Classic Plays
Classic Plays Adapted for the Stage plus Classic Folktales and Fairytales
Classic stories adapted for the stage include. Alice in Wonderland, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Oliver, Huckleberry Finn. The Snow Queen, Cinderella, The Sleeping Beauty, Snow White,
Shakespeare – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, A Midnight Summer’s Dream, and Macbeth. Frankenstein, James Joyce, Charles Dickens.
The Selfish Giant, Screwtape Letters, Fables of Chelm. Phaedra, An Enemy of the People, Everykid, (based on Everyman), Moliere’s The Hypochondriac,
See more Adaptations
Showing 1–16 of 35 results
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Ophelia Chooses
- 70 minutes
- 5M, 3F, Max/Min 8
Simple Set
“Ophelia Chooses” begins at Ophelia’s funeral. After perfunctory mourning by the cast of Hamlet, she is resurrected by a feminist from our time, who offers her the chance to live. Feminist Fay instructs Ophelia in the art of standing up for what she wants (and ultimately believes). This is done by revisiting all the scenes from Hamlet in which Ophelia appears.
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Alice in Wonderland
- 30-45 minutes
- 4 Male 5 Female Min 9/ Max 15+
Children's Theatre, Comedy, Community, Doubling Possible, Large Cast
A delightful, one-act play script adapted from the classic Lewis Carroll tale. Staying true to the original, this adaptation for the stage brings all the characters of the original Wonderland to life. Great for classrooms with a diverse student body, for children’s theater, competitions and for reader’s theater.
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Plays, Poems and Pratfalls: Will Shakespeare, An Introduction
- 45 Minutes
- 1 or 2 Males, 1 or 2 Females
Audience Participation, Comedy, Drama, High School, Middle School
A 45-minute introduction to various works of The Bard. Written to be performed by 2 or 4 actors within a single class period. ideal for ages 8 – 12. Includes excerpts from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet, As You Like It, and one of the sonnets: number 18. Printable PDF available
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Shakespeare-On-The-Go: 4 Touring Plays For Young Audiences
Collection, Touring
4 skilfully adapted plays for young audiences: Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, A Midnight Summer’s Dream, and Macbeth. Plays are each around 45 to 50 minutes, are fast-paced, engaging, and make the language more accessible to young audiences, while including both Shakespeare’s original language and theatrical devices. As exciting participatory theater they appeal to elementary school students. With the participatory elements removed, each play’s frame story is producible as a play for teens or for teen drama groups to perform for a younger audience.
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The Snow Queen
- 50 Minutes
- 6F: 6M or F Min 9 Max 15 (doubling possible)
Audience Participation, Fairy Tale, Young Audience, Community, Large Cast
This 60-minute Christmas play for the whole family is adapted by Gillette Elvgren from “The Snow Queen” story by Hans Christian Anderson. Follow the adventures of the young girl Gerda as she strives to free her best friend Kay from the icy grip of the Snow Queen. A modern version with optional audience participation, for Children’s Theatre or students to perform for family audiences.
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Cinderella
- 90 Minutes
- 10 Males 8 females Max 18 Min 15 (Doubling Possible)
Fairy Tale, Comedy, Doubling Possible
Cinderella Comedy Play Script – Meet the feisty take-charge Cinderella!
This full-length comedy version of Cinderella features delightfully nasty stepsisters and a fierce Cinderella, in addition to several original characters. This is a play for children of all ages. Easily performed by a children’s theater, or by teen or college drama groups, it has possible casting for young actors as well.
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Frankenstein… or The Modern Prometheus
- 120 Minutes
- 7 Males 3 Females Max 13 Min 10 (Doubling Possible)
Drama, Simple Props, Simple Set
A full-length adaptation of Frankenstein. True to the Mary Shelley original, except for a comic servant role, the play depicts the monster Creature with as much horror and sympathy as the original. Excellent for Halloween! Earlier versions of this play by Kathleen McBlair have been performed in school and community theaters since 1980. Audiences love it and scream heartily every time the Creature arrives in the window.
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The Chimes
- 90 Minutes
- 8 Male, 3 Female, 11 Min, 19 Max
Comedy, Simple Set
Give Scrooge a break for the winter holiday production! THE CHIMES is a full-length comedy and large-cast adaptation of another Dickens’ classic Christmas/New Years tale. Toby Veck, an impoverished London porter wants to bless his daughter’s marriage by New Year’s Day. Alas, he doesn’t have even a shilling in his pocket. Surely, the wealthy families he carries packages for will find enough work for him to do before the New Year comes and he must break a promise made on his late wife’s deathbed.
This Dickens’ comedy is a great Christmas change-of-pace for schools, communities, and regional theaters.
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The Tempest for Youth
- 45 Minutes
- 4 Male, 2 Female, 6 Min, 12 Max
Colleges, Comedy, High School, Middle School
A 45-minute appealing comedy adaptation of The Tempest to be relished. It has all the exciting elements: of the original play: shipwrecks, a love story, an evil plot, and the fun exploits of the spirits Ariel and her adversary, the rebellious fish-man, Caliban. The flexible cast roles ensures a part for everyone. A must-see for young audiences.
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Snow White
- 120 Minutes
- 12 Male, 9 Female, Min/Max 21
Children's Theatre, Community, Large Cast, Middle School
Snow White, often considered a Grimm Fairytale, actually came from books by the French Huguenot Charles Perrault, the creator of Mother Goose. This re-creation of the story is very modern in its dialogue and conception of the characters. Snow White is saucy and flippant, and the play has a sense of humor, timeless charm and a touch of “camp” that adults, as well as children, enjoy.
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Sleeping Beauty
- 90 Minutes
- 4 Male, 5 Female, 9 Mim, 15+ Max (Doubling Possible)
Children's Theatre, Community, Large Cast
Once upon a time…in an enchanted kingdom, all gathered to celebrate the birth of the royal princess. Mickey Coburn’s adaptation brings wicked Godmothers, good Godmothers, magicians, kings, clowns – all fantastically intertwined into a delightful tale luxuriating in sorcery, processions, and whimsical escapades! Easy and economical to stage.
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The Selfish Giant
- 60 Minutes
- 3 Males, 2 Females, Min/Max 5
A full-length fantasy play for five characters, based on Oscar Wilde’s Story The Selfish Giant. This adventure tells the enchanting story of a group of city kids who discover a beautiful house and garden in the middle of their cement and broken glass environment. But they are chased off by the selfish giant, Gorgon, who places a ‘No Trespassing’ sign on the gate. Because of his selfishness, the elements of Frost, Snow, and Hail invade his garden and transform it into a place where Spring is banished.
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