Eden Prairie News (Let's Go): Family Tales
By Karla Wennerstrom, Editor
“I’ve always been told that I was an inspiration for PEEF,” Adam said.
In Eden Prairie author Tom Hegg’s second PEEF story, Santa comes back to visit PEEF, finding he’s a little bit worse for wear.
However, Santa finds there’s been a lot of life experience in the little bit of dirt on the bear – as well as the rip and the tear.
Hegg’s son Adam, director of theater programs for FAIR School, has adapted the story for the stage. The play, “A Silent Night for PEEF,” is running at the Stage Theatre Company in Hopkins through Dec. 26.
When asked if he consulted with his dad in writing the adaptation, Adam, who was an inspiration for PEEF, replied: “In all things.”
“He’s an actor and a teacher and a writer, and I am also an actor, a teacher and a writer,” the Minneapolis resident said. “I am roundly in his shadow.”
Tom said he is delighted with Adam’s interpretation of his book.
“I am absolutely thrilled with what he’s able to do,” said Tom, a drama teacher at the Breck School in Minneapolis. “I’ve been in theater all my life, but I’ve never written for the theater. He’s able to look into the story line and invent characters that do not exist in the book as it is written, but bring the book to life on stage in a way that nothing else could.”
While Tom’s book is told as a memory, starting with PEEF telling Santa about the year he has had, Adam said the play offers highlights from that year and ends with PEEF getting ready to tell Santa what happened.
Both praised the play’s music by Michael Mahler.
“The songs knock me out,” Tom said. “When you can’t say anything powerful enough with words, it’s time to go into a song.
“That’s absolutely thrilling to see it come from two dimensions into three dimensions and add song and dance to it. I mean what more could you want?”
Adam, who was about to become a father himself while writing the script, said he gained new insight from the experience. When he submitted the script to his editor, he was holding his 30-hour-old daughter, Imogen Beatrice, in his lap.
He said he always knew intellectually that he was an inspiration for PEEF, but holding Imogen, it became real.
The entire family, Tom and wife Peggy, Adam and wife Breanne (Imogen will attend a matinee later), planned to attend Nov. 17 opening night.
“You bet we’re going to be there,” Tom said. “This will be the first time I have seen the show. I haven’t been to any rehearsals. It’s going to be a surprise for me.”
