Mike Kenny, playwright

56 pgs. Cast of 6 doubled
Audience Recommendation: 8+

Rumpelstiltskin is a tale that exists in a world caught between reality and fantasy. The play opens with two different storylines taking place simultaneously. We are introduced first to the Miller who has been left to raise his young daughter alone. Having just lost his wife, the Miller is overprotective of his young child and refuses to let her help with any work; despite her rare beauty, she is helpless when it comes to the mundane chores of everyday life. In an attempt to defend his daughter, when her usefulness is questioned by Mess, the household’s helper, the Miller makes the mistake of falsely proclaiming that his daughter can spin straw into gold.

The second storyline finds the Kingdom in a predicament when the King suddenly dies leaving the young price to inherit the throne. As the years progress, the wealth of the kingdom is squandered on frivolous expenses, and the young prince quickly turned king, finds himself at odds with his subjects. All that remains in the treasure rooms of the palace are piles upon piles of straw.

It is at this point that our two distinctive plots intertwine to become one. The King, in dire need of wealth, seeks the assistance of the Miller's daughter. He believes her to be capable of returning him to his affluent state by turning his piles of straw into gold. The story concludes with the characters facing life-altering decisions, broken promises, and an array of mysterious events.