SQUANTO AND LOVE

a musical about the Pilgrims by June Bingham

music and lyrics by Susan Hulsman Bingham

[NOTE: longer and shorter versions of this piece are available. See below.]

VOICING:

Ideal for both professional level and amateur groups; voicings listed below beside each character name.

CAST:

For the short version: five actors may double up to perform seven parts. The longer version cast may use as few as nine actors if some actors double up on parts. As many as 30 cast members may be used with the longer version, if desired.

LOVE-OF-GOD BREWSTER, an English boy of 11, treble
FRANK BILLINGTON, an English boy of 12, treble
WILLIAM BREWSTER, father of Love-of-God, fortysomething, baritone
MARY BREWSTER, mother of Love-of-God, soprano
PRISCILLA MULLINS (long version only), a lovely 17-year old, soprano; doubles as . . . .
DOROTHY BRADFORD, the frail young wife of William Bradford, soprano
MYLES STANDISH (long version only), young, short, red haired, with military bearing, tenor
WILLIAM BRADFORD, young but very serious, high baritone, doubles as . . . .
SAILOR JOHN ALDEN (long version only), tall, young, strong, sensitive-looking but cocky, high baritone
SQUANTO, a Native American in his forties, baritone, doubles as . . .
GUARD, baritone

ACCOMPANIMENT:

piano, drums/percussion

CHORUS:

SAILORS & GIRL FRIENDS who can double as NATIVE AMERICANS and also ENGLISH DANCERS at a ball

DANCE:

English ball; otherwise optional

PROPS:

home-made props and costumes are appropriate, or the show may be as dressed up (early American/Pilgrim/Native American) as elaborately as you wish.

SOURCE OF TEXTS:

June Bingham

LANGUAGE:

English

MUSIC:

tonal, melodic, and lyrical in style.
In the long version, there are 22 songs. In the short version, 13.

SCENES:

1. On the dock in England, late September, l620
2. On the Mayflower, an upper deck, late that afternoon
3. On the Mayflower, two weeks later: the hold
4. On the Mayflower, four weeks later: a cabin
5. The American wilderness, late early December, 1620
6. The half-finished Meeting House, March, 1621

PREMIERS:

Short version premiere: Minor Latham Playhouse, New York, New York, 1994.

Longer version prmiere: The Priscilla Beach Theatre, Schuyler Hill Performing Arts Center, Plymouth, Massachusetts, Saturday, Dec. 4 and Sunday, Dec. 5, 1995.

SQUANTO AND LOVE tells the story of an eleven-year-old boy, Love-of-God Brewster, who is torn between the Bible-influenced world of his father, Elder William Brewster, leader of the Pilgrims as they land in 1620 in the New World, and Nature's world as cherished by Chief Squanto who secretly teaches Love the Native American ways. In a sub-plot, eighteen-year old Priscilla is forced to choose between Captain Myles Standish, Master Carpenter John Alden, and Love-of-God Brewster.