| Summary: | Leonard, Jr., Jim, adapted from the novel by Barry Lopez. Crow & Weasel. 34 pp. A This adaptation of the book by Barry Lopez utilizes music, movement, and visual design to create the world of this sacred Native American myth. Though Leonard specifies that the actors not be required to be Native Americans and should in fact reflect diverse colors of our country, there are also specific instructions relating to the sacred nature of the stories. In the play, Mountain Lion has a dream that Crow and Weasel travel north to a foreign land with strange people. He wakens and tells the village of the dream. Soon the young boys embark on a long and treacherous journey. During the trip, the companions gain a deep reverence for the earth, her seasons, and her undeniable power. Ultimately, the pair find that through tolerance and mutual respect they can learn about people different from themselves and that they can take this knowledge with them, thereby enriching their lives and the lives of those around them. This play requires a good deal of knowledge about Native American culture, tradition, and sacred practice. After Crow and Weasel reach their destination, the Inuit people speak all their lines in their native language for which there is an English translation, but not always a pronunciation guide. Though the set and lighting design should be flexible, it could require several visual effects, including the creation of a forest, the icy northern region, and the northern lights. Leonard instructs that the costume design be based on traditional Native American clothing, as represented in the book on which the adaptation is based. The cast consists of twenty-eight-plus characters to be played by seven actors-four men and three women. From: Jennings, Coleman A. Theatre for Young Audiences: 20 Great Plays for Children. St. Martin's Press, 1998. ISBN 0-312-18194-9. $35.00. 604 pp. 34 p. Children's Book and Play Review, September / October 2001
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