Rootabaga Country Returns to Sarasota Opera

Earlier this week, I was just about to detonate my social media forever when I saw a message from Maestro Jesse Martins: “Hi Rachel. I’m so happy Sarasota announced Rootabaga Country for Fall 2026! Excited to conduct it again!” I was more than a little surprised and even more touched that the Zigzag Railroad finally brought Gimme the Ax and his children back home to Sarasota Opera, where it all began in 2017. Though it has lived some other lives since then, with more recently planned productions elsewhere shelved indefinitely, I was beginning to believe I had written the Little Engine That Couldn’t. Fortunately, the opera is great hands once again, and I’m especially excited that a whole new group of young talent will bring it to life onstage. “Welcome welcome welcome welcome, we-e-el-come, we-e-el-come hooooome,” and see you on November 7th and 8th at the opera house! (And I guess now I’ll stay on social media to stay in touch about this production…)

New artwork by illustrator Tori Abramov.

Know before you go (but don’t sing along): get your score in my store!