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Q&A with Judith Byron Schacher, author of the children's book "Yo, Vikings!"

Like many pieces of theater, "Yo, Vikings!" is based on a beloved book. The author sat town to tell us a little more about the true story behind "Yo, Vikings!" and what it was like to see her book turned into a musical for the stage:

What inspired you to write "Yo, Vikings!"?
YO VIKINGS!, is based on a true event from my life. As my daughter Emma was approaching her ninth birthday, she asked for a Viking ship to have adventures on -- and it just so happened my husband found one for sale in the newspaper. It was 29 ft long, seven thousand dollars -- or best offer. Emma saw the best offer part and wrote a letter to the old Viking man selling it. She offered him the contents of her and her sister's piggy bank, a whopping $128.00 in change. As it turned out, Emma was the only one to make an offer ... and the rest is history (photo below).

You donated a gorgeous print to us based on "Yo, Vikings!" Did you have a favorite character you illustrated in the book?
My favorite characters to illustrate were, of course, Emma and Ollie, though the ship itself was great fun to paint as well. And oh yeah, I loved creating the mythological scenes. Of all the books I've made, this one is my favorite!

What has been the most exciting part of seeing your book adapted into a live musical performance?
It's very scary to have someone adapt your work for a different medium, especially when the work is about your own life -- I liken the experience to sending your child to a plastic surgeon ... you hope you still recognize it after the surgery. Sam and Marcus exceeded my expectations on all fronts; they stayed true to my vision while enlarging the story with their own. It was a very emotional experience seeing the musical for the first time on stage -- imagine going back in time and getting to relive a wonderful moment from your life. Who wouldn't want to do that?

Dates:
Fri. Feb 6 and 13 at 7:30 pm
Sat. Feb 7 and 14 at 2 pm
Sun. Feb. 8 and 15 at 2 pm

Location:
Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall
Music Hall
300 Beechwood Avenue
Carnegie, PA 15106
Get directions