The Little Earl
About the Musical, The Little Earl
In a New York side street in 1913, young American, Cedric Errol, lives with his mother, Elena, in poverty after his father, Captain Errol dies. They receive a visit from Mr. Haversham, an English lawyer with a message from young Ceddie’s grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt. With the deaths of his father’s elder brothers, Cedric is now Lord Fauntleroy and heir to the Earldom and a vast estate. The Earl despises America and was deeply disappointed with Captain Errol, his favorite son, for marrying an American, and a Cuban American at that. So, he offers Elena a house and income, yet refuses to meet or have anything to do with her, even after she declines the offer of the money.
However, the crusty Earl is impressed by the appearance and intelligence of his young American grandson and charmed by his innocent nature. Just as the Earl and Cedric begin to bond, another mother arrives with her son claiming that he is the son of the Earl’s eldest son. Who is the true heir to the Earldom?
The Little Earl is based on the classic, Little Lord Fauntleroy by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Script, Music, and Lyrics by Ellen Sanborn and David M. Sanborn.
