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HEART OF A STRANGER by Christina Hamlett HEART OF A STRANGER by Christina Hamlett

Upper Grades; 4 female, 5 male or female; contemporary; December holidays; 25 minutes.
A chance meeting in a Boston coffee shop gives a young woman mourning the loss of her beloved sister a new outlook on the world. A heartwarming, sensitive holiday drama about friendship and “the gift of life” (organ donation).

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THE WALLS HAVE EARS by Sam Reisman THE WALLS HAVE EARS by Sam Reisman

Upper Grades; 2 male, 4 male or female offstage voices; 10 minutes.
Winner of 2005 PLAYS/California Student Playwriting Contest (High School) and coming in the wake of the Columbine shootings, this play focuses on a high schooler’s inappropriate joke at a school assembly and the ensuing dramatic heart-to-heart conversation with the guidance counselor.

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DEAR JOURNAL by Judy Culp DEAR JOURNAL by Judy Culp

Upper grades; few to many actors; 10 minutes to 1 hour.
An exciting collection of monologues, dialogues, and one-liners that can be used as a flexible drama workshop piece, introducing “journaling” to a class or a whole school. Author Judy Culp writes, “This piece is highly adaptable: It may be used as is; users may pick certain selections for presentations; or certain selections maybe combined with new original pieces written by students on timely issues.”

 
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ROMEO ON THE INTERNET by Juliet Garver ROMEO ON THE INTERNET by Juliet Garver

Upper Grades; 3 male, 3 male, 1 male or female; 25 minutes.
Cindy's email "friend" turns out to be very different in person (no surprise there!). Is there any way this couple can sustain their virtual connection in real life? A great springboard for a discussion about sharing your thoughts and feelings with strangers; truthfulness; and the role of computers in our lives.

 
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AMAZING GRACE by Christina Hamlett AMAZING GRACE by Christina Hamlett

Upper Grades; 3 female; 1 male; 20 minutes. A quirky, fun romance: Karen's grandmother was always trying to fix her up with a nice young guy, and it seems as if Grandma Gracie's still at it—even at her own funeral!

 
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BEYOND SANTA CLAUS by Virginia Miller McDonough BEYOND SANTA CLAUS by Virginia Miller McDonough

Upper and Middle Grades; 3 female; 10 minutes; contemporary.
What if you don't celebrate Christmas? This thoughtful play provides a great springboard for classroom discussion about tolerance, accepting and celebrating differences, and respecting all religions, cultures, and points of view.

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GENUS DE MILO by Christina Hamlett GENUS DE MILO by Christina Hamlett

Upper Grades; 2 male, 2 female; contemporary Gothic; 25 minutes. Blood relatives join young couple and future mother-in-law for a late-night bite.

 
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MACBETH Adapted from Shakespeare by Elizabeth Boiko Burdick MACBETH Adapted from Shakespeare by Elizabeth Boiko Burdick

Upper Grades; 4 male, 4 female; 5 male or female; 30 minutes. Storytellers using modern language point the way to a thorough understanding of Shakespeare's original words, in this dramatic adaptation of one of the playwright's most powerful tragedies.

 
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MRS. JAYE by Eric Alter MRS. JAYE by Eric Alter

Upper Grades; 1 male and 1 female; 25 minutes. The poignant story of a man’s visit to his favorite teacher in the twilight of her life, set in a nursing home with flashbacks to the incredible impact she had on his life.

 
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CYRANO DE BERGERAC Adapted by Joellen Bland CYRANO DE BERGERAC Adapted by Joellen Bland

Upper Grades; for round-table reading; 9 male and 1 female; 30 minutes. Edmond Rostand’s moving tale of appearance, intellect, and unrequited love set in 17th century Paris. Who could forget the lovely Roxane?

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THE LOVE POTION, based on the opera L'Elisir d'Amore by Gaetano Donizetti, adapted by Jesse Martin THE LOVE POTION, based on the opera L'Elisir d'Amore by Gaetano Donizetti, adapted by Jesse Martin

Upper Grades; 2 female, 5 male, and as many extras as desired as villagers, soldiers, and workers; 30 minutes. An Italian opera set in the mid-1800s complete with competing suitors, class warfare, poor village girls, magical elixirs, and love everywhere you turn.

 
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LETTER FROM A STRANGER by Leslie Wolfson LETTER FROM A STRANGER by Leslie Wolfson

Upper Grades; 3 female, 1 male; 35 minutes. A sophisticated play about a high school girl, in the midst of college applications, who gets a letter from her birth mother asking if they can meet -- 18 years after she was given up for adoption.

 
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THE TAX-FREE GIFT by Bonnie Davidson THE TAX-FREE GIFT by Bonnie Davidson

Upper Grades; 5 female, 1 male; contemporary; 20 minutes.
Twenty-something friends trying to make it in the city find a bag of money that would surely come in handy to pay the rent and save the day. . .if only it was theirs. Staged almost entirely in an elevator, the question is, of course, should they keep the money for themselves or return it to the rightful owner?

 
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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, by Jane Austen, Adapted by Olive Morley PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, by Jane Austen, Adapted by Olive Morley

Upper and Middle Grades; 8 female, 3 male; 18th-century England; 35 minutes.
An adaptation of Jane Austen's classic story of love and respect, choosing wisely, and keeping your eyes open to the possibilities that life offers.

 
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FOR THE LOVE OF GINNY, by Joanna Evans FOR THE LOVE OF GINNY, by Joanna Evans

Upper Grades; 3 female, 3 male; contemporary; 25 minutes. Selfish brother learns a hard lesson about compassion and generosity when his sister becomes very ill.

 
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SHOP TILL YOU DROP! by Donna Hall SHOP TILL YOU DROP! by Donna Hall

Upper Grades; 10 female; 3 male; 1 male or female, and extras; 3 scenes, 15 minutes each.
High school students take center stage in this three-pack of plays about thinking of others at holiday time; creative gift-giving from the heart; and innovative sales techniques when jobs are one the line. Perform one, two, or three scenes, as time permits.

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THANKSGIVING AT RUBINO'S by Helen Louise Miller THANKSGIVING AT RUBINO'S by Helen Louise Miller

Upper Grades, 9 male, 3 female; 30 minutes.
High school students work at their family's diner on Thanksgiving, all the while missing the big game—a story about the American Dream, the balance between work and play, and the recognition that we have a lot to be thankful for.

 
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THE TORN PHOTOGRAPH by D. R. Kennedy THE TORN PHOTOGRAPH by D. R. Kennedy

Upper Grades; 9 female, 2 male, 6 male or female; contemporary; 20 minutes.
Hotly contested Student Council election puts a strain on a longtime friendship as students fight for presidency.

 
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PELLEAS AND MELISANDE by Claude Debussy and adapted by Jesse J. Martin PELLEAS AND MELISANDE by Claude Debussy and adapted by Jesse J. Martin

Upper Grades; 4 male, 2 female, 2 male or female; 40 minutes. Two brothers share an intense love for the same melancholy woman in this classic tragedy based on Debussy's opera.

 
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VOICE AND COUNTERVOICE: THE BLIND DATE by Judine Brey VOICE AND COUNTERVOICE: THE BLIND DATE by Judine Brey

Upper Grades; 4 female, 2 male; 15 minutes. Ever wonder what your date is really thinking? An innovative and amusing play about a blind date that bounces back and forth between what's said and what's thought.

 
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DESPERATELY SEEKING PRINCESS by Christina Hamlett DESPERATELY SEEKING PRINCESS by Christina Hamlett

Upper Grades; 2 female, 2 male; 25 minutes. Will a real European prince find true love through an ad he placed while on a trip to New York? A bittersweet courtship in the age of business travel, speed dating, and cell phones.

 
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ROMEO AND JULIET by William Shakespeare, Adapted for round-table reading by Lewy Olfson ROMEO AND JULIET by William Shakespeare, Adapted for round-table reading by Lewy Olfson

Upper Grades; 8 male, 2 female, 2 male or female; 30 minutes. The greatest love story—and tragedy—of all time.

 
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CRUSH by Samara Siskind CRUSH by Samara Siskind

Upper Grades; 1 female, 1 male; 15 minutes.

To escape an obnoxious guy at a party, popular girl Julia makes her way to the attic, only to meet an entirely different sort of guy.

 
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THE PICKWICK PAPERS, By Charles Dickens and adapted by Lewy Olfson THE PICKWICK PAPERS, By Charles Dickens and adapted by Lewy Olfson

Upper Grades; 11 male, 2 female; male and female extras; 25 minutes.
Lighthearted adaptation of a fun scene in which Pickwick finds himself in quite a pickle after his kind words to his widowed landlady, Mrs. Martha Bardell, are totally misinterpreted to be a proposal of marriage.

 
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SECRET ADMIRERS by Frances Dowell SECRET ADMIRERS by Frances Dowell

Upper Grades; 3 female, 3 male, as many extras as desired; 25 minutes.

Platonic? Hardly! Will offbeat hero of a band triumph over cute basketball star? A play of crushes, stereotypes, and young love.

 
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JANE EYRE, adapted by Lewy Olfson JANE EYRE, adapted by Lewy Olfson

Upper Grades; 2 female, 2 male; 19th-century England; 30 minutes.
An adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's novel of romance and suspense, in which a devastating secret threatens to destroy the happiness of the young heroine.

 
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SIMPLY SHAKESPEARE, by Judine Brey SIMPLY SHAKESPEARE, by Judine Brey

Upper Grades; 3 female; 2 male; extras as desire; 15 minutes. Using the simplification of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as an assignment, a star student learns the importance of working with her team and accepting new ideas and different approaches to Shakespeare and life.

 
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TATTOOS by Joanna Evans TATTOOS by Joanna Evans

Upper and Middle Grades; 3 male; 3 female; and extras. 25 minutes. As a school project, students visit residents of a nursing home, where a reluctant teen and a crusty, battle-hardened vet, aided by a tattoo from the war, develop an unexpected friendship.

 
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TURNABOUT by Margaret Bunel Edwards TURNABOUT by Margaret Bunel Edwards

Upper Grades; 3 male; 3 female; 1 male or female; 15 minutes. So you witnessed a traffic accident, and have other things to think about — why get involved? Use this skit as the springboard for a discussion on civic duty and responsibility.

 
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THE ANCESTORS' BOX by Christina Hamlett THE ANCESTORS' BOX by Christina Hamlett

Upper & Middle Grades; 13 female, 3 male; 35 minutes. A large-cast play that tells part of the story of Japanese-American internment camps created in World War II, through the eyes of a high school girl who was sent off and her best friend, who stayed behind.

 
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STANDING BY by Tracy Wells STANDING BY by Tracy Wells

Upper & Middle Grades; 8 female, 3 male, 1 male or female; 25 minutes. Girls bully a classmate for no apparent reason. Will anyone stand up to make it stop? Provides a good starting point for classroom discussion.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, by Oscar Wilde, Adapted by Lewy Olfson THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, by Oscar Wilde, Adapted by Lewy Olfson

Upper and Middle Grades. 5 male, 4 female; 30 minutes. A 19th-century British comedy that finds two charming ladies anxious to marry, but only if the groom is named Ernest. A dry, witty, and charming tale of the upper class.

 
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THE SHIP AROUND THE CORNER by Christina Hamlett THE SHIP AROUND THE CORNER by Christina Hamlett

Upper and Middle Grades; 5 female, 4 male; male and female extras; 30 minutes. Love is in the air in this fun tale of romance and mystery on a cruise ship.

 
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PUZZLING IT OUT by Judine Brey PUZZLING IT OUT by Judine Brey

Upper Grades; 3 female; 2 male; 15 minutes. Will friendships stay true when Jake falls for his best friend Aaron’s younger sister?

 
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EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSIES by Christina Hamlett EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSIES by Christina Hamlett

Upper Grades; 14+ actors: 10 female, 4 male; 35 minutes. The story of a “Rosie the Riveter” and the women who joined the previously all-male workforce when the men left their jobs and joined the military to fight in World War II. Historical notes are included to give perspective to the role women played in the war effort and the jobs the women lost when the war ended and the men came home.

 
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HOW SHALL I BE LOVED? by Michael Weems HOW SHALL I BE LOVED? by Michael Weems

Upper Grades; 2 actors: 1 female, 1 male. 15 minutes. A sweet, adult conversation between siblings after their grandfather’s funeral about the love and kindness they received, without really knowing it at the time. Remember the time you won the hamburger eating contest….and you didn’t realize that your burgers were smaller than the others?

 
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LOUISE, by Saki and adapted by Tracy Wells LOUISE, by Saki and adapted by Tracy Wells

Upper and Middle Grades; 19 actors: 8 female, 5 male, and 6 male/female. 30 minutes. An oh-so-fun British comedy about a forgetful aunt who thinks she has left her niece somewhere in London during an outing. While retracing her steps, she runs into all kind of situations, discovering at the end that her niece has been home the whole time. Anyone for tea?

 
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