2011 — Economy Chickens


This play was about urban farming. It featured a chicken farmer trying to help the economic welfare of his community — but his chickens play a silly trick on him.

Getting the word out! Indy, a young farmer, and his chickens. The storekeeper. And more storekeepers. Julie, a girl who likes to garden, with her chicken and mother. Ladybug detectives. Lucas, a boy who likes to spy, and Inspector Lay D. Bug. The police officer. The fox who loves to eat chickens. The compost pile... ...tries to eat Julie's chicken. Amber, the girl who befriends the fox, and Julie's mother.

Play Synopsis:

A young urban farmer loves his chickens! But the town has a problem — a big problem — the economy stinks. There are not enough jobs and not enough money, so Farmer Indy decides to sell his eggs and help the economy.

Meanwhile, the town is discovering the joy of urban farming - raising things to eat in your own backyard. Julie wants to grow okra, and Lucas wants to make a bean pole teepee to hide in. Daisy loves to study the bugs that live in gardens. The kids in town even go to composting club every week. Julie has a most unusual compost pile - it tries to eat everything!

One day, Indy's chickens mysteriously stop laying eggs - or is someone stealing them? The police and the CIA are both brought in to investigate. Is it the wily fox who loves eggs? Or is it the lonely boy Sam who would like to raise chickens of his own?

It takes one special person to solve this mystery and get the town back on track as everyone wonders what's up with Farmer Indy's "economy chickens."

Wild Tales is funded by a grant from the Somerville Arts Council