 The Night of the Hunter
A new musical : inspired by the film The Night of the Hunter and
based on the novel by Davis Grubb
Music by Claibe Richardson; Book and lyrics by Stephen Cole
The Story:
When the depression in West Virginia proved too hard
for Ben Harper and his family, Ben went out and killed a man for $10,000.
After hiding the money in his daughter, Pearl's doll and swearing his
son, John to secrecy, Ben was caught and hanged for his sins. But before
he died he hold his cell mate about the money and the widow he was
about to leave behind. Now Harry Powell, also known as the Preacher,
is on his way to find the money and marry the widow. He looks to the
Lord to tell him what to do.
In Cresap's Landing, the Harper family copes with their
loss as best they can. Young John by clinging to a dream of security
and his mother Willa by working at the local ice-cream shop and looking
to the future.
When the Preacher arrives in town with a phony story
and a dazzling smile, he convinces everyone in the ice-cream shop of
his piety by telling them the story of the words tattooed on the knuckles
of his hands, Love and Hate. Everyone falls for him … everyone
except John. As the whole town catches religious fervour the Preacher
woos Willa.
Despite John's protests Willa marries the Preacher giving
the Preacher the opportunity to badger the children about the money.
When Willa comes home unexpectedly one night and witnesses her husband
threatening little Pearl, she realises the truth, leaving the Preacher
no alternative but to slit her throat.
With their mother disposed of, John and his sister have
no choice but to run. They take a skiff and set out down river to Lord
knows where with the Preacher in pursuit.
Fate and the current bring John and Pearl's skiff to
Rachel Cooper, an ageless country widow who takes in strays. One of Rachel's
strays, the 15 year old flirt Ruby, meets up with the Preacher and she
tells him where his children are. He shows up to claim them by in a show
of strength, courage and downright faith (not to mention a good amount
of buckshot) Rachel saves the children.
As surely as autumn follows summer, Christmas comes
and the children begin their healing. As John realises that everything
he has feared is just a shadow, Rachel comments on the power of children
and their God-given ability to endure and abide.
Stephen Cole
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