School Plays

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. _Mmmbeth _by Allison Williams is a hilarious gender-bending take on the Scottish play that is a fantastic adaptation for high school and middle school student performers. Everything goes wrong. The witches take over the storytelling, Queen Duncan would rather open a donut franchise than die, Lady M’s a bloodthirsty June Cleaver, and the murderers are preoccupied with creating a commercial for their services. Why did we publish this play? Sometimes all it takes is the right hook for students to connect to Shakespeare. _Mmmbeth _is just that hook. A parody of The Scottish Play, Allison follows the track of original tragic story but makes the whole thing a bold and raucous comedy. Who knew Shakespeare was so much fun! King Duncan is now Queen Duncan and refuses to leave the play, even after she’s killed. Lady M is a blood thirsty June Cleaver. The murderers are obsessed with making commercials. The point is that students can get a grasp of the story, have fun with the story, and open a door to reading the original. Allison also plays with the theatre conventions and mysteries surrounding the original name – don’t say his name on stage or you might get trampled by a hoard of marathon runners! Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I was working with a school in El Dorado Arkansas, and they wanted to do something light and fun for their competition. I wrote the original draft in five days, they rehearsed it for a week, and took it to competition. Kids were learning the last of their lines in the car on the way there! 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. What goes around comes around. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? A cool little side area for the witches to have as their witchy grotto. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? I’m excited to update and rewrite this one, so if you come up with a good joke in rehearsal, send it to me! And have fun with costumes – this one you can pull just about anything out of storage and have it work. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? We really do cover all of the original play, which is one of my favorites. So this is a great introduction to how fundamentally whacko a lot of Shakespeare’s plays are.

Whether you’re looking for a great production piece, a superior competition entry or simply some great material for cross-curricular classroom study, Lindsay Price’s Shuddersome: Tales of Poe has the material you need. The thumping of a heartbeat. The creek of a door. The howl of a bitter wind. The gong of a clock tower. The clang of alarm bells. The sound of beating wings getting closer and closer… Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known works. Included are The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. Poe’s words rise from the page like corpses from the grave. Be careful. Do you hear that tap, tap, tapping? The incredibly talented student performers at Cambridge-Isanti High School in Cambridge, MN were not only successful in their newfound appreciation of Poe, but also enjoyed award-winning performances at the Minnesota State Festival: Mississippi 8 conference starred Performance, Minnesota Sub-Section 7AA Champions, Minnesota Section 7AA Champions and Minnesota State Festival Performers. Director Kelly Fairchild-Fahrni was thrilled to share their success and these picture-perfect photos, along with some tips that helped keep their production running smoothly: “This has been a wonderful play to produce. It is exciting to go into rehearsal everyday to see what new level of detail we can add to the piece. I really feel the entire company has come to appreciate Poe as they hadn’t before. The biggest challenge for us has been to present heavily rhymed poetry without emphasizing the rhythm. We made all our actors into “Shudders” wearing easy to remove headpieces when they moved into main characters. This really helped with the transitions from one scene to the next. We kept all the actors on stage for the whole show so we could move quickly between pieces as well. We also used a lot of music and sound effects to add to the overall atmosphere.”

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * The Scarlet Heart by Allison Williams is an excellent introduction to commedia for any student performer. The script can be performed as written or by following an improv-based scenario. The Scarlet Heart is a gem! Literally. A big fat juicy apple of a ruby that everyone really, really wants and will do anything to get. Too bad there’s not one competent thief in the bunch. Stupino! That’s a soup ladle! Stop making goo goo eyes at the soup ladle! Join Arlecchino, Brighella, Columbina, and more in their hungry, thirsty, bungling, cross-dressing quest for the Scarlet Heart. Why did we publish this play? It’s one thing to study commedia dell’arte as a theatre history unit. It’s another thing to get right into the “heart” of the form and try commedia for yourself! We were thrilled to be able to offer a commedia play that fits both the stage and the classroom. The Scarlet Heart is a fantastically fun and practical way into commedia, written specifically for student performers. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I taught commedia for a long time, and there aren’t a lot of commedia scripts that are funny for a modern audience. Plus, I loved the idea of giving both a scenario and a script, and letting schools decide how much improv and how much student-created comedy they wanted to incorporate. So it’s like getting to do a traditional commedia, but with training wheels so it’s not overwhelming. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. There’s no honor among thieves, but if you stay focused on what you want, you might get what you need. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? Everyone stacked up hiding in the closet. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Play it fast and snappy – anything you’re going to do memorized, have it cold so you can move with the pace of the comedy. Get comfortable talking directly to the audience and breaking the fourth wall. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? There are so many opportunities in interactive theatre and non-fourth-wall theatre, this is a great chance to practice those skills. Plus, for students who will do any sort of public speaking, this is good practice for feeling comfortable hosting an audience, not just performing in front of them, but actively making them part of the experience.

Are you looking for an easy-to-stage one-act play with parts for 8 or 80? The Absolutely Insidious and Utterly Terrifying Truth About Cat Hair by Bradley Walton might be just what you’re looking for. Cat hair is infinite. No matter how much hair you brush off of a cat, there will always be more. Always. Cat hair has existed since the beginning of time, and it will be here long after cockroaches have become extinct. It is the secret driving force behind business and politics, and is plotting the downfall of humanity even as we speak. Unbelievable? Find out for yourself in this insidious and utterly terrifying tale, which is also totally hilarious, easy to stage, and suitable for an insanely large cast. Brenda! Put down that brush! Step away from the cat! Under the direction of PJ Muir , the students at Witherlea School in Blenheim, New Zealand had a great time taking this play to the stage and were able to allow their entire cast of 80 to shine: “Amazing script for our large Drama Club of 80. All cast members get to shine and make a huge impact, especially the cat hairs. Kids were buzzing and our parents were blown away. So many laugh out loud moments. Brilliant! We had 6 narrators, 3 each side which was great for balance. We also used two teachers work with the groups, cat hairs, and all other characters which produced excellent results for cat hairs; they were the stars of the show, each had to choose individual characters and movements.”

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. More love, less death! Drop Dead, Juliet! by Allison Williams is an adaptation of the classic Romeo and Juliet story that goes well beyond your classic spoof. Juliet has had enough! Enough with the poison, enough with the stabbing, and especially enough with the dying. She wants a new story and she wants it now. Romeo and Juliet will never be the same – or will it? Not everyone’s so keen on the changes. And why is Romeo sneaking off with Rosaline? Why did we publish this play? I remember seeing this play in an audience filled with students who did not know Shakespeare, and they laughed. A lot. They loved the characters, and that’s when I knew the play was a hit. Not only is the play a loving spoof of the original, it also addresses the importance of the original. There’s a reason Romeo and Juliet is timeless. In the play Juliet learns to respect her story and I think that’s a great lesson to learn. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I’d just directed Romeo and Juliet at Jenison High School in Grand Rapids MI and working through the customs and meanings and Elizabethan mores with the student actors really made me realize how much fun there was in questioning the script. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Truth in storytelling is valuable—stories don’t work if you try to twist them into something they aren’t. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The death of Juliet. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Play it for real, not for laughs – the comedy comes from characters desperately wanting things they can’t have, but wanting them for real. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Lots of parts for a true ensemble, because there are a ton of crowd reactions in the big scenes.

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * You may think you know the classic Bram Stoker story, but the theatrical adaptation, Dracula, by Laramie Dean is a version like no other. Based on Bram Stoker’s timeless novel, Dracula is a highly theatrical exploration of the evil that lurks inside all of us… and how it can become all-consuming, draining away our humanity and turning us into monsters. Count Dracula travels from his castle in Transylvania to England with the intent of creating more vampires like himself. But little does he know that one woman may possess enough strength to destroy him forever. Why did we publish this play? Dracula is a classic character that everyone knows in some form. There have been novels written of the 500 year old vampire, movies made, and plays created. When drama teacher and playwright Laramie Dean put together his adaptation he wanted to find a way that hadn’t been done a trillion times before. We think he totally succeeded! What we especially love about Laramie’s adaptation is the strong women characters. It’s easy to say that Dracula renders everyone powerless, but Laramie offers a different take to Mina. She is no one’s damsel in distress. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I have been obsessed with Dracula since I was seven and I discovered the Pendulum Press classic comic version (with art by Nestor Redondo; check it out). I immediately wrote my own play adaptation and forced my family and friends to participate in its staging (there might have been a rubber bat someone, probably me, hurled into the crowd). Since then I have written several play and comic book adaptations, and even a four hour audio book version which my very patient uncle and aunt listened to as they drove across Wales (I was 8 at the time). In 2004 I staged a version that queered the relationship between Harker and Dracula. Finally, I returned to the novel for the new adaptation I wrote for my students to perform, and which Theatrefolk is graciously publishing. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. There exists in everyone the potential for good or for evil. How much would it take to bring out the darkness inside of you? 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? There are two that I love. For the moment when Renfield rhapsodizes about “rats, rats, rats!” and their blazing eyes, my husband, who is our technical director, used a gobo in front of a red gel so that we had this amazing visual that looked alternately like hundreds of drops of blood or the feral eyes of a thousand rats. The second visual I love because it’s so simple. When Dracula turns into a giant bat, we plunged the audience into a blackout, handed the actor playing Dracula two big flashlights, also equipped with red gels, and had him hold them up as high as he could while a sound effect of several roaring animals at once played. Dracula swooped his arms down while simultaneously shutting off the flashlights, making it look like the Dracula-bat had flown away. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Tell your actors to take it seriously. It’s easy not to, because the story has been parodied so much in popular culture, from The Munsters to Mel Brooks’ Dracula: Dead and Loving It. Work with your actors on the passion, the fear, the horror, and the battle all the characters are waging between the forces of light and darkness inside them. And their accents. They have to have good, strong British and Transylvanian accents. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? High school students are beginning to develop their own empathetic centers while learning about the world. They are watching everyone around them make choices, for good or not-so-good. The themes in this play focus on that struggle, and teenagers really connect with that. Plus vampires are fun.

Chemo Girl by Christian Kiley is part of a collection of plays that examine the impact of cancer as seen through the eyes of teenagers. Camille is given a video game system from her mom as a form of recovery therapy for cancer. She prefers reading books. Video game worlds lack realism and she believes they will not help her fight against cancer. However, Camille is pulled into the video game world that mirrors her fight. She meets the Gamemaster and takes on the screen name Chemo Girl. The drama group at Carine SHS in Carine, Western Australia mastered the theatricality and creative invention that is such a huge part of Chemo Girl and successfully worked as a team to deal with some new skills and some very serious issues: “It was a challenge for my students, as some of them had not performed in front of an audience before, and chorus work was a new concept for them. However, it was a great learning experience and it was really nice seeing them pull it together as a team.”

Frankenstein vs. the Horrendous Goo by Treanor Baring is a fast-paced, action-packed comedy that’s sure to delight both middle school actors and their audiences. A mix-up in the chemistry club creates a horrendous goo that takes over John Dalton School. Students, administrators and even parents get “goo-ed” by this mysterious green slime with a mind of its own. Who is behind the attack of the mutant polymer? Can the students disentangle the clues from what they’ve learned in chemistry, theatre and psychology class? Why is Frankenstein brought in to save the day? And why is he writing love notes? Director Doug Poage and the incredibly skilled and committed student performers at Timbercrest Middle School in Woodinville, Washington had some fun with Frankenstein in their recent production, and were eager to share their success: “The kids loved it, the parents loved it, it was great fun! Was a very flexible script and easily adaptable for our 8th graders. Very simple set and costumes and props were easy to find and use.”

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Adapted by Todd Espeland, Treasure Island is a thrilling journey to Skeleton Island, complete with easy staging (including Silver’s peg leg) and gender flexible options. Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest… Pirates sponging for rum, treasure maps filled with pieces of eight! Join Jim, Long John Silver and the rest of his scurvy crew for this classic pirate adventure. Available in full-length and one-act versions. Yo, ho, ho! Why did we publish this play? A good adaptation is worth it’s weight in gold – or in this case, a treasure chest full of ‘pieces of eight’! Todd Espeland has put together a theatrical, character-driven adventure out of Robert Lewis Stevenson’s classic novel. I loved every moment. Add to that is Todd’s fabulous solve of Long John Silver’s peg leg! Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? I was hired to be the new Executive/Artistic Director of the Fort Wayne Youtheatre and was asked if I had ever written a play because someone needed to do an adaptation of it. It was getting thrown into the deep end of the pool. It was a great time. I like the adventure story aspect of it and I got a chance to craft some very theatrical moments in it. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. There is a strong theme of moral ambiguity in the story. The characters often find themselves in situations where there is no clear distinction of good and evil and many characters in the story have both good and evil traits, like Long John Silver. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? I like the visual of Jim, near the end of the play, standing up to the group of pirates. I love the image of this small kid, facing down this group of men who want to do him harm. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? You don’t have to be literal. You don’t need to have a ship on stage, or an island. You can create set and atmosphere with light and a few well selected set pieces and items. Youtheatre produced this play on a minuscule budget in a black box. We transformed the space each scene with some well selected set pieces and light. Use your imagination. Transform your set pieces. We used several old trunks in the show that we transformed from seating in the Benbow Inn, into boxes aboard ship by opening them and pulling ropes out and them made them into hills on the island by covering them with fabric and jute. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? The characters are accessible. Their needs are very clear. Plus they get to stretch as actors because they have to find the dual natures in each character. Silver is a bad guy who is capable of doing evil things but he genuinely like Jim. Benn Gunn might seem like a guy crazy from being on the island but he is the smartest person in the play. This is also a great play for female performers. We deliberately played with the gender of some of the characters so that women would get a chance to play these strong characters. There were women pirates. Ann Bonny was one. So why not mix it up a bit and let everyone play these powerful characters.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Chaucer’s classic collection of tales comes to life in the brilliant full-length adaptation, The Canterbury Tales by Lindsay Price. A group of travelers set out for Canterbury on a pilgrimage. To pass the time they entertain each other with a storytelling contest. Best story wins a prize. Each and every performer gets a chance to shine in this spirited, charming script. Great characters, lots of humour, and strong ensemble work. Text uses modern English. Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? The original text of The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer can be a bear to get through. Old English is not fun. I had to take an Old English course in university at 8:30 in the morning. It was not my best work. But these tales have always stayed with me, mostly because once you get beyond the language the characters and the stories are actually… fun. Some of them are more than fun, they’re downright bawdy. I knew The Canterbury Tales would make great stage material filled with interesting characters and a wide variety of stories. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. A lively, raucous, storytelling romp. With love, death, and no rhyme for orange. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The ensemble of pilgrims, all unique but all on the same path. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? It’s all about the characters. There’s little set, no special effects, and it can be done with next to no lighting or sound. Make those characters three-dimensional with specific physicality and vocal variety. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? Sure it’s cross-curricular but the characters are so much fun. That’s the selling point.

Ready for some fun with Greek mythology that also gives your students a chance to stretch themselves through physical action? Circus Olympus by Lindsay Price is all of that plus three plays in one – full length, one-act, and a twenty minute competition piece. The characters and staging are fun and the costuming is flexible – welcome to the circus! The circus has come to town! Well… sort of. There’s no elephant on a bicycle but there are the Greek Geeks and have they got a story or two to tell. More specifically, a myth or two: Pandora’s Box, Persephone and the Underworld, King Midas, Athena and Arachne, and don’t forget the Mythapalooza Slam Jam! A gleeful celebration with excellent large cast expansion and parts for all abilities. Circus elements are optional and are suggested for each myth. With a cast size of 48 students, the talented performers at Wabasha Kellogg High School in Wabasha, MN definitely understand the true meaning of the word “ensemble”. Director Cris Medina was thrilled to share their success with their production: “Circus Olympus was a great script to build ensemble and give many students acting roles.”

Need a vignette play with flexible casting for your middle school performers? Box by Lindsay Price can be expanded or reduced to suit a variety of cast sizes, plus it offers excellent opportunities for small scenes and monologues. Box is a middle school vignette play with flexible casting. It can be expanded for a large cast or reduced to a cast of 10 with doubling. Excellent small scene and monologue opportunities. Sometimes we choose the way the world sees us. Black box – indestructible. Jewelry box – plain on the outside, shiny on the inside. Sometimes our box is defined by others – our parents, our friends, our enemies. A box built by others can feel small, confined, impossible. How do we handle the boxes imposed upon us because of our gender? Our race? From peer pressure? From parent pressure? Do we have to live with our box for the rest of our lives? Can we change? Under the direction of Kellybrooke Brown , the accomplished student performers at Albertville High School in Albertville, Alabama were able to work together to examine the boxes that we all find ourselves in. A truly successful ensemble experience for them all! “Box was wonderful for my new actors! It gave everyone a chance to shine with no star vehicle!”

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Same Room, Different Story by Claire Broome is truly the ideal high school play. Available in full-length and one-act versions, it’s perfect for a class project or drama club to take on and make it their own. A teenager’s bedroom is important. It’s a place to hide, to consider choices, to reveal. And sometimes, it’s a place to practice the periodic table. Stories can be found under the bed, in a suitcase, in a box that may or may not hold body parts… This vignette play explores relationships and situations that speak to today’s teens in a variety of genres with flexible gender roles. Why did we publish this play?Well-written, three-dimensional teen characters in an easy to stage piece are the plays that we love here at Theatrefolk. We want great characters in plays that anyone can produce. Add to that, this play is a roller coaster. It’s funny, (the last scene makes the periodic table HILARIOUS), heart breaking, empowering, and more. So much more! (There may be a body part in a box. Or not. You’ll have to read it to find out.) Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play?I wanted to create a play with options. As a Drama Teacher, I know how hard it can be to please a class, or Drama Club with a play that fits the wants and needs of all performers. By using the location as the part that ties the play together, performers have an opportunity to explore a variety of characters and genres. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences.Same Room, Different Story explores teenage experiences and relationships. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play?The setting. The bedroom needs to have enough set pieces for each play, and neutral enough that it could belong to anyone. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be?Allow student performers, directors and technicians take the lead. Let them design the bedroom to work for all of the scenes. Consider allowing students to direct each scene. Let students create the set, props, lighting and sound. This is a great play to develop student leadership! 5. Why is this play great for student performers?It provides students with a variety of characters and genres to play. If doubling characters, students will have an opportunity to grow as actors.

*Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. * High school is full of stereotypes – or is it? Told in a series of interlaced vignettes, Stereotype High by Jeffrey Harr examines these “stereotypical” teens and how they fight tooth and nail to reinvent themselves. The geek. The freak. The stoner. The dumb jock. The mean girl. The thespian. The slut. The lonely girl. High school is full of stereotypes – or is it? Told in a series of interlaced vignettes, these “stereotypical” teens fight tooth and nail to reinvent themselves. There’s nothing more powerful than the teen who stands alone, proud of who they are. This play contains real situations, real feelings, and real thoughts about all the mature topics. Yes, that means sex, drugs and retainers. Why did we publish this play? This play will not be for everyone. It shows that teenagers are not sunshine and rainbows. They have real feelings, go through real situations, and have real thoughts on mature subjects, which is exactly why you should pick it up and you should do it. Stereotype High shows what happens when teenagers try to break out of the box they’ve been placed in. And we’re not talking a cry fest, angst fest, “why does no one love” pity party. We’re talking three-dimensional characters who make decisions, make mistakes, and try to change. I think it’s a lovely, lovely play. We’re so proud to include it in our catalogue. If you want an intro to this larger work, we publish some of the vignettes as smaller pieces – specifically check out You’re Cosplaying My Song and Master of Puppets. Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted to put a bunch of different kinds of kids together–kids who had no business relating to one another–and let them work it out. Let them work to find a way to relate to one another on a level that goes beyond the stereotypes. As a teacher of 27 years, I have a deep respect for kids–every kind of kid–and this play allowed me to showcase a variety of them in funny, tender, painfully honest moments. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Chimamanda Adichie once said that the problem with stereotypes isn’t that they’re not true, it’s that they’re incomplete. Kids are so much more than the labels we pin on them. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The most important visual in the play is at the beginning, seeing the eight main characters, each a different stereotype, stretched across the stage, their costumes defining them in their roles as they recite their mantra–that the great teenage high school social scene gods grant them the serenity to accept their stereotypes–and then, again, at the end of the play, only, this time, they’re in pairs, changed, enlightened, with a new mantra: they’re going to be who they want to be and if people don’t like it, they’ll have to get over it. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Keep it simple–the set pieces, the scene transitions, the flow of the show. Let the characters tell the story and keep it moving. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? For one thing, it’s so much fun. A blind date gone wrong, an audition from hell, a cosplay battle between Obi Wan and an elf queen, an awkward encounter in a gynecologist’s office? You can’t ask for better scenes. And there are monologues – juicy monologues that actors can sink their teeth into, one for each main character. Lastly, these characters have depth–they give student performers the chance to play a realistic, relatable teen with real-life issues. They’re a wonderful challenge for young actors.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. If you like Shakespeare, Monty Python, a little love, a little death, a lot of laughs and lunch at the pub, you must read Lose Not Thy Head by Gary Rodgers! The Viscountess is in a funk. She’s lost her passion for her job as lead executioner. This may or may not help the next victim. Joan has been sentenced to lose her head for impersonating her famous brother William Shakespeare. He’s disappeared with all his earnings and Joan has been trying to finish his latest play about Henry VIII. Joan pleads for her life, Death waits for Joan to die, a severed Head says beheading isn’t so bad, a Sigmund Freud-type doctor tries to convince everyone that you can’t sew a head back on a body, and then things get weird. Why did we publish this play? If you love comedy, but like your comedy left of centre rather than the pie in the face variety – this is your play. If you’re looking for interesting parts for girls – this is your play. If you’re looking for gender flexible roles – this is your play. If you like Monty Python, Shakespeare, Freud, talking chopped off heads, a little love, a little death, and a lot of laughs all in one package – then this your play! Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? I wanted a write a comedy that took an extremely unsavoury topic, such as medieval beheading in dank dungeons, and make total light of it. I feel that that is truly the source of this play’s magic. Such contrast is certainly not something that I invented but is common to many great comedies. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. I always felt the theme of this play is one’s struggle for power, control and self-preservation in an increasingly unsteady environment. This play is predicated on a constant struggle between several characters for command of the situation throughout the entire play. Even the supporting characters get to vie for status and control. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? One has to love the guillotine as a centre piece for the whole production. We are presented with a rather nasty image when ANNE is placed on the rack/stretcher and laid on the guillotine bed, beneath the blade, pleading for her life. The unpleasantness of this visual is smashed to pieces shortly thereafter when everyone is jumping on the guillotine vying for control, in a manner reminiscent of the children’s game I’m the King of the Castle. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Don’t feel daunted by having to build a guillotine. It really isn’t as difficult as it might look and I’d be happy to explain how it was done for the original production. It is also possible to use other means of execution, for instance, CHROMWELL or WOLSEY could always carry a large axe for the purpose of beheading. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? For many high school performers, Lose Not Thy Head is an introduction to macabre humour, which is a wonderful genre to explore. Also, most high school thespians will have had some experience with Shakespeare in English class, however, it is less likely that they would have encountered Henry VIII or his sister JOAN for that matter. The troupe that presented the original performance had a wonderful time rehearsing and preparing their production and, ultimately, it was an extremely entertaining experience for both the company and audience.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Large cast staging options, ghoulish make-up opportunities and a modern adaptation of Victorian ghost stories. Intrigued? Learn more about the high school drama/mystery Gothic Ghost Stories by Lindsay Price. Murdered twins. A lost heart. Evil in the painting. A girl and her mother frozen to death. These are a few of the Gothic ghosts whose stories are dying to be told in this creepy character-filled adaptation. Walk through the open window and join them by the dying fire light won’t you? Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I love adaptation and I loved writing Shuddersome. I wondered who else was writing in the horror genre in the 19th century, and I was shocked to find tons and tons of stories. There were too many to choose from! It was awesome. Thus Gothic Ghost Stories was born. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Ghosts want two things: their story told, and revenge. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The Twins. They led a short life and a horrible death and their ghosts have haunted the Long Hall for decades. If you see them after sunset, it’s curtains for you. They make multiple appearances throughout and they set the perfect tone for a play about ghosts. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Traditional scene changes will take the audience out of the world of the play. Never let transitions break the ghostly atmosphere. Atmosphere is the most important element of this play. Keep actors in character, make it creepy, use red light, make it slow and your audience will be glued to the edge of their seats. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It applies 21st century skills in the best package ever: How will you use creative thinking to create ghostly special effects? Use critical thinking skills to analyze the original stories and their theatrical versions. Collaboration and Communication are key to transition from story to story without breaking out of the world of the play. And top it off, ghost stories are so much fun to play!

If you’re looking for a vivid and theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s greatest works, look no further than Shuddersome: Tales of Poeby Lindsay Price. With three play lengths available, this is a perfect vehicle for your next student production, a great competition piece or an excellent cross-curricular classroom study piece. The thumping of a heartbeat. The creek of a door. The howl of a bitter wind. The gong of a clock tower. The clang of alarm bells. The sound of beating wings getting closer and closer… Specters, ghosts and ghouls come alive in this vivid theatrical adaptation of some of Edgar Allen Poe’s best-known works. Included are The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. Poe’s words rise from the page like corpses from the grave. Be careful. Do you hear that tap, tap, tapping? Paul Milisch from Madison East High School in Madison, WI was happy to share photos and kudos of this talented group of performers as they took audiences on their own incredible journey with this theatrical adaptation: “We advanced to the next round of the WI High School Theatre Festival. Here are some photos from our final dress.”

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Are you ready for summer camp – and all of the ups and downs that go along with it? Then you’re ready for Finishing Sentences by Scott Giessler – an issue-based dramedy that your students won’t want to miss. After being arrested for vandalizing a classmate’s car and perpetrating criminal harassment, Kendra serves her community service at a summer camp looking after a frequently bullied kid. Her journey through this surreal summer camp exposes Kendra to her own raw underbelly. Taking the perspective of the bully, the play forces us to consider the human side of the people we often dismiss. Why did we publish this play? Awesome character play. Awesome character play. Awesome character play. Shall I say it again? Awesome, awesome character play. I love that we can look at teen life from unique and interesting perspectives and provide unique and interesting characters for student performers. (Did I mention this is an awesome character play?). Let’s hear from the author! 1. Why did you write this play? I have been an avid participant and supporter of Summer Camping since I was a kid. I wanted to write a show that captured the spirit of the experience both comedic and dramatic. Although our time at camp is short, we live lifetimes there. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. There are no such things as bullies. (It’s a two-dimensional idea. We are all on a journey that are often filled with mistakes. ) 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? Transitioning from the stark real world to the colorful world of camp life. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Let the world around Kendra be crazy. Camp is comedy and tragedy all at the same time. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? It lets the actors tap into both ingredients: Comedy and Drama. It demands range, timing, and sheer fun.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Ready for an amazing character piece with parts for everyone? Check out The Hope and Heartache Diner by Lindsay Price – available in full-length and one-act versions. Diners are a special place. You can get your coffee, fall in love, and find light when the world is dark. Duke’s is a family business – four generations strong. Felix wants one last hurrah before leaving for college. She’s doing the full run – open to close – just like her grandpa did when he was a teenager. But why? Everyone knows Felix can barely wipe tables. Why is she trying so hard to connect? And what happens when Felix’s parents announce they’re selling the diner? Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? I wanted to write a play about a character about to face great change in a place that never changes. The best diners seems to be stuck in stasis, which is why I think people gravitate to them. They don’t change. They are familiar. They are home. They are filled with characters (and a ghost or two), which is always a great place to start a play. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. You can’t escape change, even in a place that never changes. 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The diner is visualized in an “Our Town” fashion. It’s not kitchen sink realism. It’s a story that moves from past to present (with a ghost or two), so to have that open space, fragments, gauzy look to it is best. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Focus on the family. This is a family that loves each other, even if they don’t know how to express it. And there are many layers of family from the diner regulars, to Felix’s family, to the strays that find their way into the diner’s glow. It’s all about family. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? This is a great play to deepen character development skills. These characters exist fully as much outside the pages of the play as in, so it’s important to do your research.

Welcome to our Featured Play Spotlight. Epic Adventures in a Rinky-Dink Art Museum by Ken Preuss is a wonderful character-driven comedy that’s full of mystery, romance and other assorted adventures. Who says art is boring, especially when there’s romance and mystery in the air? A group of high school students reluctantly visit a small town art museum to complete a creative writing project. But there’s more to the eye than a couple of paintings. There’s the legend of Vanishing Valerie, the obsession of love-struck Kaitlin, the mystery of why Duncan would try to eat a clay apple, and who is that woman wearing the not-so-great disguise? “Though the art saw it all, it remains on the wall, silently hiding the truth…” Why did we publish this play? The title really gives a window into the world of the play. The large and the small. The Epic and the Rinky-Dink. How could anything interesting possibly happen in a small town art museum? That’s the thesis of the play – there are epic adventures all around us, we just have to know where to look. It’s a lovely notion to share with students and this is a lovely play. And it makes perfect sense that a play about art has wonderfully well-drawn characters! Let’s hear from the author!1. Why did you write this play? The play started off as a comical collection of conversations teens might have in an art museum. The sarcastic comments, unrequited crushes, silly distractions, and artistic analysis began connecting in unexpected ways. Suddenly, there was the mystery of “Vanishing Valerie” and several romantic pursuits that were demanding to be resolved. 2. Describe the theme in one or two sentences. Mr. Briggs, the owner of the museum, tosses out a comment in passing that states. “Art is the result of passion pursued.” Pursuing passion is a major theme in this comedy. Whether it’s solving a mystery, finding true love, seeing the beauty in world, or just having a good time, find what drives you, and go after it with all you have. That is what makes life worth living! 3. What’s the most important visual for you in this play? The most important visual would be final minutes of the play. Although it is a mostly silent moment, the body language, facial expressions, and emotions bring an end to the central mystery and love story. If done correctly, it can be a perfectly poignant and surprising revelation. 4. If you could give one piece of advice for those producing the play, what would it be? Have fun with the characterizations. The script suggests several ways to create the set, but whether you choose the simple or fancy style, the play thrives with the pacing and performances. Characters wander in and out of rooms as they explore the museum: seek ways to make your character unique and memorable, so the audience is excited every time you enter a scene and wonder about your while you are away. 5. Why is this play great for student performers? This is among the funniest plays I have ever written. The teen characters are students we all know, but they are more than stereotypes. Each has multiple personality traits that allow students to create a real person and a separate story line to provide each role with its own arc. There are also a few adult characters that allow actors to stretch a little and gain experience playing someone from a different age group. Each role offers a student performer a chance to earn laughs and contribute to an ensemble piece.