Music by Kurt Weill
Book and Lyrics by Maxwell Anderson
Suggested by Washington Irving's "Father Knickerbocker's History"
In 17th-century Manhattan, the roguish Dutch council eagerly awaits the arrival of their new autocratic governor, Pieter "Peg-Leg" Stuyvesant. Hoping to make a good impression, and in the awkward position of having no one to hang on hanging day, they arbitrarily select an independent-minded young man for the unfortunate fate and we're off and running with a satirical fable pitting totalitarianism against democracy. This first musical to use historical perspective to comment upon contemporary political matters leaves virtually no aspect of government unscathed, with some hilarious and knowing results. Washington Irving, himself stepping in and out of the narrative as the plot unfolds, manages an eleventh hour turn of events for an upbeat conclusion to the delight of all concerned. NEXT SHOW >>
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