Children's

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...

36 pages

Cast of up to 28 mixed gender roles

On the lonely planet Eleph, where language was never invented, the mango-loving Elephans learn to communicate without words. The friendly (and not-so-friendly) aliens share their story in song with the help of the local children of Earth. A delightful score of 6 songs, including "I Am Only Me," and "Do You Know What It Means To Be Lonesome?" help to carry the message of the play: tolerance, understanding and listening. Very few roles, if any, are gender specific. The opportunities for creative costumes and sets are also present. Roles can also be expanded or ...

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...

51 pages

flexible cast (minimum 11 with doubling)

The adventures of the resourceful Rat, trusty Mole, gruff Badger, and the ever frivolous Toad are intermingled with the actual story of how "The Wind in the Willows" came to be written in this beautiful full-length musical. To entertain his son, Kenneth Grahame wrote stories about the rich Mr. Toad, who steals a car and ends up in jail. The story's villains, the Weasels and Foxes, take over Toad's estate in his absence. Badger, Rat, and Mole come to the rescue, conquer the Weasels, and save Toad Hall from ruin. Interspersed with the animals' adventures we see...

36 pages

Cast of 15 to 53

Take your young audience on a journey around the globe discovering other cultures. From Africa we have the tale of why the Sun and Moon live in the sky. From the Pacific Northwestern Native Americans is the story of the ocean and its tides. From South America we learn how the beetle got its beautiful coat, while from Asia is the tale of why toads croak before a rain storm. The play ends with an Aesop fable from Europe that tells why the bat flies alone and at night. Weaving it all together is a Cherokee fable that explains the bringing of stories into the wor...

43 pages

16 characters

It may not be the biggest court case on record, but it is the funniest! B. B. (Big Bad) Wolf is being tried for the murder of the two little pigs, Wilbur and Portly. With his reputation for - shall we say - never eating vegetables, what chance does B.B. have? Hilarious flashbacks provide opportunities for the audience to see the testimony, as told by the witnesses, including the revenge-seeking mother and sister, Mrs. Pyg and Suey, and the vindictive Little Red Riding Hood. From the overbearing judge to wild prosecutors, this fun play races to a dramatic endi...

74 pages

With doubling 4m, 5w, 2 flex

Kira, the little mermaid, longs to see life on the surface. When she realizes her overprotective father will only show her a deserted island and has promised her hand in marriage to nerdy Duke Dorsal, she takes matters into her own hands. She sings for the Sea Witch who takes her voice, with the knowledge that she must win the heart of a human or be turned into sea foam. While on land, she saves the prince who falls for her cousin, and finds true love in the end. Jellyfish telling knock-knock jokes, a kingdom with a yoga instructor, a magical triton that can ...

30 pages

2 m, 2 w, 2 flexible parts

The overbearing Queen has already determined whom her precious sonny boy, Prince Handsome, will marry. So when a muddy and very dirty Princess Jasmine catches the Prince's eye unexpectedly, the Queen insists she pass the "pea under the mattress" test to prove she really is a princess. Only it's not one thin mattress we're talking about here, it's thirteen mattresses, four feather comforters, and eight queen-size pillows! And not only that, but Jasamine wears ear muffs, a night mask, and is very, very tired! Yet Jasmine passes the extremely unfair princess tes...

30 pages

Ensemble cast of 5 to 22 actors

Some of the gentle, humorous, and well-loved characters from the writings of Beatrix Potter come alive in this gem of a story theatre play for young audiences. The play consists of adaptations of three Beatrix Potter stories: “The Tale of Benjamin Bunny” (one of the Peter Rabbit tales); her renowned Christmas story, “The Tailor of Gloucester”; and “Grasshopper Belle and Susan Emmet,” Potter’s adaptation of the Aesop fable. Also included are two poems from the “Apply Dapply Rhymes” and a third inspired by them. The pieces are short, the action continuous, and ...

48 pages

4 m, 6 w, extras

“Now, my friends… do you like stories about rousing sword fights? Do you like stories about fire-breathing dragons? Well, this story has absolutely none of that!” says Christophe as the townspeople of a small European village gather to hear this itinerant storyteller. Soon the villagers clamor to tell their own stories. And the seemingly silly and simple tales, infused with the villagers’ personalities, become important lessons of patience (“No More Than a Tiger’s Whisker”), friendship (“Birds of a Feather”), and love (“A Ring of Truth”). The villagers add no...

48 pages

18-19 roles (2 m, 1 w, 15-16 flexible)

When a pirate ship inadvertently sails over the lost city of Atlantis, an adventure-seeking girl – who happens to be the granddaughter of Poseidon himself – makes friends with a charmingly naïve sailor, causing their two worlds to collide. As the pirates continue to arrr-gue and the Atlanteans ask an endless series of questions with no answers, new friends Duffle and Pana explore strange new worlds they have never seen before. With the help of a Narrator giving advice and a friendly dog who just wants to play, and with Poseidon’s undersea magic adding to the ...

56 pages

5 to 18 flexible roles

It's the story of Pecos Bill in the rootin'-tootin', ropin' and shootin' wild, wild West! From an infant raised with coyotes to a grown man rescuing his "furever" sweetheart, Sweet Sue, Pecos Bill has one adventure after another. He rids the town of Pecos of all its outlaws, tames some purty wild desert creatures, and rescues his Sweet Sue from a couple of mean hombres called Buck and Chuck. Pecos even takes an hour or so to dig a ditch for Sue's catfish. Lasso in a little bit of Americana in this story-theatre style play. Scenes flow together seamlessly, and...

36 pages

4 – 23, optional extras

Young Erin loves to hear his father’s story of a baby dragon on Wild Island who needs rescuing. With the help of an alley cat, Erin finds himself in the adventure. Along the way, Erin realizes that he must use his wits, bravery, and cunning to outsmart numerous jungle animals including a gorilla, lion, crocodile, wild boars and a rhino! The use of masks and puppetry keep young audiences engaged as they watch Erin in his quest to set free the dragon. About an hour.

55 pages

Flexible cast, approx. 10 m, 4 w (or 7 actors with doubling)

A musical version of Charles Perrault's story, done in the style of the English Pantomime, and featuring the various pantomime traditions including a "Pantomime Dame" (played by a male), "Principal Boy" (played by a girl), "Principal Girl," fairies who talk in rhyme, and significant audience interaction. This script, with six delightful songs, was commissioned by Seattle Children's Theatre and later televised. A wonderfully antic version of the popular story with enough action for any member of the family. Recipient of the "Ohio State Award Best Children's Pr...

46 pages

10 m, 7 w, extras as desired

Here's an exciting tale about two English youths, one the royal Prince Edward, and the other a pauper by the name of Tom Canty. Because they look so much alike, they laughingly decide to try on each other's clothes. For a few moments they find themselves daydreaming about "being the other." Suddenly, the unthinkable happens! The true prince, now dressed as the pauper, is unceremoniously thrown out of the palace by zealous guards while Tom, now dressed in royal clothing, is looked upon as heir to the throne. On the streets of London, the prince fights to prove...