The Mountain Song

A note from PigPen: Cast the story however you like – with as many or as few performers as you have available. The original production was built around six of PigPen’s founding ensemble members and the roles were distributed as follows:  

ACTOR 1 – Any gender. Plays MOUNTAIN, a rather verbose, talking mountain, who narrates the tale. Kind and full of folksy charm.

ACTOR 2 – Male. Plays CARPENTER, a father who can build nearly anything with his hands if he sets his mind to it. Thoughtful and determined.

ACTOR 3 – Any gender. Plays YOUNG ABIGAIL, the carpenter’s daughter. She can’t speak with her voice. Playful and incredibly intelligent; SECOND SCOUNDREL, part of the gang; and EMMIT JONES, a giant of a man who lives in the wilderness. Boyish and gregarious and always willing to help those in need.

ACTOR 4 – Any gender. Plays FIRST MESSENGER, eager and bad at holding his tongue; THIRD SCOUNDREL, also just part of the gang; JEFFREY, Calvin’s friend and hunting partner. Possibly even less intelligent than Calvin; COWBOY, the mayor of a “town” and the end of a river. Full of energy and finds creative ways to deal with his loneliness; and ABIGAIL, a fully grown version of Young Abigail who is highly educated, extremely kind, and a good mother to her own daughter.

ACTOR 5 – Any gender. Plays SECOND MESSENGER, strict and with a flare for the dramatic. Frustrated with their partner and GOOSE, a talking goose who spends his days flying and contemplating the world. Affable and easy going.

ACTOR 6 – Any gender. Plays FIRST SCOUNDREL, who hangs out with their pals at the edge of town, warning travelers; COYOTE, a talking Coyote that knows how to shoot a gun and is extremely menacing but lazy; CALVIN, a hunter. Pious and rather stupid; and CROWS, any gender, some birds.

Cast the story however you like – with as many or as few performers as you have available.