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...
59 pages
Flexible cast of 16 or more
The pirates are stealing everything and the town council is helpless until the Sutton children, acting as spies, find out where the goods are being hidden. Ten rousing, original songs plus lots of opportunity for fun as colonial townspeople, pirates, serving maids, sea men, and militiamen, roles unique to this colorful period of American history. Performance time is 60 minutes.
70 pages
Minimum cast of 13 with doubling: 6 m, 6 w, 1 flex
Dusty Junction is in big trouble! The roaming outlaw Ugly Monroe is terrorizing the citizens. First he shoots stable owner Joe and steals his boots; next he shoots the sheriff and steals his badge; and then he shoots the doc and steals his stethoscope. As the loyal community struggles to hold itself together, timid Deputy Shawn needs to step up and prove he is not Deputy Nancy-boy! He is bolstered by Marlene, the kindly saloon owner; Mindy Sue, his fiery sweetheart; and even Bobby Joe, the cute little boy…er, girl…well, child. The final straw breaks when Ugly...
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, ...
67 pages
12 to 24+ actors: 14 m, 9 w, doubling possible
Inspired by actual events, legendary songwriter Irving Berlin shares his life story with two teens. It's a rags-to-riches tale--terrific for schools, colleges, community theaters, and more--about a poor immigrant kid rising to become the most successful songwriter in the world. Along the way, we get to hear such timeless Berlin songs as "I Love a Piano," "All by Myself," "Play a Simple Melody," "Ragtime Violin," and "Alexander's Ragtime Band." The songs are pure Americana--great for singing and dancing.