Holiday

Looking to bring some seasonal fun into your drama classroom? We’ve rounded up quick and creative activities — improv games, writing prompts, and ensemble exercises — that will keep your students engaged and energized during the holiday season. Warm-ups & Movement ExercisesThe Winter Weather Walk Guide your students through a physical exploration of the season. Have them move around the space as if they are: • Trudging through knee-deep snow. • Slipping and sliding on a patch of ice. • Trying to catch a single, perfect snowflake on their tongue. • Warming their freezing hands over a crackling fire. • Huddling together for warmth like penguins. The Holiday Machine The goal is for students to work together to create a machine that will make a holiday task easier. Have students choose a holiday activity (drinking hot cocoa, wrapping a gift, bringing home a tree and decorating it) and break it down into individual steps (choosing a cup, heating water, putting the cocoa in, stirring the cocoa, picking up a marshmallow, putting it in the cup). One student will start a repetitive sound and motion that represents one of the actions. One by one, other students will add their own connected sound and motion until the whole class becomes one clanking, whirring, festive machine. Then, divide the class into groups, have each group go through the process, and present their machine in front of the class. The class has to identify what the machine is used for and what steps are being visualized. Improv GamesThe Gift Exchange Get everyone to pair up and decide who's A and who's B. A will mime handing B an imaginary box. Based on the size/weight/shape of the 'box', B will open the box and pull out the gift, stating what it is (e.g., "A goldfish bowl!”). B will then put the gift on an imaginary shelf behind them before handing A a box to open. Continue going back and forth. After a while, they may start getting more scenic: talking about why they got someone a particular gift or playing with the object. Then change the situation so the gifts are unusual (a snow globe full of bees). How does the person receiving the gift react? Winter Weather Report One student is the “weather reporter” describing extreme seasonal weather while others act it out behind them onstage. Holiday Travel Chaos Have students improvise a scene set in a crowded airport, bus station, or train terminal during the busy season. Add escalating obstacles (delayed flights, lost luggage, mistaken identities). Gift-Giving Experts One student is a customer at a bizarre specialty store. They must describe an impossibly difficult person they need a gift for (e.g., “My aunt who is a retired astronaut and only likes the color beige”). The other players are the “experts” at the shop who must invent, demonstrate, and justify the perfect absurd gift. The Uninvited Guest Have each student create a character who is crashing a holiday party. They need to decide: 1. Who they are. 2. What their relationship is to the host. 3. Why are they crashing the party? What do they want (to get warm, steal the best snacks, profess their undying love, etc.)? Then, in pairs or small groups, have them improvise their arrival and attempt to blend in. Writing PromptsA Gift They Didn’t Expect Write a monologue from the perspective of someone who receives the strangest gift ever. How do they react to the gift? Season of Secrets Write a short scene in which two characters each try to hide a seasonal surprise from the other. New Year, New Me? Have students create a character who makes a bold resolution… then act out what happens when they try (and fail, hilariously) to stick with it. Festive Scene Starters Give these opening lines to pairs or groups and see what kind of scene they create: • "Did you regift that sweater I gave you?” • "I’m telling you, the snowman winked at me." • "This is the last one in the entire store. We have to work together." • "Okay, on the count of three, we all start singing and hope they let us in." Ensemble ActivitiesSnowball Scene Starter Have students write short scene prompts on slips of paper, crumple them up like snowballs, then toss them around the room. Each group will pick one “snowball” to perform. Winter Tableau Challenge Have small groups create frozen pictures (tableaux) of seasonal scenes (sledding, decorating, winter markets, etc.) with exaggerated emotion and physicality. Seasonal Soundscape Divide students into groups to create layered soundscapes of wintery settings (a bustling market, a forest in a snowstorm, a fireplace gathering). The Perfect Gathering… GONE WRONG In small groups, have students create a two-part tableau: • Picture 1: The perfect, postcard-worthy image of a holiday gathering (a family dinner, friends opening gifts, carolers singing in harmony). • Picture 2: On your signal, they instantly switch to a second tableau showing the moment it all falls apart in a hilarious or dramatic way. Encourage big, bold physical choices! The Assembly Line Divide the class into groups representing workers in a magical workshop. Give them an impossible toy to build (e.g., a "self-walking, cheese-making unicycle"). In a silent scene, they must use physical comedy and teamwork to assemble, test, and package this ridiculous invention. Just-for-Fun ActivitiesFestive Commercial Parody Students will create short parody commercials for outrageous “seasonal” products (e.g., glow-in-the-dark snow boots, self-singing mittens). Twelve Days of Drama Instead of “12 Days of Christmas,” brainstorm “12 Days of Drama” (e.g., “On the first day of drama, my teacher gave to me… one stressed-out stage manager!”). Students will then act out their version. The Great Cookie Debate Students take sides in an improvised debate: Which cookie reigns supreme this season? (Chocolate chip, gingerbread, sugar cookies, etc.) Each side must argue passionately in character. NOTE: Be sure to frame these activities as “seasonal” or “end-of-year” fun, so they’re inclusive for everyone while still capturing the festive spirit.

As December unfolds its festive charm, our focus turns to a collection of plays crafted to bring holiday magic to your stage or classroom. From heartwarming tales to whimsical narratives, these scripts promise to capture the joy and spirit of the season. So bundle up and check out our December reading list. Let these plays be the delightful touch that elevates the season, transforming it into a memorable experience.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. You should know right away that Finding Jo March by Laramie Dean is not a traditional adaptation of Little Women. A young writer dives into the world of Louisa May Alcott’s most famous novel in order to bring the story to life (with a little help from their friends). Suddenly the March sisters are back, and the writer is one of them… Jo! But as the lives and loves of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy unfold, the present constantly threatens to pull the writer back into reality where a tragedy they have yet to deal with waits. It’s about telling someone else’s story so you can find your own. Why did we publish this play? I have seen this play develop for awhile now and it’s a delight to be able to share it with the world! _Finding Jo March _is a heartbreaking, uplifting, and unique take on its original source material _Little Woman. _It beautifully combines past and present. It sees the story through a LGBTQ+ lens through a connection between Jo March’s story, and the play’s main character story with their identity. You must pick up this play and share it with your students. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I’ve loved Little Women since I was a kid and read my tattered, illustrated paperback copy to pieces. I was intrigued by the challenge of bringing a new adaptation to the stage and playing around with time: was there a way to allow the March sisters and their friends to participate in the 1860s and today? I also wanted to write something for my students to explore LGBTQ issues from different perspectives, especially since several are underrepresented and rarely, if ever, see people like themselves on stage. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. It’s about telling someone else’s story so you can find your own. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The moment when Amy falls through the ice. It’s the climactic moment of Act One and can be done very simply with lights and music. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Create trust with your actors. Allow them to have fun and to be themselves. Encourage them to express in words how they relate to the characters in the play, the ones they’re embodying and the others as well. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It gives them some great comedic moments as well as incredibly heartwrenching scenes (try not to tear up when the Writer’s father abandons them and their mother). It also allows your students of different sexual orientations or gender identities to see themselves represented in a play they get to experience for themselves. 6. Do you have any advice for people looking to perform this play online or socially distanced? Live music will help. Get your copy of Finding Jo Marchright here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

Recently we called out to middle school and high school student writers to share their voices and perspectives on a holiday, celebration or remembrance through their original monologue submissions. We were thrilled with the incredible response we had to our call-out and so thankful to all who shared their work with us. Congratulations to the following student playwrights whose monologues have been chosen for publication in a Theatrefolk resource book to be released later this year. Night of Broken Glass by Ariella Green A Holi Hazard by Khyati Eda I’m Sorry by Sophia Kanior Pride Day by Grace Hinkle Christmas by Grace Hinkle Flag Day by Grace Hinkle Extraordinary by Allison Hurd Can I Be Alright Too? by Ruhi Tabassum Please say one last goodbye by Kylah Renehan Why Couldn’t I Keep You With Me? by Kylah Renehan Another Year, Another Sphere by Dreana Henry The Funeral on My Birthday by Charlie Smith My Autism Day by Angelina Parker Mother’s Day Plans by Calliope Yannuzzi Operation Christmas by Lola Frey Unhappy Happy Birthday by Sophie Petronzio Contradicting Expectations by Jake Katz Winter Solstice by Lily Couture I Have Something Important to Tell You by Irish Cornwell Diwali and Hindi by Shikhar Misra Happy Father’s Day, Dad, Wherever You Are by Tiara Zjana Linne Delubiar Groundhog Day Ritual by Madelyn Davies The Happiest Birthday by Ainsley Owens The Promposal by Molly Moody Vegan Thanksgiving by Alexandra Adamo Stocking Stuffers by Suray Vargas My Own Anniversary by Ella Munson-Jackson Turn the Tide by Maddie Snyder Congratulations to all participating student playwrights and be sure to keep checking our site for the launch of our Holiday, Celebration and Remembrance student monologue collection resource.

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * If you believe that Shakespeare’s characters deserve to celebrate the holidays too, then the “what if” holiday extravaganza, Shakespeare’s Super Snowy Seasonal Sleigh Ride Stage Show! by Lindsay Price is for you! Shakespeare’s characters are festive. Very festive. And they deserve to be part of the corporate machine that celebrates the holidays every year! Perhaps there are some characters who don’t exactly make the right choices that would fit the seasonal spirit… but if we can overlook that, so can you. Huzzah! Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I love putting literary characters in situations they’d never find themselves in. How do their personality and behaviours translate into different scenarios? 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. A holiday themed “what if” extravaganza. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? It’s not a visual, but the most important piece of the play are the character wants. Every single character, even if they only have a moment on stage, wants something. Bottom desperately wants to take over as host. Peaseblossom wants to be inclusive and detailed and if there was an informational slide deck, they wouldn’t be unhappy. Verges wants to eat 12 grapes and Dogberry wants nothing to do with it. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Have fun, play the extremes of the character personalities, don’t use blackouts, and do a little googling to find out why all three witches are named Janet. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? The play offers a great introduction to some iconic characters. The holidays will never be the same! 6. Why is this play great for online performances? Acting is acting whether it’s on stage, 6ft apart or in a tiny screen box. Focus on character, communication, and conflict and you’ll be great. Get your copy of _Shakespeare’s Super Snowy Seasonal Sleigh Ride Stage Show! _right here, right now!Not right for your group right now? Search our play catalogue to find one that your performers will love!

We don’t teach drama and direct shows to receive gifts, but it’s always a nice surprise to receive something in recognition of the effort we put into our work. At the end of the term, or on closing night of your virtual production, your students might just surprise you with a token of their appreciation. Gifts don’t need to be expensive; in fact, the most memorable gifts are usually the ones that are chosen or created with thought and care for the recipient. We had a think about what the best holiday gifts for a drama teacher are and put together a suggestion guide. Happy holidays! Personalized Gifts(Spending time and effort, but not a lot of cash.) • A heartfelt written note, a piece of artwork, or a handmade card created and signed by students. • A video or digital slideshow of photos and/or memories from class or your virtual production. • A recording of students performing their teacher’s favourite song, or a recitation of an original poem or spoken word piece about the teacher. • A signed poster or cast photo from your most recent production, or if students are feeling ambitious, a scrapbook of photographs or handwritten letters and quotes from each cast and crew member. • If you’ve just closed a production, a small memento that is themed from the show is always nice. For example, some of the memorable gifts I’ve received from various productions included a Rubik’s cube with pictures of the cast and crew members (The Wedding Singer), a vintage 80s rock record (Rock of Ages), a journal and a package of Corn Nuts (Heathers: The Musical), and a set of gorilla-print drink coasters (Tarzan). Low-Cost Gifts(Students may wish to pool together a couple of dollars each and purchase a gift from everyone.) • A set of pencils personalized with the teacher’s name (so when students borrow them, they know that they have to give them back!). • A gift card to a local business that the teacher enjoys (many stores offer e-gift cards as well, for both convenience and keeping a safe distance). • A gift card to a local spa for a massage to work out those aches and pains. • A pair of blue lens glasses to protect teachers’ eyes from strain after staring at their computer screen all day long. • Go traditional with a bouquet of flowers — most companies can do contactless delivery. • A donation to a favourite charity in the teacher’s name. Free Gifts(Wouldn’t it be awesome if students did these every day, even when it’s not the holidays?) • For all students to submit all their assignments, on time, without having to be reminded or chased! • For all students to show up (on time!) for all distance learning sessions, and to participate in every exercise. • For all students to prepare themselves for class and rehearsals by reviewing the previous day’s material on their own time — without being asked. • For all students to have their lines memorized on off-book day! • For all students to approach each exercise with an open mind, a sense of curiosity, and the courage to try, fail, and try again. • A clean, tidy classroom each and every day. • An empty inbox over the winter break (in other words, let teachers have a restful holiday and don’t email them!). • See below for a free printable checklist for your students: What You Can Give Your Drama Teacher Every Day, For No Cost (Yes, They’re Totally Free!) Gifts to Avoid(Well-meaning, but maybe not the best choices.) • Food and beverage items are often lovely gifts, but approach with caution. Food allergies and dietary concerns aren’t always common knowledge shared between teachers and students. For example, it wouldn’t be good to give a gift card to a steakhouse to a teacher who is vegetarian. • Alcohol-related gifts are not appropriate in a school setting. • Mugs. Every teacher has about a hundred mugs already. • Scented items (candles, essential oils, perfumes/colognes) are very nice, but may wreak havoc on a teacher who is sensitive to odors and fragrances. • Live animals. This may sound out-there, but I have experienced it! My lovely and well-meaning cast of The Little Mermaid presented each member of the artistic staff with a live goldfish in a bowl. Giving someone the gift of a pet is challenging because they may not be prepared or wish to take on the responsibilities of pet ownership. They will have to purchase additional supplies for the pet (food, etc.), or they may have another pet at home already (I own a cat — maybe not the best environment for a fish!). If students have their hearts set on an animal-related gift, a piece of artwork or a plush toy version would be a better choice than a live animal.

Based on the folktale, The Twelve Months, by Aleksander Chodzko, Strawberries in Winter by Mrs. Evelyn Merritt is a fantastic Winter play for all ages. Morozko has a Slavic winter tale for you. Who is Morozko, you ask? You may know him by his other name: Jack Frost. Poor Marouckla is tormented by her mean stepmother and her horse-faced stepsister. They’re determined to make Marouckla’s life miserable. They send Marouckla up the mountain for fresh strawberries. But everyone knows strawberries don’t grow in winter. Under the direction of Emily Steelman , the drama students at Eminence R-I High School in Eminence, MO transformed both their stage and their audience for all to enjoy a truly magical winter experience: “I really liked the story line of this play with Jack Frost narrating. One of our audience described the play as “a morbid twist on a Cinderella story.” If you have a combination of older actors and younger actors, this play would work great for you.”

If you need a holiday show that’s great for beginners, can accommodate almost any sized cast and has lots of room for audience participation, then you need The Merrie Christmas Show by Lindsay Price. A group of lively traveling players are at your service as they take you on a spirited adventure through Christmas past and present. They have searched the globe for Christmas stories and songs that will amaze, thrill, and delight children of all ages. Director Colleen Mahan from Saint Dominic Academy in Auburn, Maine shared how the student performers were both fun and festive in their production of The Merrie Christmas Show. She also shared some of their tips for staging the play: “It was flexible enough for me to be able to change casting in an environment where students come and go at will. It was also very silly, which is a plus for this crowd. We started the show with the cast winding through the audience, some members playing rhythm instruments, others with stockings, garlands and tinsel to decorate the stage with, and two carrying a steamer trunk full of props and costume pieces. It was fun and effective.”

Everyone can find the true meaning of Christmas in their heart. In Humbug High: A Contemporary Christmas Carol by Lindsay Price, it only takes a couple of ghosts and a dead lunch lady. Eddie Scrooge is 17 years old. He hates his parents and his classmates. His only goal in life is to make money and keep his heart ice-cold. He carries his own low temperature always about him and doesn’t thaw one degree at Christmas. He is on his way to becoming a miserly, miserable, tight-fisted hand to the grindstone, until one Christmas season he is taken on a journey by Madge, the lunch lady, and the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future. Scrooge is about to meet the errors of his ways face-to-face. The drama team at Salem High School in Salem, Ohio decked their halls with their production of Humbug High. Not a ‘Bah, Humbug’ was in sight as they brought the story of a teenage Scrooge to life: “The kids enjoyed doing the show.”

“There is the Grand Canyon of difference between ‘Yes, I can ski’ and ‘Yes, I can ski Smelly Dogface.’” Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Let is snow, let it snow, let it snow! The vignette play, The Snow Show, by Lindsay Price is a character driven toboggan ride through every experience you’ve ever had with snow. Cross your fingers and toes for six more weeks of winter. Stick your tongue out to catch the first snowflake. Wish for a snow day. Make a snow angel. Stand at the top of the most intense, intimidating ski hill ’cause those girls said you were cute. Love snow, hate snow, never seen snow, this play is for you. Whether you live in Juno or San Francisco, Toronto or Orlando, your audience will get frostbite for The Snow Show. Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? I wanted to have a winter time play that wasn’t connected to a specific holiday. Having said that, it’s amazing how many situations, themes and characters there are surrounding the topic of snow. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. A character driven toboggan ride. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? This play has one of my favourite scenes in it – “Remember the Burrito” about wishes coming true if you catch the first snowflake of winter on your tongue. The wishes of seven year olds are a lot different than the wishes of teenaged girls. So seeing two teens with their tongues stuck out as far as they can with wishes on their mind is a lovely image to me. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Have fun and remember the joy of playing in the snow as a kid. There’s a wonderment to many of the scenes, and a wistful nostalgia because none of us are kids any more. And no blackouts. :) 5. Why is this play great for student performers? There’s a wonderful variety of characters, pacing, and scene types – all of which can be pretty much played on a bare stage. It’s all in the acting and the imagination.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Does anything say ‘Christmas’ more than Santa… and zombies? We don’t think so! Our newest holiday play, Santa’s Zombie Apocalypse by Bradley Walton is ideal for middle school and high school performers and will definitely give everyone a holiday experience they won’t forget. When Santa is trapped by zombies (who have somehow gotten into the North Pole toy shop) two reindeer fawns are determined to save the day. But as they make their way through the toy shop encountering wayward zombies and stranded elves, they learn that saving the day is not as easy as it sounds. And it’s certainly not like any video game they’ve ever played. And why is that zombie eating a doll’s head? Optional multimedia elements turn this play into a live-action video game. The script also includes suggestions for multilingual performers and gender-neutral casting. Why did we publish this play? This play is an absolute delight. It’s perfect for the holidays, especially if you want something a little less saccharine and a lot more zombies. Don’t you want to see a zombie say ‘All I want for Christmas is braaaaaains…..?' Add to that a completely gender neutral cast, great costume opportunities and best of all – tech options for your digital savvy students. I could go on and on but you’d be better off reading the play yourself! Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? I’d had the title kicking around in my head for years, but never had a reason to write a play to go with it. Then the annual spring play that I direct for my school got moved to December, and suddenly I had a very compelling reason. The problem was, I’d only had four students audition the previous spring. I was hoping for more this time around, but I figured I needed to plan for a cast of four, just in case. So how do you do a play called “Santa’s Zombie Apocalypse” with 4 people? I hit on the idea of a reindeer fighting its way through the toy shop, one room at a time, to rescue Santa from zombie. In each room, the reindeer fights a zombies and rescues or interacts with an elf or one other character. One person could play all of the zombies, one person could play the reindeer, and one person could play all of the other parts, so I could get by with a cast of 3 if I really had to. Conceptually, it sounded a lot like a video game, and there’s how the video game elements in this play originated. Likewise, the video phone bits came about as a way for characters in different parts of the toy shop to talk to each other if they were all being played by the same person. Of course, when we had auditions, I had way more than 4 people try out, and the script evolved from there. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Don’t assume the person that you’re following knows what they’re doing, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The zombies, because this is a family-friendly show and they need to look like zombies without being overly gory or frightening to children in the audience. For our production, my wife concocted a scheme of neon green makeup with red, white, and purple accents, and that worked great. Having the zombies dressed in Christmas outfits added to the effect. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? I’m not gonna lie: All of the optional technical elements for this play–the video game stuff, the captions, the video phone bits–are a lot of work, but they’re TOTALLY worth it in the end. Try to include as many of them as you can. The payoff is huge. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? This is great for schools with a lot of diversity in their student bodies because the elves can all speak different languages. It’s great for schools with less diverse student populations because the elves can also all speak English. There’s a lot of flexibility in casting. It has fun, manageable roles for novice performers, and meaty leads with big arcs and emotional complexity. Plus, it’s called “Santa’s Zombie Apocalypse“. What’s not to love about that?

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Are you ready to deck those halls? Or are you saying “Bah, humbug” to the holidays? Either way, you’re going to love Humbug High: A Contemporary Christmas Carol by Lindsay Price – a new take on the classic Dickens tale. Eddie Scrooge is 17 years old. He hates his parents and his classmates. His only goal in life is to make money and keep his heart ice-cold. He carries his own low temperature always about him and doesn’t thaw one degree at Christmas. He is on his way to becoming a miserly, miserable, tight-fisted hand to the grindstone, until one Christmas season he is taken on a journey by Madge, the lunch lady, and the ghosts of Christmases past, present and future. Scrooge is about to meet the errors of his ways face-to-face. Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? Not only is adaptation my favourite form of writing, A Christmas Carol is one of my favourite stories. It’s such a universal tale of humanity, which is the reason it’s been transformed so many times over the years. The way Dickens writes characters is so vivid it was a treat to transform them into modern versions. The story tells itself so it’s important to have strong unique characters. *2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. * Everyone can find the true meaning of Christmas in their heart. Sometimes it takes a couple of ghosts and a dead lunch lady. *3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? * When Madge, the dead lunch lady and Eddie’s only friend appears as a ghost covered in a chain of her own making made of pots, pans, and soup ladles. She tells him the truth of what’s going to happen if he doesn’t change his ways (and pushes him to get a girlfriend). I love the mix of raising the stakes in the story and Madge’s sense of humour. *4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? * Character, character, character. Everyone knows the story, so share it through the eyes of human beings and not actors saying lines. There’s a lot of fun to be had in the play, but the genuine journey of the characters is most important. *5. Why is this play great for student performers? * Great characters share a well known story that was written just for them. Who wouldn’t want to play Scrooge as a teenager?

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. ‘Tis the season to bring some festive fun to your drama group with Deck the Stage by Lindsay Price. This Christmas collection is unlike any other. The show is comprised of six short plays, all of which are inspired by Christmas carols such as: Deck the Halls, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and We Three Kings. The plays can be performed individually, or all together as a complete evening of entertainment. An excellent project for your drama club with parts for everyone at all levels! Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? Adaptation is my favourite form of theatrical writing. I love taking a text from one genre and finding a way to make it a piece of theatre. Christmas carols often have character and story built into them and it’s a short step to use them as inspiration for modern scenes. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Some characters search for the true meaning of Christmas of hope, giving, and community. Some characters just want to win the tree picking contest. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? It’s a vignette play so every scene has it’s own visual. My favourite line in the play is a dramatic moment in the scene Still as Stone where a girl shares, for the first time, that Christmas only means that her father “didn’t love my mother and he didn’t love me.” It’s heartbreaking and gets me every time I see it done, even though the play is 17 years old. My favourite comedic visual is when Ms Meyermyer, grade two teacher, has a small melt down over her students not wanting to do her original creation the “Twelve Shames of Christmas” and she gets in the face of Marilo who WILL be Toxic Waste and she WILL like it. It’s that concept of doing things over the holidays for all the wrong reasons, which of course make the best theatre. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Make the transitions between scenes part of the theatrical experience. Don’t go to black each time and leave your audience in the dark during the scene change. Do scene changes in character – have Hans and Johan continue their competitive spirit by seeing who can be the fastest in striking sets. Have one set that all the scenes can be done in front of with a couple of cube changes. Use music to keep the energy up during scene changes. Nothing drags a play more than long, long, long transitions. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Variety. This play gives students the opportunity to play drama, comedy, physical comedy, otherworldly moments, monologues and more.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Today we’ve got horror. That’s right horror theatre. We love this genre and love being able to offer it to you with Steven Stack’s new play Horror Movie 101: Failing Can Be Deadly. Surviving your teenage years is difficult enough. But in St Claire, where teens continually violate the rules of Horror Movie 101, it’s practically impossible. You know the rules: never open a door if someone knocks after the lights go out. If your car runs out of gas and a girl on the side of the road asks you to take her home to mother – don’t. Haunted houses are never a good idea, and neither are cabins in the middle of the woods. And if you use an ancient burial ground to bring some back, they’ll come back wrong. Everyone knows that. This collection of haunting, horrifying, harrowing AND humourous scenes will keep you laughing as you keep your eyes covered. Why did we publish this play? Horror Theatre is a genre that we just don’t often see on the stage. It’s the realm of movies with their scary music, their jump scares, and their ability to create buckets of blood. But that doesn’t stop playwright Steven Stack. Steven loves exploring this genre (have you read his Ashland Falls? The Bottom of the Lake?) and we’re thrilled to add Horror Movie 101 to our catalogue. Anything can happen on the stage and you don’t need a camera to create a jump scare. Plan this play for October right now! Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? Two reasons. One, we were doing a Halloween Show at the studio I work for and I needed something for it. But the main reason was that I love writing plays that mix horror, comedy, tragedy and strong characters and once the idea came to me about creating a one-act that featured scenes that took place in the same town and were connected, I was super excited about diving into the bizarre happenings of St. Claire, Minnesota. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. The path that our life takes comes down to the decisions that we make or don’t make. And all of those decisions come to an end: one that is happy or one that is not. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? Sarah looking at the body bag at the end of The One. That it, in some ways, sums up the themes of all the plays, even the comedies. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Play the truth of each scene and characters and really push to internalize the stories. This holds especially true for the comedies. I think there’s often a tendency for actors to play the “jokes” in comedies instead of playing the truth of the characters, who often don’t find their situations funny. And I think that, in the end, is what makes it funny. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? One reason is because it’s a mix of horror, humor, and tragedy which I believe anyone, especially teens, can get on board with. I think another reason is because this play forces actors to internalize deeply to create the truth of the various moments in order to have them work on stage.

We know about ‘decking the halls’ but now is the time to Deck the Stage!. Audiences and students alike will be left feeling holly-jolly with this festive collection of six short Christmas plays by Lindsay Price, inspired by Christmas carols such as: Deck the Halls, The Twelve Days of Christmas, and We Three Kings. Mary Taylor and the drama students at Sunray High School in Sunray, TX got into the festive spirit with these vignette plays inspired by some classic Christmas carols. “All of the parents, friends, and students who attended loved the play. I was able to include a total of 31 students, many whom had never been on the stage. I used this fall play to introduce theatre to freshmen who have never had the opportunity to participate in theatre. Our Culinary Arts and Food Science classes also hosted a dinner in conjunction with the performance. The guests were served during the intermission. This was a first ever event for Sunray High School. _– _Mary Taylor” Way to go, Sunray High!

Time for a Tfolk Top Ten Plays for…Holidays! The holidays are a perfect time to put on a play. And we don’t just stop at Christmas. Since the end of October is a particularly spooky time of year we’re also going to share some of our most spookiest stuff. Click the link and you’ll be taken to the webpage for each play. There you’ll get the details and read sample pages. All the best with your search! Deck the Stage Six short plays inspired by Christmas carols. Bittersweet moments. Laugh out loud comedy. And the weirdest 12 days of Christmas you’ve ever seen. The plays can be performed individually, or all together as a complete evening of entertainment. Humbug High: A Contemporary Christmas Carol A new take on the classic Dickens tale! Eddie Scrooge is 17 years old. He hates his parents and his classmates. His only goal in life is to make money and keep his heart ice-cold. This Christmas he’s about to meet the errors of his ways face-to-face. The Snow Queen Kai has been captivated by The Snow Queen. She is frozen in her heart and mind. Gerda will stop at nothing to find her sister. This is a magical theatrical adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of a sister’s love, an ice cold heart, and a fantastical journey. A great winter themed alternative to traditional Christmas fare. Christmas In July Last Year has handed off the calendar to the New Year and is ready to hit the beach. The New Year is nervous but ready for the challenge. But something goes terribly wrong. Summer starts in November, Easter’s in February and Christmas is in July! The calendar days are all in a tizzy. The First Herald Angel On the first Christmas Eve, a poor shepherd happens across a small child in the hill country about Bethlehem. To the shepherd’s surprise, the child explains she is an angel practicing to be a herald angel so she can announce the Saviour’s birth. Great for concerts or assemblies. The Bottom of the Lake Dani’s out in the middle of the woods at night, alone, without a flashlight. She meets three girls from another camp, and they tell ghost stories to pass the time. A combination of ghost stories, urban legends, teen issues, romance, absurd comedy, and film noir, all in a single play! Close Encounters of the Undead Kind Is that a werewolf at the support group? A child vampire at the front door? A zombie boyfriend? With some close encounters of the undead kind, these plays are far from typical and humdrum! The plays can be performed individually or all together for a ghoulishly delightful evening. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow This new adaptation of the Washington Irving story is excellent for large groups and suitably spooky for Halloween! Icabod Crane is new to Sleepy Hollow and seems to fit right in. But not everyone is happy to see Icabod and they prepare a ghoulish surprise for him. The Haunting of Chip Lake Lodge Four seniors arrive at a country lodge for their prom. But things go askew from the start. They show up at the wrong lodge, their car won’t start, the phone goes dead, and disco music plays inexplicably. The lodge is haunted! It all leads to a bizarre prom night no one will forget. Shuddersome: Tales of Poe Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known works. His words rise from the page like corpses from the grave. Be careful. Do you hear that tap, tap, taping? Multi-length versions of the script to fit every need. Planning on performing one of these or another Theatrefolk play? Let us know all about it with pictures and highlights – we might even feature you on our site! Click here to submit your story.

This week on Spread the Love, Lindsay and Craig talk about The Robbed Reindeer, a Christmas play by Lindsay Price.

This week on Spread the Love, Lindsay and Craig talk about Cinderella’s Crunchy Christmas Cake, a Christmas play by Lindsay Price.

This week on Spread the Love, Lindsay and Craig talk about …and a Groundhog in a Pear Tree, a Christmas play by Lindsay Price and Kristin Gauthier.

This week on Spread the Love, Lindsay and Craig talk about The Merrie Christmas Show, a Christmas play by Lindsay Price.