Books $7.00
CD (rehearsal & production tracks) $35.00
Listen to AUDIO excerpts from CD
Royalty $50.00
48 pages text
Approx. running time: 75 min.
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Book, music and lyrics by Frumi Cohen. A contemporary musical comedy inspired by the classic Mozart opera, the songs are in the style of rap and pop. A CD of the original music is available with rehearsal tracks (with vocals) and performance-ready production tracks. Cast: 11 to 25+. Good roles for youth. Simple setting suitable for touring.

Merton Mercudio is suspended form school for uncontrollable fighting, and sentenced to four minutes in the land of Droon. We enter the whimsical land of Droon, and find it is really the world of Merton's conscience and imagination. While there, seeking his princess, Merton learns about anger management from King Meltdown, a self-centered, cowardly king; his daughter, the beautiful but rebellious Princess Melody; her mother, the bossy queen, Lady Notsofast, who holds her daughter prisoner; a two-headed, insult-slinging monster, and the cowardly but lovable Grumbo the Grindylow. For Merton, four minutes in Droon proves to be a valuable lesson––that will last him a lifetime.

Books (music included) $7.00
Royalty $40.00
58 pages text
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By Irene Corey. For theatre-goers of ages 5-9, reality and fantasy mingle in an ever timely clash of Vegetables versus Sweets. Except for General Onion and the Queen of Sweets, the other 17 characaters are gender optional. Flexible staging. Costume designs for the Vegetables are included by the author, famous for her designs of REYNARD THE FOX and THE GREAT CROSS-COUNTRY RACE.

David and Tommy of the local grocery football team have just lost a game to the candy factory team. Fantasy takes over in a conflict between the Vegetable Kingdom and the Candy Kingdom. The Queen of Sweets declares war. King Onion rallies his Vegetables, including near-sighted General Carrot, Red and Hot Pepper Soldiers, English Pea, Irish Potato. The Queen uses sweet psychology, but ultimately the Vegetables narrowly prevail. A fantasy lark of joyful spirits. Celebrated since its premiere in Kentucky.

Books $7.00
Royalty $40.00
75 pages text
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By Alan Cullen. From England. Space-comedy spoof, with Gremlins yet! 5 women, 8 men. Five sets. Fantastic costumes.

Absent-minded Professor Plum, with his daughter Fiona, embarks for the Moon in an old-fashioned balloon. They were making great progress, when they are boarded by two Gremlins, who puncture their balloon. Crashing on the Moon, they are obliged to seek the help of the Man in the Moon to insure their return to Earth. Although the Gremlins place insurmountable obstacles in their way, they are finally able, with the help of the incomparable Phoenix, to achieve their goal. But as they take off for Earth, they find the Gremlins stowed aboard, gleefully plying their mischief.

Books $7.00
Royalty $40.00
51 pages text
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By Arthur Fauquez. Translated from the French. A folk-type comedy, about the importance of pleasure as well as duty. 4 women, 5 men. Two sets. Italian peasant costumes.

Ambrosio, a charming, lovable inn-keeper, wants to sing and play when he feels the urge, and begs his friends to join him, but all have certain specified times in which to do their chores. Ambrosio is convinced the village will be completely happy if they can learn not to chop their lives up in little segments of time, and he undertakes a determined campaign to destroy all devices for measuring the hours. He succeeds in freeing his friends from the tyranny of the clock -- but without time, the village falls into confusion, and it takes a near-tragedy to bring a happy ending to the situation.

Books $7.00
Royalty $40.00
34 pages text
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Developed from history by Geraldine Brain Siks. Adventure play, based on the historic travels of Marco Polo. 3 women, 9 men. Three sets. 13th century Venetian and Chinese costume.

It is the thirteenth century, and a Venetian galley is at the dock, preparing to sail for the mysterious East. 14-year-old Marco Polo, burning with eagerness to sail with his elders, conceals himself in a cargo destined for the great Khan of Cathay. En route to Cathay, the Venetians arouse the suspicions of the Khan's Tartar enemies, and are obliged to leave young Marco with the Tartar chieftain as a hostage. Marco, exercising the remarkable ingenuity which later made him famous, succeeds in rescuing the Khan's daughter from the Tartars, and escapes with her to Cathay. In a dramatic scene at Kublai Khan's court, he saves the Venetians from a dire fate, and wins the favour of the great Khan himself.

Books $7.00
Printed Music Lead Sheets (vocal with accompaniment chord annotation) $20.00
Production Piano Accompaniment CD (TBAvail 2008) $40.00
Royalty $40.00
39 pages text
Approx. running time: 50 min.
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An original fairytale with music by Jane R. Howard, MARIA'S LOOM is a delight-filled musical tale with a bit of audience participation. Maria and her two sweet, but selfish sisters find that kindness is worth more than three pieces of gold. 5 minimum, up to 10 with roles distributed; cross-casting okay. Simple setting, suitable for touring.

With an empty cupboard and an enormous amount of weaving to do for her customers, Maria watches in horror as her faithful loom breaks––beyond repair. Enter the Good Fairy, who gives to Maria and her two lazy sisters three gold pieces each. "Use these wisely, and you will be granted three wishes. "But", she warns,"woe unto one who fails." Soon the two sisters not only turn away a poor old man who is freezing, but then they also succumb to the pastries and baubles of two cunning peddlers who leave them without their gold coins and stuck fast––Elsa to the giant peppermint sticks and Louisa to a fancy but very weighty bonnet. Kindly Maria, however, welcomes in the old man, wraps him in her cloak and magically solves all the family problems––and much more.

Books $7.00
Royalty $50.00
65 pages text
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By Rita Grauer and John Urquhart. A true telling of Huck's adventures, from the creators of the famous Yellow Brick Road Shows. Open space staging. Designed to tour with a small cast, it plays equally well for larger companies who wish to flesh out roles. Minimum of 3 men, 1 woman to play the 11 roles. 1 musician. Simple costumes.

HUCK FINN is a noted outcast. He has no mother and his father is a hopeless drunkard. The Widow Douglas takes him in but he rejects her "civilized" world and runs away. On his epic journey down the Mississippi River with a runaway slave named Jim, Huck finds acceptance for the first trime in his life. On this series of adventures he learns responsiblilty, awareness of equality, and the meaning of true friendship. This flexible adaptation never strays far from Twain's original text. It is a very flexible gem from the legendary Yellow Brick Road Shows.

Books $7.00
Royalty $50.00/$40.00
34 pages text
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By Michael Elliot Brill. A fanciful tapestry of the theatrical enchantment retelling the ageless fairy tale for the audience of ageless children. 4 men, 3 women, 3 to 5 "Grotesques." A platform set, Sixteenth Century French masque costumes and devices. (A tape of incidental music is available directly from the playwrigt. Ask us for information.)

Anchorage Press had looked for an ideal adaptation of this legendary fairy-tale for forty-three years, and found it in Michael Brill's stunning verse play. Sprightly dialogue, delightful and varied characterizations, and a brilliantly theatrical handling of the story creates magic on all levels, To be performed in the manner of a sixteenth century French masque, the play effectively utilizes an eloquent Narrator, a simple platform set, and eleven players to weave wonder for all. The playwright is a gifted producer and his suggestions will interest the most advanced director.

Books $7.00
Royalty $40.00
28 pages text
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By Virginia Glasgow Koste. An American version of Moliere's Le Medicin Malgre Lui. All about a fabulous (and hilarious) fake attuned to the chances of Chance. No setting. Variable cast of possibly 8 or so.

A new, now comedy, ideal for easy touring. Freely derived from Moliere, but a truly American version for young and family audiences. The world's most famous, infamous, paramedical clown, as plotting-aginst-others as plotted against by others, he psyches out everybody in sight, falling back on his intuitive wits, and landing happily on his feet of clay. Here is a winning prescription: Laughter is the best Medicine! Short and swift to play, a zany favorite wherever produced in years of development.

Books $7.00
Royalty $50.00/$40.00
20 pages text
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By Moses Goldberg. A drama of adolescence, set amidst the color and movement of a ceremonial, primitive society. 3 men, 2 women. Unit set. Primitive costumes and masks.

This play, especially written for the middle-school/junior high school audience, deals with the coming-of-age rituals of a boy in a primitive culture. He is torn between the freedom of childhood and the pressures to assume adult responsibilities. His changing relationships are explored through dance and dialogue -- with his uncle (the Chief), the tribal medicine man, his best friend, and -- most particularly -- with his grandmother. It culminates in his bittersweet acceptance of the inevitable. Inspired by the works of Margaret Mead, this play is suitable to many production styles, from basic to elaborate. Whichever route is selected, the story of THE MEN'S COTTAGE will mesmerize its young audience.

Books $7.00
Royalty $50.00/$40.00
58 pages text
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By Keith Engar. An exciting and spectacular new version of a favorite classic in which a wonderfully eccentric Merlin magically transports us to the shining world of King Arthur. 8 men, 3 women (doubling), 3 boys, 1 girl. Option of a unit set or three sets. Medieval costumes.

Merlin matches wit and magic with Arthur's formidable sister, Morgan le Fay, in an epic battle for the kingdom. Suspense and adventure mark every scene as Merlin hides Arthur from Morgan's reach until Morgan herself leads Arthur to the magic sword that makes him king. Arthur is an appealing lad whose inner strength ultimately proves to be more than a match for Morgan. Strong characterizations, fast-moving action, charming easily understood dialogue bring new life to this beloved tale for all ages and seasons.

Books $7.00
Royalty $40.00
39 pages text
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Developed from folklore by Daniel Fleischhacker. Engaging comedy, built on the adventures of the lovable German rogue, Tyll Eulenspiegel, who exposed evil through laughter. 6 women, 11 men. Two sets with proscenium interludes. Medieval costumes.

The playful, light-hearted Tyll eludes his parents and gains admittance to the King's palace, by way of the kitchen. Here he wins the friendship of the Cook, confounds the Wise Men, and charms the King and Queen. Skillful exposing all their pretensions through his pranks, he places the Wise Men in jeopardy, and fearful of his rising power, they lay a plot to dispose of him. But the wily Tyll escapes their clutches, and lives to twit the King and Queen into recognition of their own faults.

Books $7.00
Royalty $35.00
24 pages text
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Adapted by Aurand Harris from the play by William Shakespeare. A superb adaptation for one-act play contests, classroom studies, and mini-productions. 8 men, 2 women, fairies and court attendants. Costumes may be either Elizabethan or fanciful.

The lyrical fantasy of a fairy kingdom, the slap-stick farce of Bottom and his fellow weavers, and the wit and splendor of the Duke's court all make this short adaptation a triple treat of Shakespeare merry-making. The plot and characters delightfully illustrated in Puck's words "what fools these mortals be."

Books $7.00
Royalty $40.00
41 pages text
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Adapted from Moliere by Roland Reed. Young people's version of the well-known French satire. 4 women, 10 men. One set. 17th Century French costumes.

Harpagon employs a Matchmaker to find him a rich wife. Then he sets out to marry his daughter off to a rich old man, and his son to a plump, well-endowed widow. But the young people have ideas of their own, and engage Harpagon's resourceful Steward on their side. At Harpagon's expense, they prepare a lavish banquet in honor of his engagement, and in his presence shower rich gifts on his fiancee. At the height of this, Harpagon's money is reported stolen. Giving up all pretense of civility, he bemoans his misery, and relinquishes his fiancee, if he can only be reunited with his beloved money. When the money is restored to him, he returns to his penny-pinching ways.

Books $7.00
Royalty $50.00/$40.00
58 pages text
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By Aurand Harris. A colorful collection of Chinese folk tales dramatized in an exciting story-theatre form. This unusual theatre piece was inspired by Harris' visit to the People's Republic of China when he and his play, Rags to Riches, opened China's childrens' theatre door to western culture. Ensemble cast of 9 or more.

East meets west. Performed in the traditional style of the Land of the Dragon, these playlets combine various types of drama -- comic, adventurous, poetic -- enhanced by music and mime. Although each play is unique and self-contained, they are linked by a beguiling monkey who uses his magical powers to aid the heroes and heroines and to defeat the villains, providing sixty minutes of fantasy and fun. With universal themes and pictorial staging, Monkey Magic is theatre at its best for audiences around the world. The play was premiered at the University of Hawaii celebrating the centenary of the arrival of the first Chinese on the Island .

Books $7.00
Royalty $50.00/$40.00
25 pages text
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By Charles Jones. The marvelous adventures of the Magical Monkey King are adapted from the 16^th century Chinese novel MONKEY by Wu Ch’eng-en.  An energetic, contemporary retelling of legends about the daring and sometimes mischievous Monkey King, an Asian folklore favorite.  This tale shows what can happen when one gets too big for one’s breeches!  One set, preferably of colorful piping, “monkey bars”, and bright panels of cloth.  Costumes: Suggestive of Asian origin.  Cast: 3 F, 5 M with doubling or up to 18 with roles distributed.

Monkey is “born” from a magic stone placed on a hillside by the Jade Emperor, Ruler of Earth and Sky.  A brave and daring creature, Monkey soon earns the title Handsome Monkey King when he fearlessly breaks through the falling water and returns to tell of a lush land for his monkey colony to claim.  Not easily satisfied, Monkey uses his wily mind to trick his way into the terrifying cave of Yama, the King of Death, erasing the names of his colony from the great scroll.  Monkey returns to find all but one subject captured by the Demon of Havoc, whom he conquers with the help of a few “monkeys” from the audience.  When Monkey greedily steals a cache of golden weapons from the Great Dragon King, Jade Emperor reins him in and banishes Monkey to the Palace of Clouds where he can keep a close watch on him.  Finally, Monkey’s subjects bid him farewell as he rides the Royal Sunset Dragon across the sky.

Books $7.00
Royalty $50.00/$40.00
Printed Music Score (piano/vocal) by Alan Ruch $50.00
45 pages text
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By Monica Long Ross, with music and lyrics by Alan Ruch. An exciting new musical in a romantic wild west setting, bouncing with action assures every audience of rollicking entertainment. 3 men, 3 women, extras (all played by the six actors). Flexible settings suggest various locations in Coalville, Pennsylvania, and Dry Gulch, Arizona, in 1912.

Molly Applegate, a recently orphaned farm girl from Pennsylvania, is lured out west in hopes of finding gold, a new life, and her hero, the Peppermint Kid, about whom she's read so much in "The Wild West Gazette." Molly ends up in Dry Gulch, Arizona, only to discover there is no gold there, and her hero is really a timid drifter hired to amuse tourists. How she becomes a glamourous star of the silent screen, and accepted the difference between her illusions of the West and reality, is all part of the audience-loved story.

Books $7.00
Royalty $50.00
45 pages text
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By Suzan L. Zeder. An evocative story of three outsiders, richly realized through all of the resources of theatre, including poetry, character, and story. Various locations in and around Ware, Illinois, in the late spring of 1935. (THE TASTE OF SUNRISE by Suzan L. Zeder is the prequel to this play.) CAST: 4 men, 4 women (minimum) who create 10 roles.

Set in southern Illinois, during the great Depression, this play is about three outsiders - - a foundling girl known only as Girl; a deaf boy, eloquent in the language of his silence; and an eccentric recluse, Mother Hicks, who is suspected of being a witch. The tale, told with poetry and sign language, chronicles the journeys of these three to find themselves, and each other, in a troubled time. Provocative productions through North America have revealed the power and appeal of this play.

Books $7.00
Royalty $50.00
Printed Music Score (piano/vocal/instrumental) $50.00
45 pages text
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Adapted by Nancy Niles Sexton, Vaughn McBride & Martha Harrison Jones.   John Jacob Niles, considered a pioneer of the American folk music renaissance, collected, composed and performed music early settlers brought with them to the Southern Appalachian Mountains from their native lands.  This play examines the first stirrings of Niles’s youthful experience in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Louisville, Kentucky that was to shape the genius destined to “sing to the earth, the mother who bore me.”  The play includes some of Niles’s most famous poetry and songs, such as “Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair,” “Go ‘Way from my Window,” and “I Wonder as I Wander.”  The play was premiered by Walden Theatre and filmed for an Educational Television special for national viewing. Simple, tourable setting.  CAST: 7 F , 6 M, 3 children. (Cast size may be reduced with doubling or expanded to include a chorus, if desired)

From the ballads sung to him as a child by his father, “Johnnie” Niles learns the joy of a good story.  When Johnnie goes off to school at age six, he finds education quite different from the “cultural benefits” his father provides through his soothing songs and poems.  He soon finds that a cultural experience is better had by riding next to Jake on the “Honey Wagon, which carries no honey,” by watching Elephant Thorpe create a toxic “elephant stew,” or by enduring an unappreciative audience at his first attempt to win a singing contest.  But it is from Heidie Moore that young Johnnie Niles learns “singing is weeping in disguise.”  It is his love for her that inspires some of his best poetry and songs, for she challenges him to “turn out the best that is in you!”  Niles’s heartbreakingly beautiful poetry and songs move this bittersweet story of growing up with pluck and grace to the play’s lingering rumination, “I Wonder as I Wander.”