The Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer introduces us to a group of 14th century pilgrims preparing for their journey to Canterbury the next day. He proposes that each tell a story going to and from the shrine, but the group is so anxious they begin immediately. The Physician begins with the tale of a wicked judge who desires his scribe's sweetheart for himself. Can the young scribe save her from the unwanted marriage? The Pardoner tells the next tale of three thieves who plan to find Death and kill him, but their greed leads them directly to him. The Nun tells the story of Chanticleer the rooster, who has the most beautiful singing voice in the barnyard, and the Fox who would make him his dinner. The second act contains the final and longest story, the Knight's Tale of two prisoners who fall madly in love with their captor's sister and are given the chance to marry her based on who brings her the finest present. Flexible staging and casting and the timeless appeal of Chaucer's tales make this a show actors and audiences of all ages will enjoy. Optional passages make the play suitable for junior high or high school and community theatres.