Rhumba Tiya
A Rain Forest Rumpelstiltskin

by Eleanor and Ray Harder

Musical in two acts. 5 men, 5 women, extras. One hour. Polynesian setting. $ 6.50

Sometimes, as countless Shakespearean directors have discovered, you can take a classic that's grown shopworn with countless retelling, and give it new life by transplanting it into an unexpected time and place. So the Harders have done with Rumpelstiltskin. The furious little man with a knack for spinning straw into gold has taken on a new name ... Rhumba Tiya .. and a new setting. It's an island of hula skirts, sunshine and palm trees, set to the music of guitar, ukeleles, and drums.

In this Polynesian setting, the traditional strengths of the Rumpelstiltskin story shine through. But the Hawaiian words and phrases sprinkled through the book and lyrics give it an exotic flavor, and the traditional island rituals make this audience favorite even more fun for your performers and technical staff.