Rootabaga Country: From Page to Stage

In this episode of Behind the Blue Curtain, we explore Rootabaga Country, Sarasota Youth Opera's fall production by composer and librettist Rachel J. Peters.

Inspired by the whimsical stories of Carl Sandburg, Rootabaga Country follows Gimme the Ax and his two children, Please Gimme and Ax Me No Questions, on a fantastical journey through a world filled with imagination, humor, and heart. Along the way, they discover unexpected friendships, unforgettable adventures, and new understandings of family, belonging, and home.

Host Hallie Geyh sits down with Peters to discuss the creation of the opera and its journey from inspiration to libretto and score. Then, Director Martha Collins and Conductor Jessè Martins share how Sarasota Youth Opera's talented young artists bring this imaginative world to life on stage.

Together, these conversations offer a behind-the-scenes look at the collaborative process that transforms an opera from page to stage.

Rootabaga Country will be performed at the Sarasota Opera House on November 7 at 5:00 p.m. and November 8 at 12:00 p.m.

Special thanks to the Les and Carol Brualdi Foundation for their generous support of Sarasota Youth Opera and Rootabaga Country.