Sunflower is an original musical that tells the story of Amalie, a shy and sensitive 6th grader, who magically travels through the painting Cafe Terrace at Night and meets the 19th century artist Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) at the cafe.
Amalie doesn’t fit in with her peers, who often exclude and bully her. Desperate to find a friend, she finds a kindred spirit in Van Gogh, who is living in 19th century Arles, France. As Amalie faces social pressure and bullying at school, she finds escape in the world of the painting. Van Gogh, who calls Amalie “Sunflower”, inspires her to believe in herself and understands her loneliness and pain. At the same time, Van Gogh suffers challenges of his own that eventually lead to his despair and suicide. After Amalie is betrayed by her peers, and also finds out about Vincent’s fate, she faces her own darkness.
Amalie must find the strength to return to the real world, chooses hope instead of despair, and stands up to the kids who are bullying her.
Sunflower is a full-length musical (2 hours, 20 min) with an original book, music, and orchestration. Book and music are formally copyrighted. The cast is comprised of both kids ages 11-13 as well as adults. Scenes alternate between the real world at Amalie’s school and home, and the magical world of 19th century Arles.
Sunflower is a musical about facing bullying, about loneliness and belonging. It is about the power of art to inspire and lift up, about finding the courage to be oneself, and the importance of kindness and inclusion.
Although the musical is intended to be for theatre lovers of all ages, it holds a special message for middle school kids and their families. We believe that its themes are especially significant given the increased level of bullying, depression, suicidal ideation and social pressures that today’s kids experience.