Musicals

65 pages

Large, flexible cast. Approx. 10 m, 10-13 w, 1 flexible, extras

"If music be the food of love, play on!" In this modern-day adaptation of Shakespeare's beloved comedy, the sounds of disco, swing, gospel, Latin and hip-hop music propel an outrageous assortment of characters into each others' arms. A terrible shipwreck strands young Viola on the beaches of Illyria. Desperate to support herself as she searches for Sebastian, her lost twin, she disguises herself as a man named "Cesario." Soon she is working for Duke Orsino, taking his love messages to the Countess Olivia. But the Countess' estate is a tropical madhouse cramme...

71 pages

9 m, 11 w

Set in the 1920s, this semi-musical play (contains five piano songs) starts out with two vaudeville troupers who are fleeing New York following their robbery of a theatre box office. They become stranded in the village of Pleasant Corners, Ohio. Broke and hungry, they devise a plan to swindle the local populace by convincing them they have enough talent to produce their own vaudeville show to raise money for a new school. The play tryouts are hilarious: Eloise Findley, the rich spinster, recites "The Bells"; the hillbilly McDowell clan gives their own deadpan...

71 pages

5 m, 5 w, many extras

Ashley, a freshman sprite, makes her first visit to Mt. Olympus to meet the powerful pantheon of gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece. She is overwhelmed by the way the Great Olympians live and the power that they wield, and wants to grab a little of the glory for herself. She becomes friends with Persephone, the goddess of spring who is running away from her brooding husband, Hades. Together the women set off on an ambitious odyssey to steal Zeus' lightning bolts, Poseidon's trident, and Hades' helmet of invisibility and take over Mt. Olympus! They are pursu...

49 pages

Large, flexible cast (minimum 5 m, 5 w)

Extra! Extra! Sing all about it in this witty, fast-paced musical revue that examines every human foible, failure, fact, fiction, and fascination that's fit to print. The setting is a busy newsstand/coffee shop run by Joe, the old, wizened proprieter. He is assisted by a Kid who is young and idealistic about life. As the two of them purvey papers to their many customers, every section of the paper -- the want ads, horoscopes, obits, advice columns, weather, and crossword puzzles, are spoofed, spotlighted and celebrated in song. Your theatre will really make h...

76 pages

approx. 14 m, 18 w, many extras

This fast-moving musical is about high school sports and performing arts - and students growing up. At Kingswood High life couldn’t be any more exciting – the basketball team has just qualified for the championship playoff and the winter dance is this weekend. But not everyone is happy. Parker, the high-scoring team member, may be out of the game and on probation if he doesn’t improve his grades immediately, and Michael must choose between playing in the upcoming big game or playing the piano in an important competition. Stephanie also has a choice: to attend...

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...

69 pages

4 m, 6 w

Even though lovely young Julia works hard, she and her aunt will not be able to afford to keep their humble home, which sits at the edge of a garbage dump. If they lose their home, they’ll also lose the treasure Julia’s papa buried somewhere on the property that would take care of all their needs. (Hero Dan would ask his parents for money to help Julia, but alas, he too is an orphan.) As they try yet again to figure out the special riddle to the treasure’s location, a German Mennonite detective appears on the case and is soon followed by two old ladies with l...

61 pages

With doubling: 7 m, 12 w, 2 flexible. Many extras including children

Lewis Carroll, the author of "Alice in Wonderland," has been contracted by a theatrical producer, Sir Henry Irving, to adapt his book into a stage play. Carroll, multi-talented but totally disorganized, has put off the writing of the play until the day before it is due. To help him create it, he gets Alice Liddell and her friends and family to improvise all the delightful characters. Even his staid housekeeper, a local handyman and two of Carroll's university students end up playing the roles of the Queen of Hearts, the Caterpillar, and the March Hare and Dor...

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 ...

73 pages

Main roles for 4 m, 8 w, 3 g, also numerous children and adults as extras

“Anne of Green Gables,” by L. M. Montgomery, is an enduring story of innocence, joy, and the true meaning of love that has delighted and inspired readers for over a century. Now this heartwarming story of the irrepressible Anne Shirley is impressively adapted to the stage and has inspired a musical score that will knock your socks off! The story begins as Anne arrives at Green Gables and follows her through mishaps and adventures, through Matthew’s death and her reconciliation with Gilbert, and finally to her determination to stay at Green Gables and help Mar...

69 pages

9 m, 17 w, 10 flexible, chorus

New York, 1917. Big time producer Florence Zweibach is putting on a Broadway show, and lots of hopeful girls long to be part of it. On the way to the audition, Mary Conklin, a sweet, budding ingenue, meets Harry Harrigan, a down-and-out Tin Pan Alley tunesmith, and the romantic sparks start to fly. To escape loan sharks, Harry enlists in the war that's just broken out in Europe, leaving Mary behind with his portfolio of sheet music and the dream of what might have been. Zweibach stars Mary in his patriotic revue and even falls in love with her, much to the ch...

77 pages

12 m, 15 w

In 1865 Seattle, there are ten men to every woman. Surely Shamus Donovan can find his eldest daughter, Kate, a husband ("I'll Never Meet a Man"). An old Irish tradition ("Donovan's Curse") demands that the eldest marry first, but unfortunately, Kate has the disposition of a wildcat ("What I Hate Most"). While his other four lovely daughters are forced to wait ("Waiting Out the Rain"), their amorous suitors are reduced to tutoring them ("Lessons in Survival"). Borrowing from Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew," the men give Federal Marshal Danny O'Brien tips o...

63 pages

2 men, optional extras

Vibrant and rich with song and dance, this musical tells the life story of the master American showman, George M. Cohan. The framework for the story is an interview between an older Cohan and a persistent young college man named Walter Kerr who wants to write a play about Cohan. In 1937-38, Cohan enjoyed a tremendous success on Broadway, capping a spectacular 50-year career as an entertainer, songwriter, and playwright. Cohan had a good hunch about the admiring young man who would grow up to become a Pulitzer Prize-winning theater critic. Cohan regales Kerr, ...

59 pages

7 m, 6 w, 3 boys, 1 girl; extras are highly flexible, allowing for medium (20+) to large (55+) cast sizes; doubling is possible

Set amidst the dark mists of the Catskill Mountains, The Curious Tale of Rip Van Winkle journeys to the colonial Dutch village of Knickerbocker, where legendary loafer Rip Van Winkle holds court. One fateful evening, Rip ventures into the woods, encountering the spirits of Henry Hudson and his crew. After drinking a flagon of "Hudson's Hearty Ale," Rip falls into a 16-year sleep, awakening in the midst of the Revolutionary War! Sparkling with Dutch dances ("Welcome To Knickerbocker") and rousing village choruses ("Responsibility"), this show will lea...

47 pages

2 m, 3 w

Barrett is an outstanding musician and songwriter. Due to his talents his band is growing in popularity. This would-be great news but Barrett is on the spectrum and in addition to the normal teen pressures, he must manage his autism. He is most comfortable expressing himself with music. He is struggling with the fact that he is in love with Sarah, his best friend, and the lead singer of the group. Although his songs are written about her, Barrett has changed the lyrics so that she has no clue. When she finds out, Barrett must figure out what to do to save his...