ONE-ACT COMEDIES & FANTASIES
These Plays were written with youth groups in mind but many are suitable for older performers and have been performed with success by adult and mixed-age groups,.
Click on the publisher below each title name to visit
BEWARE THE JABBERWOCK
Emma and Lucy are lost in mysterious Tulgey Wood, full of weird and wonderful creatures. Trying to find their way home they encounter boisterous Toves and frightened Raths, receive warnings from the aristocratic Borogoves about the frightful JubJub Bird, and are tracked wherever they go by the frumious Bandersnatch. Joined by intrepid but hapless prince Percy, they come face to face with the fearsome Jabberwock - and then Lucy is bandersnatched! Eventually the Jabberwock's terrible secret is revealed, and the children find out what frumious really means.
1m 3f 12m/f - Emma, Lucy, 3 Toves, Jubjub Bird, Queen, 2 Borogoves, 2 Raths, Prince Percy, Tumtum Tree, Jabberwock, 2 Bandersnatches.
Shortlisted in the Youth Play sections of the 2006 Scottish Community Drama Association Play on Words and the Drama Association of Wales playwriting competitions.
"...the same delightfully confusing dialogue of Carroll's work and brings back fond memories of reading these stories as a child. Wonderfully cryptic nonsensical moments and moments of philosophical clarity made me smile and wonder. This play will go down a treat with children and adults alike." (Angharad Elen, DAW Judge)
*Festival Awards* : Biloxi High School - 2010 South Mississippi High School Festival Distinguished Play Award, Best Makeup, Outstanding Costume Design, Peer Choice Award & 3 All-Star Cast Awards; 2010 Mississippi Statewide Festival Best Supporting Actress, All Star Cast Award. Fintry Amateur Dramatic Society Youth - 2012 Stirling District Youth Winners; 2012 Eastern Division Youth Final Winners; 2012 SCDA Scottish Youth Final Winners. Leyton High School - 2012 MAC Competition Runners-up, Best Actor, Best Actress, Acting Award; 2012 Nebraska Districts Third Place, 5 Outstanding Acting Awards. Cary Christian School - 2013 North Carolina Theatre Conference Middle School Play Festival Production Award Superior Rating, Outstanding Achievement in Ensemble Acting, Excellence in Costume Design, Excellence in Acting, Outstanding Achievement in Acting, Excellence in Directing. Lynnfield Middle School - 2013 Massachusetts ETG Middle School Festival Gold Medal. Weymouth High Theater Company – 2015 Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild High School Drama Festival Winners, 4 Acting Awards, Best Ensemble Acting Award, Best Hair/Makeup/Costume Team Award; 2015 Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild High School Drama Festival State Semi-Final Winners, 2 Acting Awards, Best Costume & Make-up Design; 2015 Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild High School Drama Festival State Final 2 Acting Awards, Ensemble Acting Award, Hair/Makeup/Costume Award. Stage Door Youth Theatre won the Derek Awards Best Young Cast at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe.
"weird and wonderful" (SCDA Scene) "nonsensically fun and whole-family friendly" (Lewis Carroll Society of North America) "we love this show" (Biloxi High School, Mississippi) "something for everyone - not to be missed" (Crossville Chronicle, Tennessee)
MOLLY WHUPPIE AND THE DOUBLE-FACED OGRE
When Prince Wilfrid falls in love with bold and clever Molly Whuppie, King Walter challenges her to steal the Ogre's sword, purse and magic ring. Molly succeeds - and marries the prince on her own terms.
*Writing Award Winner* - runner-up in the Youth Section of the 2002 Scottish Community Drama Association Play On Words playwriting competition
Folk Tale Comedy: 4m 3f - Molly, Olga, Ogre's Wife, Wilfrid, King Walter, Balderdash
"funny, lively ... went down a treat with the audience..." (SCDA Scene) ".. a ligh-hearted fairy tale with a modern slant, it is delightful and charming - a modern day pantomime. Mocking convention it is hugely enjoyable to watch. The audience were so reluctant to say goodbye to Molly and her gang." (SCDA Scene at the 2003 Scottish national Youth Final)
*Festival Awards* - Young Portonian Theatre Company - 2003 Falkirk District Adjudicator's Award & Audience Award; 2003 Eastern Division Final Winners; 2003 Scottish Youth Finalists. Dingwall Academy Drama Group - 2003 Moray Firth District Third Place & Highest Marks in Acting. Dolfor Young Farmers Club - 2007 Montgomery YFC Festival Third Place.
(There is a full-length version of this play - see "Molly Whuppie" in Full Length Plays)
THE SPIRITING OF BURD ELLEN
When Burd Ellen mysteriously disappears, her brother Childe Rowland consults the wizard Merlin, who suspects that Ellen has been spirited away by the Elves. Rowland sets out on a journey to the Dark Tower in the Land of Faery, where he comes face to face with the King of Elfland.
*Writing Award Winner* - runner-up in the Youth Section of the 2004 Scottish Community Drama Association Play On Words playwriting competition
"...a lovely play ... a wonderful asset to children's theatre..." (Scene)
Folk Tale Comedy : large mixed cast - doubling and trebling - Stage Manager, Stage Crew, Merlin, Rowland, Burd Ellen, Guinevere, Elf, Elfin King, Shadow, Herdsman, Cowherd, Henwife, Horses, Cows, Hens, Cockerel, Knights, Courtiers, Elves. Despite the apparently large cast the play can be performed by groups of all sizes as many characters make only one appearance.
"lively, inventive and often hilarious" (Amateur Stage) "full of fun and good humour" (Ross-shire Journal)
*Festival Awards* - Largs Junior Players - 2005 Ayrshire District Youth Trophy & Highest Marks in Acting; 2005 Western Division Youth Finalists. Auchtertyre Primary School - 2005 Highland Division Junior Section Winners. Dingwall Academy Drama Group - 2006 Moray Firth District Youth Winners & Highest Marks in Acting; 2006 Highland Division Senior Section Winners; 2006 Highland Divisional Finalists & 2006 Scottish Youth Finalists. Ravenshead Youth Theatre Group - 2008 NANDA Youth Theatre Festival Best U12 Actress, Best U12 Actor, 2 Highly Commended Act6ing Awards. Peninver Players Juniors - 2011 SCDA Argyll Kintyre District Best Youth Entry.
"We performed your wonderful play and managed to win the Junior Section of the Highland Division. It was really good to find something in which we could cast the whole of our P6/7 and which allowed our strong players to perform. The humour, balance and pace really allowed us to show what they could do. Thanks." (Auchtertyre Primary School)
(There is a full-length version of this play - see 'Childe Rowland' in Full Length Plays)
PIG TALE
An updated re-telling of the tale of the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs. Mummy Pig throws the Three Little Pigs out into the big wide world to seek their fortunes. They have to cope with the demands of relating to others, gathering materials, building houses, and keeping the Wolf from the door. The Narrator also has problems to deal with in the shape of an insufferable Prompter and a wily and wilful Sheep.
Narrator, Prompter, First, Second and Third Little Pigs, Mummy Pig, Sheep, Big Bad Wolf, Man or Woman With Straw, Man or Woman With Sticks, Man or Woman With Bricks, Police Officer - some doubling and trebling possible.
Shortlisted in the Youth section of the Drama Association of Wales One Act playwriting competition 2008
"by far the funniest play in the competition. The only play that made me laugh out loud, not once but several times. Ron Nicol has a wonderful and quirky sense of humour." ( Angharad Elen, Drama Association of Wales)
"The audience and the adjudicator loved the play and the reception we got from the audience was fantastic ... I would say the best audience reaction out of the whole festival. We are chuffed to bits!" (Peninver Players); "hilarious" (Kintyre Forum)
*Festival Awards* - Peninver Players Juniors - 2010 Argyll Kintyre District Best Youth Entry; 2010 Western Division Youth Final Best Stage Presentation. Highnam Players Youth - 2010 Gloucestershire One Act Festival Best Youth Play, Best Female Youth Performers, Best Male Youth Performer Runner Up. Hyde Little Theatre Youth Group - 2010 Hale One Act Festival Best Junior Production, Best Director Junior Section, Most Promising Newcomer. Young Portonian Theatre Company - 2014 SCDA Falkirk District Youth Winners. 2014 SCDA Eastern Division and Eastern Division Youth Finalists. Saltburn ’53 Drama Group (Youth) - 2014 AETF Saltburn Festival Best Youth Production, Best Youth Actress, Best Youth Comedy, Best Cameo Performance, Audience Award for Best Production. Abbey Players - 2014 AETF Tamworth Hastilow Festival Open Festival Winners, Overall Festival Runners-Up, Most Promising Junior; 2014 AETF Warwickshire One-Act Play Festival Runners-Up, Adjudicator’s Shield; 2014 AETF Eastern Division Quarter-Final Runners-Up; 2014 AETF Semi-Finalists. Greenock Players - SCDA Inverclyde District Youth Winners. Dalgety Players Juniors - 2018 Fife District Winners and Best Moment of Theatre; 2018 Eastern Division Youth Finalists.
WOLF TALE
'sure to appeal to all ages' (Amateur Stage)
Casting - Mrs Hood, Red Hood, Fairy, Wolf, Big Bad, Granny Hood, Sheep, Wee Sheep, Robin Hood
*Festival Awards*:- Highnam Young Players - 2011 Gloucestershire Drama Association One-Act Festival Youth Play Runners-up, Best Female Performer U18 Runner-up, Best Female Performer U18 Nomination, Best Male Performer U18, Best Female Performer U13. 'We had a great time, and the audience loved it! (Highnam Young Players)
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