Music From a "Little House"

By Sheryl Flatow
14 Dec 2009

Melissa Gilbert in Little House on the Prairie
Melissa Gilbert in Little House on the Prairie
Photo by Jerry Dalia

The beloved books of the '30s, known as a popular TV series of the '70s, leaps to the stage with Little House on the Prairie, the Musical.

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Laura Ingalls Wilder's series of "Little House" books has been a beloved part of American culture for more than 75 years. Written in the 1930s and '40s, the novels follow the thinly fictionalized experiences and adventures of the Ingalls family on the Midwestern frontier, providing a vivid depiction of pioneer life in the latter part of the 19th century. The spirit of the books was famously captured by the popular television series "Little House on the Prairie," which ran from 1974 to 1983 and starred Michael Landon as Charles Ingalls and Melissa Gilbert as his daughter Laura.

Now those books are the inspiration for Little House on the Prairie, the Musical, which is currently touring the country, with Melissa Gilbert playing Caroline Ingalls — yes, Laura's mother. Directed by Francesca Zambello (The Little Mermaid), the show features a score by Rachel Portman (music) and Donna di Novelli (lyrics), and a book by Rachel Sheinkin, who won a Tony Award for her work on The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

The idea to do a musical based on Wilder's books was the result of conversations between Zambello and Adrianne Lobel, the show's scenic designer, who were both looking to originate a piece that would be suitable for families. "One of the great things about working in the theatre is creating something that you know is going to build new audiences," says Zambello.

The artistic team was keenly aware that the books and the television series have an ardent fan base, and everyone involved felt a commitment to be faithful to the essence of the characters and their world. "It was an interesting challenge, because there's so much love for the books out there," says Sheinkin. "I have a sister-in-law who's crazy about the books, and as I was writing, I had the 'What would my sister-in-law say?' test in mind. You have to approach the material with respect, even as you deviate from the books in order to make a musical."

Zambello adds, "We have the rights to the books. We're not doing the TV show. But I think fans of the TV show will be happy, because there's such an incredible truthfulness to these characters. The relationship between Pa and Laura that dominates the TV show dominates our play. It's also a celebration of a great American story, the triumph of people over adversity."  Continued...