BY KAREN BOSSICK
St. Thomas Playhouse will present a free showing of “The Shoemaker and the Elves” at 11 a.m. Sunday, March 3 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Sun Valley Road.
The Children’s Touring Theater has been presenting the show at schools around the valley this past week.
“The Elves and the Shoemaker,” upon which Sunday’s play is based, was written in 1806 by the Brothers Grimm--German academics, philologists, cultural researchers and authors who collected and wrote folklore.
This story has many variations but the most common revolves around a poor hardworking shoemaker and his wife who need money to pay the rent. He gives away the last pair of shoes he has to a needy lady and has just enough leather to make one more pair of shoes.
He cuts out the pieces of leather so he can sew them upon awakening the next morning. While he’s asleep, elves come in during the night and build a pair which the shoemaker is able to sell for more than his asking price. He is able to use the money not only to pay the rent but buy food and more shoe leather.
Andrew Alburger, one of five adults in the play, has adapted the fairy tale into a musical that offers a message of being helpful, resourceful and hopeful.