Drum Taps

adapted by Lindsay Price Canadian Author from Walt Whitman

The poems in Drum Taps represent Walt Whitman's firsthand account of the Civil War. See the words, the emotion, the blood come to life in this theatrical adaptation. This is not your traditional readers theatre or poetry recital. This is flesh and bone words breathed to their fullest humanity. This is struggle and pain. This is confusion and contradiction. This is war.

Drama Choral Work Classical Adaptation Experimental Form Issue-Based Movement-based

Recommended for High Schools

Running Time

About 35 minutes (for the full collection)

Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes

Productions

Produced by 20+ schools

Licensed by schools and youth theatres around the world

Set

Simple Set

Length

66 pages

Free Excerpt

Classroom Study Guide

Download a free Classroom Study Guide

This Book is a Collection of 2 Plays

Drum Taps (Small Cast Version)

2 M, 3 F · Approx. 35 minutes

Drum Taps (Large Cast Version)

6 M, 14 F · Approx. 35 minutes

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Performance Royalty Fees

Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.

Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.

Cast List

Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

The Poet Female 5 lines
The Child Female 10 lines
The One-Year Wife Female 12 lines
The Lunatic Female 18 lines
The School Teacher Female 20 lines
The Factory Girl Female 13 lines
The Beautiful Sister Female 14 lines
The Widow Female 20 lines
The Nurse Female 13 lines
The Seamstress Female 10 lines
The Night Watch-man’s Daughter Female 14 lines
The Immigrant Female 15 lines
The Pioneer Female 14 lines
The Actress Female 16 lines
The Soldier Male 18 lines
The Farmer Male 18 lines
The Clerk Male 18 lines
The Tramp Male 18 lines
The Grave Digger Male 11 lines
The Lawyer Male 14 lines

Extra Characters

The Sailor, The Carpenter, The Blacksmith, The Deacon, The Fare-Collector, The Printer, The Prisoner, The Gentleman, The Artist, The Innkeeper, The Father, The Camerado, The Mother, The Spinning Girl, The Maid, The Bride, The Young Sister, The Spinster, The Lady, The Governess, Mother of All, The Matron, The Peddler