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Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

  • 1.  Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-24-2018 13:01
    Hey All,

    First, I am looking for titles of fairy tales that are not exactly disney/musical/kids, but are fairy tale related.

    Second, I have seen people ask for parent letters before, but no letter has been a convincing argument for why parents should allow their kids to be members of ITS troupes rather than other extra curricular clubs. May of our parents feel it's a waste of time compared with sports or student government. Also, a letter in Spanish, if you have it. Thanks a bunch!

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    Rebecca Fahning
    Theatre Teacher
    Las Vegas NV
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  • 2.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-24-2018 13:44
    We had a lot of fun with Happily Ever Once Upon by Virgina Kidd. It's the continuing story of the true life of Cinderella and Charming 20 years after they marry.

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    Shira Schwartz
    Chandler Unified School District
    Chandler AZ
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  • 3.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-25-2018 07:37

    ​My troupe has done Law and Order: Fairy Tale Unit numerous times.  It is a great script and hearkens to all the classic fairy tale characters.  Very, very cute script!

    I think there is also a Nursery Rhyme version as well.
    Good luck!



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    Amber Hugus
    Harmony PA
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  • 4.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-25-2018 08:17

    Cinderella, The Untold Story by John O'Hara is fun and has lots of opportunities for comedic moments. It runs about an hour. 

    Rapunzel Uncut by Mariah Everman is a cute take on the story, and runs about 45 minutes. 

    We just finished Bedtime Stories (As Told by our Dad) (Who Messed Them Up) by Ed Monk and kids and audiences loved it. This would be a really great one to invite elementary students. 

    Someone else recommended The Enchanted Bookshop from Pioneer, which sounds promising.

    As for ITS, how much time does it take? Or do you mean participating in theatre in general? 



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    Dianne Rowe
    Birmingham AL
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  • 5.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-25-2018 10:30
    Dianne, I am looking for a letter to parents explaining the value of IYS and the time kids and parents invest. Of course I can write my own letter, but it would be convenient if I didn't reinvent the wheel.

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    Rebecca Fahning
    Theatre Teacher
    Las Vegas NV
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  • 6.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-25-2018 09:29
      |   view attached

    Attached is the letter I send out to parents via mail for induction into thespian society.  I hope this helps.

     

    Break a leg and may all your theatre seats be filled.

     

    Kelly M. Thomas

    Department of Theatre

    Dr. Ralph H. Poteet High School

    3300 Poteet Drive

    Mesquite, Texas 75150

    972-882-5300

    Kthomas@mesquiteisd.org

     

     




    Attachment(s)



  • 7.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-25-2018 10:55
    The obvious-because-market-dominating play Don Zolidis' The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon, available in both full-length and one-act versions,

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    Stephen Gregg
    Playwright
    Venice CA
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  • 8.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-26-2018 10:16
      |   view attached
    I have a Junior Troupe, and right now we are an honor society. We have very few meetings of activities outside drama club or rehearsals. Although, we did coordinate a toy drive last fall during our production of Annie Jr.

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    Dianne Rowe
    Birmingham AL
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    Attachment(s)



  • 9.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-27-2018 12:17
    We are in throes of putting on Tails of Hamelin, which is based on the Pied Piper fairy tale from the Brothers Grimm.  It is a brand new play from London, and I find the music compelling, the script very funny and the publishing company a dream to work with.

    This is definitely not a Disney musical.  The children of the village are taken away at the end and do not return.  We have been squeezing some great emotions out of our kids at the end of the play.

    ------------------------------
    Robert Forbes
    Managing Director
    Mountain Dream Productions
    Victoria BC
    info@mountaindreambc.com
    ------------------------------



  • 10.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-30-2018 08:06
    Great letter, thank you for sharing

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    Kendra Knoblock
    Rome0 MI
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  • 11.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-25-2018 14:52
    We have had great success with two shows by Hillary DePiano -- "The Love of Three Oranges" (playscripts) and "The Tale of Tales" (info on her website). I also love "The Secret in the Wings" by Mary Zimmerman.

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    Cora Turlish
    Metuchen NJ
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  • 12.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-26-2018 13:27
    It depends what age and what overall tone you're going for. Like Cora, I love Mary Zimmerman and "Secret in the Wings" is super-cool in a really creepy way. However, it covers several lesser known of Grimm's tales that are pretty dark and violent, though really creatively presented, which mitigates that a bit. Along these lines, you also might look at Philip Pullman's Grimm Tales. I have to admit that a lot of the scripts written these days for young people feel gratingly overwritten, pandering and trying too hard to be funny. For this reason, I do think that there is room in the market for plays written for young people beyond the latest parody filled with pop culture references.

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    Steven Slaughter
    English/Theatre
    Rosslyn Academy
    Nairobi, Kenya

    "Be joyful, though you have considered all the facts." - W Berry
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  • 13.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-26-2018 13:42
    Edited by Heather Cribbs 04-26-2018 13:43
    I directed Once Upon A Pandora's Box last year and it was a BLAST. It's villains (Rumplestilskin, Big Bad Wolf, Evil Queen, Witch and 13th Fairy) who are put into a box by Zeus and then accidentally released into a New York apartment by two kids. There's also 3 princesses (I also added a fairytale ensemble). SUCH a fun show. I highly recommend it.




    ------------------------------
    Heather Cribbs
    Theatre Director
    New Smyrna Beach High School
    New Smyrna Beach, FL
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  • 14.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-27-2018 13:47
    Have you considered:
    • Honk! (musical retelling of the ugly duckling)
    • Cinderella (Rogers and Hammerstein)
    • The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon (by Don Zolidis. Grimms fairy tales turned on their heads. There are one-act and full-length versions)
    • Androcles and the Lion (by George Bernard Shaw; yes that GB Shaw. Technically this is one of Aesop's Fables, but still has the fairy tale feel. 
    Check out Dramatized Folk Tales of the World edited by Sylvia E. Kamerman. It is out of print but used copies are available through Amazon or through Alibris. This is a collection of 50 one-act, royalty-free plays based on folk tales from around the world: Asia, Africa, Persia, Europe, Mexico/South America and the U.S. Familiar stories include The Musicians of Bremen Town, Peter and the Wolf, Stone Soup; familiar characters include Robin Hood, King Arthur, Paul Bunyan, and Johnnie Appleseed. Plus a lot of great stories you may have never heard of.

    Hope this helps.

    ------------------------------
    James Van Leishout
    Olympia WA
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  • 15.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-27-2018 15:34
    Some of my favorites are the following:

    1. Mother Goose Is Eaten by Werewolves by Steph DeFerie
    2. Once Upon a Wolf by Steph DeFerie
    3. Law & Order: Fairy Tale Unit by Jonathan Rand
    4. Nick Tickle: Fairy Tale Detective by Steph DeFerie
    5. The Surprising Story of the Three Little Pigs By Linda Daugherty
    6. Blather, Blarney <g class="gr_ gr_658 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_inline_cards gr_run_anim Punctuation only-ins replaceWithoutSep" id="658" data-gr-id="658">and</g> Balderdash by Patrick Rainville Dorn
    7. Monster in the Closet by Angela Stewart

    :-)


    ------------------------------
    Lynda Gibson
    Director
    Troupe 2829
    Flushing High School
    Junior Troupe 88305
    Flushing Middle School
    ------------------------------



  • 16.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-28-2018 12:35
    If you want to go completely over the top with fairy tales, i suggest THE BROTHERS GRIMM SPECTACULATHON, by Don Zolides. It's hilarious, goofy, and wild. And, you can mount it either low or high tech.

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    Nancy Bernhard
    Salinas CA
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  • 17.  RE: Two things, Fairy tale Scripts and Letters to parents

    Posted 04-29-2018 08:49
    Old chestnut:

    Story Theatre by Paul Sills

    ------------------------------
    Rosalind Flynn
    Head of the M.A. in Theatre Education
    Director, The High School Drama Institute
    The Catholic University of America
    Washington, DC
    drama.cua.edu/graduate/MATE
    drama.cua.edu/summer
    ------------------------------