Witch’s Brew
Hazel is a teenage witch who’s somewhat different from every other witch in Frogshire Forest. She can brew a mean cup of coffee but can't brew a potion to save her life! And she’s an accident waiting to happen when she tries to fly on her broom. While Hazel dreams of becoming a barista, her mother, the head witch of the forest, wants only for Hazel to focus on her witch studies and preparations for the upcoming annual festival, the most important event in the forest. She would forbid Hazel from trying to fly into a coffee shop in the city—if she knew about it. When Hazel accidentally meets Kate, a not-so-talented barista, Hazel jumps at the opportunity to teach Kate how to make an award-winning latte for an upcoming competition. With only a few days until the judge comes, Kate must learn quickly while keeping Hazel's true identity a secret from Kate's greedy, witch-hating Aunt Astrid. With fun characters, a good message about family and friendship, and an optional way to incorporate your own festival into the show, Witch's Brew is the perfect play for middle schools, youth theaters, and community theaters. Approximately 60 minutes.
Productions
Behind The Scenes
With Kimberly Barger
What inspired you to write this play? I knew I wanted to write an original youth play, and I was toying with the idea of a holiday play. This idea just kind of came to me when I was brainstorming Halloween ideas. While it would be fun to perform around Halloween, I ultimately decided to go a different direction with it so that it's not limited to just one time of year.
What's your favorite part or line in the play? Why? I love funny moments, so a favorite line of mine is the judge's reaction when he tries the latte. I also love the optional scene at the end, which allows schools/theatres to tie their own festival or activities into the show if they want to. Knowing that schools and theatres are often looking for ways to raise money for their programs and attract more people to their shows, I thought this could be a really fun way to do that!
Where did the characters come from? Are they based on people you know? The characters are completely from my imagination. I started with Hazel, and the rest came to me as I developed Hazel's journey.
What did you try to achieve with this play? I hope that this play will be fun for actors to both perform and watch. I tried to add a little bit of silliness, a little bit of magic, and some good messages of family, friendship, and staying true to who you are. As Hazel would say, "A little bit of this...a little bit of that...and poof!"
Do you have anything else you'd like to add? I hope actors have as much fun performing this play as I had writing it!