Adapting "The Innkeeper's Song" - Here we Go...

As I've said previously on this blog, in addition to being a huge fan of The Last Unicorn, I'm also a big fan of Peter S. Beagle's other works, including The Innkeeper's Song. Even though adapting The Innkeeper's Song presents some unique challenges, I'm determined to give it a shot. I've already taken stabs at a couple of scenes, and am mulling over how I'd want to stage and/or represent some of the more difficult (i.e. impossible?) to stage moments in the show. Tough issues to solve in this adaptation-

-Keeping the awesome changes in perspective without making the script nothing but first-person narration.

-Nyateneri/Soukyan. Two actors, one male and one female? One actress? A transgender performer? Change the script to such a drastic extent that the gender issue doesn't come up (I hate the idea of that last one, but that is what would be easiest...)

-Horses. This story has lots and lots of riding on horses, which is difficult to represent effectively on stage but also too important to this story to ignore/write around. I know one way to solve this but worry that I'm cribbing too much from the aesthetic of >ahem< another company. (i.e. bicycles...)

-And in general, what can be cut and what must be kept? Adapting novels to the stage is always problematic in that way- you have to willing to 'kill some babies' or else you'll be stuck with a six-hour epic that no one wants to watch.

Wish me luck!

If You Want to License The Last Unicorn...

Is your company or group interested in performing this adaptation of The Last Unicorn? It is now being licensed by Next Gen Publications. Please find a link to their page on the script below:

http://www.nextgenpublications.com/musicals-last-unicorn.htm