We began at a block party just outside the Paperback Café, the Kingdom’s favorite gathering place. Everyone in the Kingdom was there, including the Prince and Princesses. King Miles and Queen Salma were not pleased that their children were attending (gasp!) a block party! They cannot believe that their children are hobnobbing with the masses. Upon discovering the Prince and Princesses at the block party, King Miles and Queen Salma learned that Princess Maria released butterflies into the Kingdom, causing turmoil among the citizens… The King and Queen did not like the butterflies! So Princess Maria gathers up all the butterflies and tries to find a safe and peaceful place for them.

     Back at the castle, the King and Queen reminded their children that their behavior was beneath their royal stature. To add insult to injury, the Prince and Princesses revealed each of their heartfelt passions and dreams – to become a poet, farmer, cook, cabaret singer, and entomologist. They are promptly grounded!

     In the meantime, Vladimir Stonefly, the Kingdom’s Pest Management Technician, had taken it upon himself to rid the Kingdom of the butterflies, and the chase was on. The Prince and Princesses sneaked out of the castle, seeking help from their friends at the Paperback Café, Lydia Veneer and Anna Spring. When Stonefly found them at the café, Lydia and Anna helped the royals escape in a unique way… by book!

     The chase took on an unlikely journey to Kansas, where we meet a few characters from The Wizard of Oz, and to The Heath, where the witches of The Scottish Play threatened the very existence of the Kingdom of Unquowa. Did the royals save the butterflies? Did they escape from Vladimir Stonefly? Did the Kingdom of Unquowa survive? All was revealed in a magical performance as the story unfolded in Free to Fly, Winterfest 2025!