Music by Dimitri Landrain
Ant and Grasshopper (from Fables) is based on the classic tale by Aesop. Hardworking, miserable Ant meets fun-loving, irresponsible Grasshopper. Together they learn that everyone needs both discipline and creativity, and that life is better shared with a friend!
Comedy
Overview
Cast Size
1m, 1f (Flexible)
Duration
10 Mins Approx.
Setting
A Forest, Yesterday
Cautions
None
Subgenre
Theatre For Young Audiences, Fables/Folktales
Themes
Friendship, Adolescence/Childhood
Target Audience
Young Children (Age 2-5), Children (Age 6 - 10)
Style
Classic/Standard Musical Theatre
Instrumentation
Piano/Vocal
Additional Resources
N/A
Synopsis
We meet hardworking and miserable Ant as he sings about wishing for more fulfillment in his life “YOU CAN’T WHEN YOU’RE AN ANT”. Enter Grasshopper: fun-loving, irresponsible, and full of song “IF YA WANNA”. Ant reminds Grasshopper that it is important to be responsible and plan ahead because Winter is coming and food will be scarce “WINTER” and Grasshopper despairs “GRASSHOPPER’S LAMENT”. They realize that their opposite talents balance each other, and Grasshopper shows Ant how to have a good time and use his talents “TEACHING SEQUENCE” while Ant teaches Grasshopper how to gather food. Together, they learn the importance of balance and friendship “FINALE”!
Casting Information
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ANT - Hardworking, serious, miserable. Always puts duty first, but wishes for more (mezzo-soprano).
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GRASSHOPPER - Carefree, fun-loving, irresponsible. Cares more about having a good time than planning for the future (bari-tenor).
Songs
Media
Production History
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2019 - First full production in Theatre Now's SOUND BITES 6.0 Festival, performing at the Merkin Hall at the Kaufman Music Center in NYC.
Author Bios
A. J. FREEMAN is a writer, director, and performer originally from Los Angeles and now based in New York. She is a lyricist in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and a cabaret performer, championing brilliant but forgotten music of the 1920s and ‘30s. She has worked for over 12 years in educational theatre, directing dozens of full scale productions, and running her own literacy-based musical theatre program for low income students in schools all over Los Angeles. Through this program, The Troupe, thousands of children received free reading books. The Troupe’s free theatre workshops and assemblies inspired students from all backgrounds to use their gifts and talents through visual and performing arts.
DIMITRI LANDRAIN is an NYC-based composer and Jazz pianist from Paris, France. He is an alumni from Berklee College of Music, CCM (University of Cincinnati), holds an MFA from NYU/Tisch Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program and attended the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop. His work is featured on a solo piano album titled September, NYC and on French singer Liane Foly’s platinum album Entre Nous.
