Beyond the Patch
Written by Cale MacLaren
Music & Lyrics by Ben Taylor
Original Choreography by Colette MacLaren
Performed by the cast of the 2018 Junior Academy
Synopsis
Among the whinny of horses, the bleating of sheep, and the clucking of hens lives Patches. This curious alpaca was born and raised on The Patch—a farm where everyone is welcome and the gate is always open! But what place is there for an alpaca like Patches who can’t grow a decent coat and who would rather tap-dance than mow the lawn?
Determined to find a place he thinks he’ll finally fit, Patches sets out with his new friend Feathers on a quest to discover where he truly belongs. Setting out for the bright lights of Zoo York, the city of the stars, they are joined by a fleet-footed ferret called Whiskers. Hot on their tails are the Foxes, hungry for a feed on some farm-fresh fast food! Concerned for their missing friends, the farmers and the animals enlist the aid of a crack commando unit of reptilian rescuers: G-Force! The meandering menagerie picks up a couple of stray sheepdogs, and meet a tribe of blind bush mice, a union of mini-miners, a flock of Royal Flying Duckters and a colony of bats before discovering that perhaps the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Beyond The Patch has a clear and resounding message that there is room enough for us all—that the gate stays open for everyone! The invitation is extended to everyone, and we have the choice to stay if we want. Your place on the Patch has nothing to do with what you contribute, or how good at mowing you are. You’re welcome and part of the family simply because you’re you!