Children's

37 pages

5 m, 7 w

Young Peter devises a plan to capture a "fearsome" wolf who apparently has a rather large "sweet tooth," or teeth, in this case! Despite warnings from Grandpa, Peter enlists the help of his two girl friends aided by their animal friends, Natasha, a vain bird Olga, a practical duck Pavlov, a lovable dog and Catrina, a sly cat. In a hilarious scene, the wolf swallows Natasha - who gives him hiccups and a terrible tummy-ache - and he's caught by Peter and the girls. Feeling sorry for the wolf, everyone agrees to keep his cravings a secret and to return him to th...

56 pages

9 m, 9 w (or with doubling 5 m, 5 w)

Here’s the familiar story of Snow White but with enough plot twists and turns to keep all of us guessing what will happen next! The Dwarfs, including three sisters and four brothers, are a regular-sized family named Dwarf. While Snow’s appearance in their midst is a surprise, they show that unlike the Queen’s focus on physical beauty, real beauty is in caring for each other. At the end Snow does not automatically ride off with the Prince because he’s handsome. She makes a rational decision about who loves her, whom she loves and why. Full evening. Perfect for...

72 pages

Large, flexible cast (21 m, 16 w, extras. Doubling possible.)

In this fun retelling of the Robin Hood story the greedy Prince John is joined by his evil sister, Lady Kate. They plan to catch Robin Hood, defender of the poor, by forcing Maid Marian to marry the Prince. Not only will John and Kate gain Marian’s riches, but trap Robin Hood when he tries to rescue her. Marian and her friend Lady Beatrice disguise themselves in men's clothing to find Robin to warn him of the scheme. But when Robin and his friend Will Scarlet encounter these two “men,” a swordfight ensues! Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s men, Gilbert and Goose, are ...

28 pages

1 m, 2 w, 5 flexible

Based on the African fable of Anansi, the play tells the story of a "brave" spider's desire to bring stories into the world and the difficult challenges he faces achieving his goal. Anansi must battle the python, outwit the tiger, protect himself from the hornet's sting, and endure a frustrating encounter with Mmotia, the bad-tempered fairy. In addition, he even has to deal his critical mother-in-law! Throughout it all Anansi thinks himself clever, but in reality, it is only with the help of his wife Osa, who is really the clever one in the family, that Anans...

53 pages

Gender-flexible roles; approx. 3 m, 15 w, doubling possible

Prudence E. Witch is sick and tired of being burned in the oven while Hansel and Gretel run free. She decides to re-write some of the best loved children’s tales into a more modern narrative. Come join Chicken Little, the Three Pigs, Jack and Jill, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, the Wicked Witch of the West, and Prudence as they discover a new reality. Chicken Little finds that with a little therapy she can believe in herself. Foxy Loxy turns a new leaf…as a therapist. Two of the three little pigs practically insist on being eaten, and Cinderella rethinks the...

58 pages

6 m, 6 w, 16 flexible, extras if desired

Follow Prince Tamino in this hilarious tale as he travels to the castle of the evil Sarastro to save the princess Pamina. Along his magical journey he meets a wild cast of characters including Papageno, the three muses, the Greenbird, the spirits, and the fabled Queen of the Night. Armed with a magic flute given by the queen, Tamino is ready to take on Sarastro. Once inside the castle our prince and his friends face monsters, magic, and a test to free his beloved Pamina. Fast-paced dialogue and hysterical characters enchant this large-cast play based on the o...

44 pages

4/5 m, 4 w

This hour-long tale has all the classic characters: two poor but beautiful sisters, a handsome prince turned into an animal by evil magic, a mean troll, and even meaner tax collectors. Unlike traditional tales, however, these characters have a lot of personality. Rose Red ignores everything while trying to find the troll's treasure. Meanwhile, her sister, Snow White, thinks everyone should work instead of having fun. The Prince is selfish and sticks to the letter of the law, the tax collectors are greedy, and the evil troll - well, he's evil! When the Prince ...

59 pages

5 m, 5 w, 12 or more flexible. (With doubling, 7 actors)

"The Velveteen Rabbit" is Margery Williams' endearing tale of love between a boy and his favorite toy. At first the Rabbit is new and lonely in the toy chest, where the other toys deride his inability to "do" anything ... until the Skin Horse teaches him "It isn't what you do, it's who you are," and sings to him about becoming REAL. Sure enough, in time, the Boy begins to love the Rabbit, and when he says to Nana, "He's not a toy!" the dream comes true. When the Boy gets scarlet fever, the Rabbit's constant vigil helps save him. But later the Doctor orders th...

56 pages

7-13 actors

The Hero Squad literally stumbles across a plan by the nefarious criminal mastermind Nikolai Oshgoshbgoshnikov that involves a mysterious kidnapped princess. Once the princess learns the heroes' true identities, she is determined to join their cause fighting for justice. Meanwhile, Oshgoshbgoshnikov blackmails the city's established and arrogant hero, the Good Knight John-Boy, to help re-kidnap the princess and vanquish the Hero Squad. John-Boy has grown pretty tired of the four heroes stealing his spotlight. So with the help of a couple of bank-robbing bottl...

49 pages

3 m, 3 w, 2-4 flex

The Hero Squad of Metro Valley, Iowa—a team comprised of superheroes 3-D, Lindy, Iron Lung, and Slapshot—are enjoying a bit of a peace in their home city. All that changes when their archnemesis, the ever-scheming Nikolai Oshgoshbgoshnikov, gets a visit from his teenage niece Veronica. Veronica is a supervillain-in-training with a knack for robotic henchmen and a devious plan to destroy the Hero Squad from the inside out. Posing as a super-fan, Veronica infiltrates the Hero Squad’s HQ and begins to plant seeds of dissension among the four friends. Things come...

51 pages

Widely flexible cast (14 or more)

Kipling's dramatic and entertaining stories about how the Camel got his hump, how the Elephant got his nose, how the Whale got his spout, and other richly woven tales come to life in this engaging full-length play. Mr. and Mrs. Kipling and their two bubbly yet unpretentious daughters serve as narrators. The story weaves from several animal tales to the final human one, how Man-or in this case an enterprising young girl!--wrote the first letter. Especially engaging is the two-person whale which is a great theatrical device. Easy to produce, this whimsical play...

64 pages

15 to 24 or more

Eighteen-year-old Katie has a problem: she's a tooth fairy who’s just not interested in the family business. While out exploring the human world, Katie meets Max, a young man who inexplicably is able to see her. This is unusual in that the fairy troops are not visible without their consent. Although forbidden to return to the world of humans by her father the king, Katie is determined to see Max again. Their growing friendship becomes moot when during the Centennial, a celebration of all the fairy troops, the Troll King demands his reward for not having kidna...

21 pages

(1 m, 9 w)(3 m, 5 w)

Here are two short, funny but gentle plays that are just right for very young audiences. The first, "Wishing You Were Here" (1 m, 9 w), is a tender story about a young fairy, still in training, who gives a little girl everything she wishes for. The trouble is, when the wishes come true, they don't create the ending the girl or the fairy thought they would. In "The Slumber Party" (3 m, 5 w), a group of girls are confiding their secret hopes and crushes - until some "ghosts" burst in. Brothers can be such a pain! Together both plays run a total of about 30 minu...

41 pages

3 m, 3 w, 1 g, 2 b, 13 flex, extras

After losing her parents to a cholera epidemic in India, young Mary Lennox is sent to the English Misselthwaite Manor to stay with her uncle, Archibald Craven. Archibald, who has never recovered from the death of his wife, has had most of the mansion locked up, including his wife's beloved garden, and even his son, Colin, a sickly boy, to obliterate her memory. Mary, an unhappy girl herself, finds Colin, unlocks the secret garden and brings it to life. In her process of healing and self-discovery, she brings life back to Colin and Archibald Craven. This encha...

40 pages

3 m, 2 w, 1 flexible

Get the youngsters in your audience twitching their noses, making engine noises, bowing to the king, catching imaginary gold thread, and shouting out names, especially Rumpelstiltskin! With such audience participation, this fairy tale adaptation is loads of active fun. It features a braggart father, his long-suffering wife, their poor but beautiful daughter, a strict rule-enforcing chancellor; a monarch whose kingdom depends on straw being spun into gold, and of course, the mysterious little man who is willing to perform that exceptional feat – but at a treme...