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Treasure Island (One Act Version) by Todd Espeland play script cover

Treasure Island (One Act Version)

adapted by Todd Espeland from Robert Louis Stevenson

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. Easy staging (including Silver’s peg leg) gender flexible options, and a thrilling journey to Skeleton Island.

Yo, ho, ho!

Drama Adventure Classical Adaptation

Average Producer Rating:

Also available in a full-length version here.

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

At a Glance

Running Time
About 35 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
20 Characters
12 M8 F, Plus patrons & pirates, gender flexible
Set
Simple set
Length
39 pages
Production Tips
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Free Excerpt
Classroom Study Guide
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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.

20 Characters

12 M, 8 F, Plus patrons & pirates, gender flexible

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.

Older Jim Hawkins [M] 33 lines
Male, adult Jim who recounts the tale
Jim Hawkins [M] 61 lines
Male, young and unsure of himself
Billie Bones [F] 12 lines
Female, bold, brash and hiding a secret
Mrs. Hawkins [F] 18 lines
Female, Jim’s mother, a tough no-nonsense woman who runs the Bennbow Inn
Dr. Livesey [M] 26 lines
Male, honorable and honest
Squire Trelawney [M] 24 lines
Male, impulsive side kick to Dr. Livesey
Blind Pew [F] 12 lines
Female, bitter and angry
Long John Silver [M] 58 lines
Male, friendly and warm but with a harsh dark side
Captain Smollett [F] 18 lines
Female, Captain of the Hispaniola, sharp and dry personality.
Benn Gunn [F] 18 lines
Female, marooned on Skeleton Island for 3 years, a little crazy from all the time alone
Johnny [F] 6 lines
Female pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Black Dog [M] 11 lines
Male pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Dirk [F] 6 lines
Female pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Bilge [F] 9 lines
Female pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Dungbee [M] 8 lines
Male pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Scuttle [M] 7 lines
Male pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Israel Hands [M] 9 lines
Male pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Dick [M] 4 lines
Male crew member of the Hispaniola who is convinced to join Silver’s crew
Tom [M]
Male crew member of the Hispaniola
Hunter [M] 1 line
Male crew member of the Hispaniola
Various Inn Patrons and Sailors [A]

Praise for Treasure Island (One Act Version)

Rylie Patrick
Brenham Junior High School
This was a great experience! The kids had a lot of fun with this show and allowed them to be pushed.
Jonathan McHaney
La Vega ISD Central Warehouse (La Vega High School)
It was great. The play is fun and easy for students capture the essence of the piece.

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From the Drama Teacher Learning Centre

Selecting Scripts

A Swashbuckling Student Success: Treasure Island

Treasure Island by Todd Espeland is a theatrical, character-driven adaptation that’s worth it’s weight in gold – or in this case, a treasure chest full of ‘pieces of eight’! Fifteen men on the dead...
Selecting Scripts

One Act Plays for Middle School

Choosing a one-act for middle school performers is not an easy task. Middle schoolers are at an in-between point in their lives. They no longer want to be seen as “kids” yet many are not quite...
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