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Of Mice and Men

By Carlisle Floyd

Continuing a new tradition of staging American works, Utah Opera presents Carlisle Floyd’s 1969 adaptation of the John Steinbeck novel Of Mice and Men. As with his highly popular Susannah, Floyd wrote his own libretto for Of Mice and Men and his words and music capture the distinctively American pathos of the book’s depression-era setting and themes.

Like the novel, the story centers around George and his childlike companion Lennie as they struggle to find a path to their simple dream, the dream of a house and farm they can call their own. It is not to be however as Lennie’s simple kindness and fear of upsetting those around him unwittingly lead to tragedy and the end of the plans he and George share. Theirs is the quintessential hard-luck odyssey, always one step ahead of disaster and so very far from salvation. More tragedy is sure to follow.

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Additional Info

Student Ticket Policy: Student tickets are available for students to attend Utah Opera performances at a more accessible price. For convenience, two student tickets can be purchased per student ID. The student ticket price is available only in select seats at Capitol Theatre. You will need to show a valid student ID when picking up or purchasing tickets.

Student Single Tickets
Student tickets are available for this performance in advance for $10 and on the day of the performance for $15. Please enter promo code “student” on ArtTix.org, call 801-355-ARTS (2787), or visit any ArtTix outlet.

Student Design-A-Series
Students who attend four or more Utah Opera or Utah Symphony performances during 2011-12 season can receive special benefits by purchasing a Student Design-A-Series. Benefits include student tickets for performances where they are not normally available, free ticket exchanges, waived phone and counter fees, and invitations to events where you can meet Utah Symphony musicians. Subscribe online or call Patron Services at 801-533-NOTE (6683).

Opera-tunities
Junior and senior high school students with their teachers are invited at a minimal charge to attend final dress rehearsals of main stage Utah Opera productions on the Thursday before Opening Night in Salt Lake City's Capitol Theatre with events running from 7-10 PM. For more information, please visit www.usuoeducation.org.

Age Policy
This performance is recommended for audience members who are eight and older. No infants or babes in arms.

Learn more about the Utah Opera's student discount program

Conductor: James Lowe
Director: Kristine McIntyre
Lennie Small: Corey Bix
George Milton: Matthew Burns
Curley: Ryan MacPherson
Candy: Ryan Allen
Curley's Wife: Sara Gartland
Slim: Marcus Deloach

Act I
Scene 1 - A clearing in a dark wood, late in the evening.
George Milton and his traveling companion, Lennie Small are once again fleeing from the police and arrive in the clearing to hide. This situation provokes the almost daily explosion of anger from George, followed eventually by yet another reconciliation. Lennie has a mouse with him that he has inadvertently killed by petting it too roughly. George discovers the dead mouse and makes Lennie throw it away. Lennie objects telling George that he loves soft things that he can stroke and pet. To appease Lennie, George describes their dream of a farm of their own, as they settle down for the night.

Scene 2 - The ranch bunkhouse; the next day.
Curley, the ranch boss, waits impatiently in the bunkhouse with Candy, an old crippled ranch-hand, for George and Lennie to arrive. Curley's wife, a cheaply attractive young woman, comes into the bunkhouse and complains of Curley's neglect. Quarreling, the couple leaves. George and Lennie enter reporting for work, as the remaining ranch-hands return from the fields. Slim, the most respected of the ranch-hands, offers his dog's new litter of puppies to the men.
As the ranch-hands begin their nightly activities, Curley's wife re-enters the bunkhouse and openly flirts with the men. After she has gone, a furor erupts over Candy's old smelly dog, with Carlson and the ranch-hands demanding the dog be shot rather than remain in the bunkhouse. Candy protests, but is eventually overwhelmed by the shouts of the men, and Carlson takes the dog outside and shoots him. Lennie pleads with George for one of Slim's puppies.

Act II
The ranch bunkhouse; several days later.
As the ranch hands are outside tossing horseshoes, George is looking through the newspaper and finds an ad for a small farm. Slim tries to discourage him, but George says he and Lennie will find their dream, declaring that his and Lennie's lives will not be the lonely lives of isolation of typical ranch-hands. As George reads the want ad to Lennie, he is overheard by Candy who offers his savings, but only if he is included in their plans. With some quick calculations, George believes they can buy the property within one month. George, Lennie and Candy celebrate. They are interrupted shortly by Curley's wife who, despite their pleas, willfully insists on staying in the bunkhouse. She is discovered there by Curley, who enters with Slim and Carlson. Lennie chuckles at Curley's anger, so Curley begins beating Lennie with his riding crop. George tells Lennie to defend himself, so Lennie seizes Curley's hand and bends it back until Curley cannot take anymore. George and Candy are fearful for their jobs, however Slim says if Curley does not fire them, they will not tell how he got hurt. But Curley's wife says she's glad he's been hurt, to which Curley begins beating her. The men pull Curley away and his wife runs from the room. Candy asks George to read aloud about their farm again.

Act III
Scene 1 - The hay barn; the following afternoon.
Lennie is hiding in the barn, holding his dead puppy which he inadvertently killed. Curley's wife enters with her suitcase. She tells Lennie that she's leaving Curley and heading for Hollywood to be a movie star. Lennie tells her about his dream of owning a farm and while she talks of expensive clothes and a glamorous career, Lennie is excited about pigs and ducks. Lennie tells her of his love of stroking soft things and she invites him to stroke her hair. Fascinated, Lennie is unable to stop when Curley's wife begins to protest. Alarmed she screams for help. Lennie, afraid of being discovered with her, covers her mouth with his hand and in the struggle accidentally breaks her neck. Dimly perceiving what he has done, he tries to cover her body with the hay and then leaves the barn. Candy shortly appears and discovers the body. George and Slim are summoned by Candy, and Slim urges George to get Carlson's pistol from the bunk house and "get it over with as soon as you can." Broken, George exits with Slim while Candy curses the dead body of Curley's wife for robbing them of their dreams.

Scene 2 - A clearing in the woods.
Lennie rushes in, cold and frightened with George soon following him. Lennie offers to leave by himself, but George tells him to stay. Lennie becomes alarmed when he hears the ranch hands in the distance, so George begins telling him about their little farm. He urges Lennie to look across the river and imagine their farm. Lennie says that he does see their farm and drops to his knees. George comes behind him, pulls out the pistol and shoots Lennie in the head. George pulls the folded newspaper ad from his wallet and places it in Lennie's hand. The ranch hands rush in and stand around a slumped George. In the distance, the song of the balladeer is heard.

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