My Son, Pinocchio

My Son, Pinocchio: Geppetto's Musical Tale

Photos by Jeff and Heather Morris

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The Blue Fairy instructs her four apprentices: “When You Wish Upon a Star.”

Unruly children invade Geppetto's toy shop, demanding that their parents supply them with a glut of “Toys.” Geppetto blames the parents for their children's bad behavior.	The Cast (order in program) Parent, Town Father (Sylvia Abbott) Geppetto (Joe Asente) Parent (Richard Bagley) Bernardo, Parent (John Baker) Father Fox, Cotton Candy Vendor (Joe Balding) Professor Buonragazzo, Parent (Lee Carter) Junior, Marionette, Child (Orion Carter) Viola (Grace Chambers) Marionette, Child (Ethan Cooper) Blue Fairy (Marissa Dienstag) Rosa (Annie Haseley) Stromboli (Jeremy Hayes) Pinocchio (Allyriane Huq) Arancia (Elena Johnson) Child (Brandi Kisor) Fox, Child (Adeel Koshal) Marionette, Child (Sydney Lewis) Talia, Marionette, Child (Tatum L'Heureux) Sue (Riley Maffin) Lamb, Child (William Morosko) Marionette, Child (Mackenzie Perry) Maria, Marionette, Parent (Lily Porter) Signora Giovannia, Parent, (Rita Preston) Marionette, Parent (Jordan Profitt) Pig, Marionette, Child (Kaela Ricket) Horse, Parent, (Alexa Ross) Parent, Town Father (Sandra E. Russell) Ringleader, Parent (Tanner Sebastian) Child (Becca Swanson)

The Blue Fairy overhears Geppetto singing “Empty Heart” about his loneliness and takes pity on him.	Pinocchio the marionnette magically comes to life to become the son that Geppetto has dreamed of.

But there are problems. To explain, Geppetto asks the fairies to turn back the clock, and they do, singing “Rise and Shine.”	Geppetto introduces his son to the city fathers with a “Geppetto and Son” routine they have practiced at home, but Pinocchio embarrasses Geppetto by asking questions and then walking away without singing his “and Son” part.

Geppetto sends Pinocchio to school with the advice to do what all the other kids are doing, but they think Pinocchio is mocking them and they fight back. Signora Giovanni expels Pinocchio for misbehavior.	Pinocchio runs away from home to join Stromboli's traveling marionnette show. He leaves a letter for Geppetto.

Pinocchio is the star of Stromboli's show because, as he sings, “I've Got No Strings.”	Stromboli keeps Pinocchio locked in a cage.

Convinced his fortune is made, the marionnettist boasts “Bravo Stromboli.”	While hunting for Pinocchio, Geppetto encounters the Blue Fairy and tells her to use some magic to fix everything. She responds that “Just Because It's Magic,” it isn't necessarily easy. Geppetto signs a paper giving Pinocchio back to the fairies.

Geppetto finds himself in a village with perfect children manufactured by Professor Buonragazzo who promises “Satisfaction Guaranteed,” as Geppetto begins to realize that he's not really interested in having a perfect son.	Pinocchio escapes from Stromboli's company, but the Blue Fairy gives Stromboli ownershp of Pinocchio when he is eventually recovered. The marionnettist is determined to catch Pinocchio.

Pinocchio makes his way to a place where kids make the rules. The Ringleader calls it “Pleasure Island.”	Pinocchio is warmly welcomed to Pleasure Island.

But, all bad little boys make jackasses of themselves in the end, and that, the Ringleader reveals, is the secret of “Pleasure Island”: the boys turn into donkeys and are shipped off to hard labor for the rest of their miserable lives.	By this time, Geppetto has found Pinocchio, and they escape together from the donkey ship, only to be swallowed by a whale. Geppetto dispairs, but Pinocchio shows him that they can prevail if they work together as a team: “Geppetto and Son.”

Back at the toy shop, Stromboli comes to claim his property, but Geppetto offers him anything he owns, except Pinocchio. That, he pleads, would be too high a price to pay, “Since I Gave My Heart Away.”	Pinocchio has become brave, truthful, and unselfish: a real boy, and so is no longer of any use to Stromboli. The Blue Fairy reminds us what can happen “When You Wish Upon a Star.”