Take an On-line Tour of Shipwrecked! The Adventures of Miss Robin Crusoe

The following photos were taken at a performance in the historic ballroom at the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, April 14, 2002. Thanks to photographers Jeff Page and Shelly Monte who shared their pictures with us.

Our play begins on a pier where waves lap at the pilings and a lone musician is joined by a sailor waiting for the tide to turn. While she waits, she tells a tale of adventure at sea.

The tale: a young girl sets sail one day, is caught in a storm at sea and is shipwrecked on a tropical island, created on stage by the beautiful batik panels created by textile artist Meri Vahl (two of which are pictured above).

Well, young Robin Crusoe, the niece of the famous Robinson Crusoe, is in big trouble.

Her ship has sunk off shore and she is washed up on the beach and has to survive all alone on the island....well not quite all alone.

Using pieces from her boat that washed up in the surf, Robin sets up camp, only to be visited by a friendly monkey. He helps her find fruit and tries to tell her something important but she doesn't understand what he wants to say.

Later that night, after a scary encounter with a shark and some success at fishing, Robin sets by her campfire and sings of her longing to go home.

Early next morning an escaped pirate's parrot visits Robin's camp, with strange talk of pirate treasure and a mysterious mountain of fire.

With hints from the monkey and parrot Robin is able to locate a hidden chest of gold, but it is too heavy to lift. However, the clever lass knows about levers, pulleys, inclined planes, and rollers and is able to do all kinds of things that would be impossible without this knowledge. But rumblings from the bowels of the island and smoke from the crater at the top tell her that time is running out; the mountain of fire is about to erupt.

Robin must swim down to the bottom of the ocean and attach a line to her sunken ship. But what about the shark? And how will she use her knowledge of mechanics to raise the sunken ship? And where is the monkey when the volcano blows and the whole island begins to sink into the sea?

Come see the show for the exciting and happy conclusion to this great adventure story!

And find out who is the mysterious sailor who is telling the tale.