Children's Theatre Plays

50 pages

Approx. 8 m, 8 w (doubling possible)

Travel back in time as the real story of "The Elves and the Shoemaker" unfolds in a flurry of magic and mayhem. It begins when seven zany Elves - not just two as Mr. Grimm wrote - end up lost at the shop of Hans, the shoemaker. They need to perform three good deeds to get back, and no one could use help more than poor Hans, who has just enough leather to make one pair of shoes. The trouble is, elves don't go around wanting to do good deeds. They have to be coaxed! But one pair of perfectly made shoes leads to another and then, after Mr. Grimm tells Hans' stor...

52 pages

7 m, 7 w.

This play is a new twist on the old-fashioned fairy tale. Two emperors from tiny, neighboring kingdoms are good friends but compete in wearing the latest fashions. Because they each continually want new, sumptuous wardrobes, their kingdoms are broke! Even their wives have to resort to doing dirty castle chores because there’s no money to pay any staff. Finally an elaborate ruse is planned where both emperors are taught a lesson about vanity and trying to impress others by clothes. If there were flashlights and spotlights in this historic time when men wore be...

42 pages

Flexible cast of 12 (approximately 2 m, 10 w), extras

This comedic tale begins with the familiar version of the fairy tale featuring an overly kind Princess, a vain Prince and the traditional evil witch, but there are twists to come as the story gets retold from the viewpoints of the Prince and witch. The second version zigzags in a totally new direction as the poor Prince is turned into a frog and is then plagued and pursued by a horrid giggler of a Princess, who actually wants to kiss him! The third version lights up the stage as a beautiful young woman with magical abilities turns the Prince into a frog in an...

45 pages

5 m, 3 w

Here is the timeless story of how a young maiden named Beauty bravely lives in the castle of a frightening Beast, and how her gradual love for him breaks the curse he is under, turning him back into a prince. The Beast is kind and likable even when he's furry. Beauty lives up to her name in spirit and self-reliance. There's also an evil wizard, Beauty's blustery and somewhat silly father, and Beauty's sisters, Patience and Charity, who have neither! Even more humor is added by two assistants, Fenwick and Bozmo, who spend a good portion of the play under a cur...

43 pages

With doubling: 3 m, 3 w, 1 flexible

Meet the Prince Charmings of Cinderella, Rapunzel and Snow White. Steve, an itinerant freelance narrator, starts with the first story of Cinderella's hero, Prince Charming Hair who is introduced at a ball, a nightmare of young ladies playing push-and-pull with him. Luckily, he finds Cinderella and they have a traditional happy ending. Prince Charming Smile is distraught because he does not have a Lady Fair. When he meets Rapunzel, "imprisoned" by two wicked witches, he falls instantly, deeply into shallow love. But this Rapunzel, monosyllabic and whiny, doesn...

41 pages

5 m, 7 w, 1 flexible

In this variation of the classic fairy tale, two human-sized dwarves, Beryllium and Boron, must help handsome Prince Suave find a bride. The sometimes sharp-tongued, but often wise Mirror helps Beryllium deal with his mischievous brother. Boron is a clever rascal who ends up tricking the mirror and involving the two inept Wong brothers in his schemes. The Prince speaks fluent medieval English which adds to the charm of the play. Now he must choose one of the White sisters for his bride: Snow White, the eldest; Egg White, the brain; Bleached White, the airhead...

32 pages

Flexible cast of 7 to 18

A lonely boy receives a wonderful Christmas gift and a toy rabbit learns some valuable lessons about life and love. In this humorous and touching adaptation of the children's classic, the Velveteen Rabbit encounters the antics of toys and wild rabbits in his faithful quest to be "real." About 40 minutes.

51 pages

Flexible cast, approx. 9 m, 13 w

By a quirky twist of fate, high school student Mary Jo Swanson and her younger brother and sister are given three wishes by a genie trapped in a bottle that's just been stolen from the art museum. They soon learn you have to be careful what you wish, for it may come true! Their first wish brings a hot music star right into their living room, but he's so dazed he can only croak a song. Their second wish plunks Mary Jo's sweetheart into the throes of deepest puppy love and he turns into an incredible pest. Those two, along with a wild assortment of crazy charac...

53 pages

Large, Flexible cast

Welcome to the mythical Forest of Fables, home of the Tortoise and the Hare, the Ants and the Grasshopper, the Lion and the Mice, and many other colorful creatures. This realm is also the home of Aesop, the friendly storyteller from Ancient Greece. The animals and two immortal Muses prepare for Aesop's surprise 98th birthday party, until they realize that they have no music for their upcoming celebration. The problem is solved when a nervous Donkey, a vain Cat, a hopeful Rooster, and a dim-witted Dog join forces and ensure that old Aesop gets the party of a c...

44 pages

8 m, 12 w, 18 flexible parts

Colorful and exciting human and animal roles make this children's tale a delight. A young, orphaned boy, Dick Whittington, saves a cat, Whiskers, from a dangerous dog. Later, when Dick finds work in a manor house in London but is forced to sleep on the floor with the rats, Whiskers shows up in the nick of time to save him. Dick keeps Whiskers a secret until the master's ship sets sail. Tradition says Dick must give his master something of value so good luck follows the voyage. Since Whiskers is the only thing Dick owns, he sadly gives the cat. Life seems hope...

28 pages

2 m, 8 w, 2 flexible parts

In this 40-minute frumpled version of Lewis Carroll's story, Alice comes face to face with a Jaberwocky who could be Fonzie's twin! The Jaberwocky cons Alice into stepping through the looking glass. Then he steals her book so he and his four supremely cool Jaber-Babes - Daphne, Daisy, Dimples, and Delli - can get into the real world. Alice must quickly find them before they use the book or she'll never get back home. She gets lots of confusing "help" from the Messenger Rabbit, Tweedle Dum and Dee, and the Red and White queens.

35 pages

3 m, 2 w, flexible cast of 25, doubling possible

Deep in the forest on a cold winter's night, an owl tells his friends about another winter's night when a shooting star lit up the sky, fell to the ground, and left a human child in a hollow tree. A woodcutter, who sees the shooting star, finds the child, takes him home, and rears him as a member of his family. The Star Child grows up to be a very handsome young man, but he doesn't have compassion or kindness. He mistreats the poor and the sick, he hurts the animals of the forest, and he shows no love for the family that raised him. Eventually he loses his ha...

55 pages

Flexible cast of 14 or more

Timeless Tales: A Hans Christian Andersen Quartet weaves together four of Hans Christian Andersen's best-known stories in an exciting and flexible format. Narrated by Andersen himself, the play introduces us to the master storyteller from Denmark, providing background information on his childhood and the circumstances leading to the publication of his plays. After the "Prologue," the actual dramatization of the tales begins. They include: "The Princess and the Pea," "The Little Mermaid," "The Emperor's New Clothes," and "The Ugly Duckling." This last...

35 pages

5 m, 15 w, extras

The King, his court, and all the villagers are enjoying a festival when the comic captain and his guards rush in to announce that the princesses have again slept through the day, and their shoes have been mysteriously worn out during the night. Distraught, the King orders that no one in the kingdom shall be happy until the riddle is solved. A young beggar comes into the kingdom and the princesses' matron sends him to the enchanted forest where he sees the princesses dancing the night away. We find the beggar is a prince in disguise and the matron explains her...

67 pages

11 m, 13 w, doubling possible

Bring the exciting, inspiring story of the most famous Native American woman to life on your stage. This play is filled with challenging characters who played important parts in a turbulent, fascinating life - Powhatan, the chief; John Smith, the fearless adventurer; Capt. Argall, the greedy sea captain; Governor Gate's three lively daughters; and Pocahontas, the princess who longs for a world beyond the forest where her people live. The story is woven through the memories of an old woman who takes her granddaughter on a walk in the forest. The representation...