Theatre for Young Audiences

CINDERELLA: THE REAL STORY

by Rayven Craft, John Maclay, Austin Nelson and Emma Swain

ONE-ACT, COMEDY

5 WOMEN, 5 MEN, A GENDERNEUTRAL CHORUS

A new take on an old classic, this play tells the forgotten stories hidden in the fairy tale we all know so well. Hilarious, imaginative and surprisingly sensitive to social issues, this play is specifically designed to be performed by young performers and may be adapted to a virtual or in-person performance venue.

Rayven Craft is earning her B.A. in Music Theatre and a minor in Women and Gender Studies at Carthage College. Rayven is making her professional playwriting debut with the publication of CINDERELLA: THE REAL STORY and its premiere in the summer TYA Workshops at the Orlando Repertory Theatre. Apart from playwriting, Rayven works as an actor, a music producer, and a songwriter.

John Maclay is a playwright and lyricist with over a dozen plays and musicals that have been professionally produced throughout the US and Canada. His shows include THE LEGEND OF ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS (with Eric Nordin), GOOSEBUMPS THE MUSICAL: PHANTOM OF THE AUDITORIUM (with Danny Abosch), ANATOLE (with Lee Becker and James Valcq) among others. His play HOPPER received a reading at Pasadena Playhouse and his musical ARTHUR AND FRIENDS MAKE A MUSICAL, based on the PBS Kids series, premieres in the fall of 2022.

Austin Nelson Jr. is an actor and playwright based in Chicago, IL. He graduated from Carthage College with a degree in Music Theatre. He is dedicated to bringing new stories to the world, especially stories highlighting the Black experience. CINDERELLA is his first published work. Austin is proudly represented by Shirley Hamilton Talent. Much love to his family and friends for their undying support.

Emma Swain’s work has appeared in readings and workshops at New Match Collective, Orlando Repertory Theatre, and Carthage College. She was awarded the John Cauble Short Play Award for WIRE TAPS. "Ellen's Monologue" from WHAT WE HAVE NOW will appear in Smith & Kraus's annual Best Women's Monologues anthology in August of 2021. In-development plays include THE PAPIER-BLUMEN MEADOW and TWO WRENS.

THE VELVETEEN RABBIT: A Toy Story

by Patrick Flynn

Based on the book by Margery Williams

ADAPTATION

4-20 ACTORS (GENDERNEUTRAL CASTING ALLOWED)

Margery Williams’ classic toy story gets a vibrant retelling in this brandnew adaptation. When the child gets the rabbit for Christmas, she is at first disappointed in her gift. But as the two quest and adventure through her storybooks, both rabbit and child grow to care for each other. They discover that love is the greatest force in the universe and can make impossible things real.

“Each aspect beautifully captures the childlike imagination we have when we are young.”

—Broadway World

BY

Patrick Flynn is a playwright and filmmaker based in Washington, D.C. Works for the stage include THE BERBERIZING OF CORAL (winner, Samuel French Off-Off-Broadway Short Play Festival), THE VELVETEEN RABBIT (Helen Hayes Award-nomination, “Outstanding Original Play or Musical Adaptation”), TINKER BELL, GIANT BOX OF PORN (“Best of Fringe,” D.C. Metro Theatre Arts). He is a 10-year veteran of the 48 Hour Film Project and has received multiple awards, including Best Film for his short For Whom the Whistle Blows.

Ghost

by Idris Goodwin

Based on the book by Jason Reynolds DRAMA

2 WOM EN, 5 MEN

Running is all that Castle Cranshaw, a.k.a. “Ghost,” has ever known, but he runs for all the wrong reasons until he meets Coach, who sees something in him: raw talent. The story follows Castle as he tries to stay on track, literally and figuratively, harnessing his aptitude for speed on an elite local track team while battling the difficult realities of his past and present. GHOST also highlights the importance of allyship. As his teammates become friends and Coach stands in as a father figure, Castle finds a place where he belongs.

“Ghost is an important story…that kids (and adults) in any community need to see—not just for its non-preachy and relatable lessons on tolerance, empathy, and privilege, but also for a model of possibility of what the rewards of pushing through barriers and comfort zones can bring.”

—Broadway World

JACKED!

by Idris Goodwin

ADVENTURE

2-10 ACTORS (GENDERNEUTRAL CASTING ALLOWED)

Inspired by Jack and the Beanstalk and designed and developed for children, JACKED! fuses storytelling and poetry with hip-hop and break beat music to encourage a dialogue about substance abuse and the overwhelming effects the opioid epidemic is having in our communities.

Idris Goodwin is a multiple award-winning playwright, breakbeat poet, director, educator, and currently serves as Artistic Director of Seattle Children’s Theatre. Idris is the author of over 60 plays ranging from his hip-hop-inspired breakbeat series to historical dramas to works for young audiences. Works include AND IN THIS CORNER, HOW WE GOT ON, HYPE MAN and FREE PLAY: OPEN SOURCE SCRIPTS FOR AN ANTIRACIST TOMORROW. Goodwin has created original content for and/or appeared on Nickelodeon, Def Poetry, Sesame Street, NPR, and the Discovery Channel.

SHAKESPEARE YOUNG@PART: Some Comedies

by Carol Pugliano-Martin COMEDY/ADAPTATION

FLEXIBLE CASTING

SHAKESPEARE YOUNG@ PART: SOME COMEDIES introduces the audience to six of Shakespeare's comedies. The shortened comedies that are included are Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, As You Like It, and The Taming of the Shrew.

Carol PuglianoMartin has been writing, directing, and performing in plays since she was putting on productions in her childhood home’s basement. Carol has written numerous plays and stories for Scholastic, Children’s Television Workshop, and many other publishers. She is currently an elementary humanities teacher in Greenwich, CT.

Carmela Full Of Wishes

by Alvaro Saar Rios

Based on the book by Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson

COMEDY/ADAPTATION

2 WOMEN, 2 MEN

It’s Carmela’s birthday, and her wish has already come true— she’s finally old enough to join her big brother as he does the family errands. On their way to the laundromat, Carmela finds a lone dandelion growing in the pavement. But before she can blow on it, her brother asks, “Did you even make a wish?” If only she can think of just the right wish to make. Based on the Newbery Medal and Caldecott Honor-winning book.

“…this heartwarming tale of an exuberant Latina girl celebrates family, community and hope… Chicago-based Texican playwright Alvaro Saar Rios, who adapted the book for the stage, weaves Spanish into the dialogue in a way that feels authentic to the characters yet accessible to English-speaking audiences….well worth an outing for anyone with a little person in their life.”

—Chicago Tribune

“CARMELA FULL OF WISHES is a charming tale about the importance of imagination.”

—Times Square Chronicles

Alvaro Saar Rios is a playwright and educator living in Chicago. His plays have been performed in New York, Mexico City, Hawaii, Chicago, and all over Texas. He has received commissions from Kennedy Center, Chicago Children’s Theatre, Houston Grand Opera, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Alley Theatre, Purple Rose Theatre, Talento Bilingüe de Houston, and Zoological Society of Milwaukee. He is a Resident Playwright at Chicago Dramatists and Playwright-In-Residence at Milwaukee’s First Stage.

BINA’S SIX APPLES

by Lloyd Suh DRAMA

3 WOMEN, 3 MEN

It’s 1950 and Korea is being torn apart by war. Bina’s family is forced to flee their orchard and journey to safety in Busan on foot, carrying anything they want to keep on their backs. Bina wants to help, but she’s only ten, so her father gives her six apples from their orchard to carry. But almost immediately, Bina is separated from her family by a bomb blast, and now she must make the 70-mile trip alone, trying to find her family.

“BINA’S SIX APPLES is sweet, soulful and ripe with symbolism. Lloyd Suh’s bighearted play has a rich cast of characters.…The halfdozen apples that the child carries in her backpack, each intended for a family member in the fleeing party, bear metaphorical weight.”—Star Tribune

Theatre for Young Audiences

“Suh has taken this family story and turned it into a deeply engaging play, BINA’S SIX APPLES…[is] brimming with heart and vivid characters, an adventure packed with enough travails and quandaries to raise the anxieties of audiences of all ages.”

—Twin Cities Pioneer Press

Lloyd Suh is the author of AMERICAN HWANGAP, THE CHINESE LADY, CHARLES

FRANCIS CHAN JR.’S EXOTIC ORIENTAL MURDER MYSTERY, and others. His plays have been produced with Ma-Yi, Magic Theatre, EST, NAATCO, Denver Center, Milwaukee Rep, Children’s Theatre Co, and others around the country and internationally. He has received support from the NEA, Arena Stage, Mellon Foundation, Dramatists Guild, and residencies including NYS&F and Ojai. He received the 2016 Helen Merrill Award and the 2019 Herb Alpert Award in the Arts.