The Further Adventures of Uncle Wiggily: Windblown Visitors

A child uprooted from New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina, separated from her grandfather during her rescue, and whisked off to distant relatives in New York, finds herself in a strange new world. Laurel Hessing’s The Further Adventures of Uncle Wiggily: Windblown Visitors is a play written mainly in verse that also features music composed by Arthur Abrams. The spectacular production incorporates elaborate mask work, puppetry, aerial choreography and a cast of 35.

Merilee is separated from her grandfather during Hurricane Katrina. She is rescued along with a little boy named Johnny and brought to the strange new world of New York City to stay with her aunt and uncle. She is put to bed at night with her Uncle Wiggily storybook and her toy rabbit. Lo and behold, Uncle Wiggily appears.

Merilee is now a bunny named Merilee Rabbit. In order to get to her Uncle Wiggily, she must meet all the creatures of Central Park, negotiate the new animal hierarchy, and find her way to the tree stump home where the gentlemanly rabbit will be waiting for her. In her journey, accompanied by Johnny Squirrel, she encounters New York’s leading hawks (Pale Male and Lola), the coyote, a grey wolf, a dog catcher, bad boys, a little girl bear named Neddie Stub Tail, a flock of fireflies, a beaver, some French cats and their tour guide, and Ali the Cajun Alligator. Eventually Merilee and Johnny return to New Orleans by joining a circus train.