A hideous little man saves the life of Gretchen, the Miller's beautiful daughter, from a cruel and often unwise King by spinning straw into gold. In return Gretchen must pay a very high price-her first born child. "I have always been very interested in looking at familiar stories from unusual vantage points. I became intrigued with the Rumpelstiltskin story and was interested in making Rumpelstiltskin a sympathetic character. I hope the audience will listen to the story and think about this very familiar tale in new and deeper ways." -Composer Marti Epstein. Epstein's Modern Adaptation of The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale takes a closer look at character, ambition, and motivation in attempts to reveal true intent, particularly in the title role.