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The Pied Piper of Hamelin by Mrs. Evelyn Merritt play script cover

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

adapted by Mrs. Evelyn Merritt from Robert Browning

The people of Hamelin are in a terrible way! They're being run over by rats.

Rats! They fought the dog and killed the cats, and ate the cheese out of the vats, made nests inside men's Sunday hats, and even spoiled the women's chats.

When the Piper comes to solve their rat problems, it looks like Hamelin is saved. Or is it?

There are consequences for those who do not pay the piper. Ever wonder where the phrase "Pay the piper" comes from?

Dramedy Classical Adaptation Young Audiences

Average Producer Rating:

Recommended for Middle Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 20 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
23 Characters
6 M4 F13 Any Gender, Rats
Set
Simple Set
Length
23 pages
Free Excerpt

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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.

23 Characters

6 M, 4 F, 13 Any Gender, Rats

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.

Narrator One [A] 28 lines
Narrator Two [A] 28 lines
Narrator Three [A] 30 lines
Narrator Four [A] 25 lines
Mayor [M] 14 lines
Pied Piper [M] 8 lines
Julius the Rat [M] 2 lines
Peter the lame boy [M] 4 lines
Lady One [F] 1 line
Lady Two [F] 1 line
Lady Three [F] 1 line
Lady Four [F] 1 line
Man One [M] 1 line
Man Two [M] 1 line
Six Town Council Including Council One [A] 3 lines
Rat 1 [A] 5 lines
Rat 2 [A] 5 lines
Rat 3 [A] 5 lines

Praise for The Pied Piper of Hamelin

Moe Loughran
Nashville Creative House
This play is great for younger and older middle school students as it challenges them on timing with the rhyming couplets—our school enjoyed it!

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