Cast: 3m., 4w. What is a Golliwhopper? It's a tall tale in the robust American tradition of Paul Bunyan and his blue ox, Babe. It's a sun legend from a western native American tribe. It's an Appalachian mountain ballad or an animal cante-fable from the South celebrating traditional American virtues like optimism and common sense. It's a stretched-out story—you couldn't call it a lie—that captures the exuberance of our country's early days. Put four of them together in a polished theatrical package—complete with ballads, dance, even a little puppetry—and you have Golliwhoppers! The actors, who use different skills in each tale, love the challenge and versatility the play offers. Everybody plays an instrument, whether it's a kazoo, a fiddle, or a washboard. The square-dance caller in one scene may be manipulating a hand puppet in another. Bare stage. Approximate running time: 50 minutes.

The Tales:

1. Big Jesse Febold Ebenezer Chopalong


2. The Sun Snatchers


3. The Knee-High Man


4. Goll-Gollee-Gee


5. Backwoods Tall Tale


6. Indian Legend


7. Cante-Fable


8. Mountain Ballad