Jack's Adventures with the King's Girl

This play opens when a woman who is collecting mountain folktales asks the Gentry family to tell her one. But they do better than that! They act out for her the story of "Jack and the King's Girl." When a Princess has a "witchin'" put on her, Jack decides to save her and collect the reward. It isn't an easy task, especially when he has to sleep over in a haunted house. Along the way he makes some friends who have special skills, however, and ultimately they help him meet every challenge the old witch throws at him. Of course Jack saves the Princess! The widely flexible cast members play a multitude of roles, from fantasy characters, to animals, to "inanimate" objects. Because of this, the play can be easily performed by a touring company or on the simplest of stages. A variety of sound effects, both musical and man-made, add emphasis and humor. A song book and study guide is also available to enhance your performance. This play is based on the traditional "Jack Tales" folklore of the Blue Ridge Mountains, stories that folks told each other as they did their chores. The majority of the material is drawn from the Virginia WPA folklore collection. Winner of the IUPUI National Youth Theatre Award for excellence in play writing in 1997. About 45 minutes.

Enhance your performances with "The Jack Tales Study Guide and Songbook "which includes many Appalachian folksongs as well as additional background information and games. Order #7360