The Happiness Shop
by Lindsay Price Canadian Author
Three middle school students find themselves in an odd curiosity shop. They don’t know what it is, where they are, or how they got there. But that’s no surprise. The Happiness Shop is not like any other. It is filled with Roppets.
A Roppet is not quite a robot and not quite a puppet. A Roppet is completely happy all the time. Full of smiles, hugs and hi-fives. Isn’t that all it takes for a middle school student to be happy? They’re too young to have problems.
Blake, Melanie and Wally know that’s not true. They all have pretty big problems. But in the shop they have one question to answer and one question only: What would you do to be completely happy?
With up to 28 speaking parts and easy staging The Happiness Shop is perfect for a class project.
Average Producer Rating: 4.0 out of 5
Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools
At a Glance
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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.
28 Characters
- 6 Males
- 9 Females
- 13 Any Gender
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.
GROUP ONE:
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Dr. D (Dompster) Any gender 62 linesOne of two deranged Doctors.
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Dr. Dee (Dompster) Any gender 79 linesDr. D’s partner in crime.
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Blake Male 32 linesDesires to be happy. Can he get his wish?
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Melanie Female 38 linesBullied by girls who were once her friends.
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Wally Any gender 43 linesSees through the façade of the Roppets.
GROUP TWO:
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Bezmo Any gender 54 linesWorks in The Happiness Shop.
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Besme Any gender 45 linesWorks in The Happiness Shop.
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Loopy Any gender 37 linesWorks in The Happiness Shop.
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Roppet One (Jordan) Female 2 linesA Roppet at the shop. The show model.
GROUP THREE (Blake's Story):
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Roppets Rubrik (6) Any genderA team of Roppets that act out memories.
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Blake 2 Male 16 linesA memory of Blake.
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Mom Female 18 linesBlake’s mother
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Dad Male 19 linesBlake’s father
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Monsieur Grant Male 18 linesA teacher at Blake’s school
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Ms. Peretti Female 19 linesAnother teacher at Blake’s school
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Depression Troll Any gender 31 linesThat nagging voice in your head.
GROUP FOUR (Melanie's Story):
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Roppets Rafter (6)A team of Roppets that act out memories.
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Melanie 2 Female 17 linesA memory of Melanie.
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Kellie Female 10 linesEx-friend of Melanie.
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Kensie Female 15 linesAnother ex-friend of Melanie.
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Kelsie Female 13 linesA third ex-friend of Melanie.
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Phoenix Male 18 linesBacks Melanie up.
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Depression Troll Any gender 31 linesThat nagging voice in your head.
GROUP FIVE (Wally's Story):
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Roppets Rookery (7)A team of Roppets that act out memories.
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Wally 2 Any gender 34 linesA memory of Wally.
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Demeter Female 14 linesCriticizes Wally.
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Ajax Male 20 linesCriticizes Wally.
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Coach Lynch Any gender 15 linesWally’s coach. More understand than you might expect.
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Depression Trolls x3 Any gender 12, 10, 9 linesThose nagging voices in your head.
Praise for The Happiness Shop
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From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre
Theatrefolk Featured Play - The Happiness Shop
Theatrefolk’s Top 10: Ensemble Pieces
One Act Plays for Middle School
Social Issue Plays for High Schools / Middle Schools
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The Happiness Shop Sample Excerpt
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