WHY WE HAVE DAY AND NIGHT by Barbara Winther
Middle Grades, 14 female or male; 30 minutes.
Flying animals are pitted against land animals in this Australian Aborigine tale that points out the foolishness of pride and war.
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TWO DESERT TALES: THE MISSING CAMEL AND SENOR COYOTE AND MAMA RABBIT by Barbara Winther
Middle and Lower Grades; Missing Camel: 2 male, 1 female, and at least 5 male or female. 10 minutes. Senor Coyote and Mama Rabbit: 1 male, 1 female, and at least 5 male or female, 10 minutes.
Thoughtful and interesting African and Mexican folktales set in the desert where humans and animals use their wit and wile to survive in harsh conditions.
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THE FISHERMAN, HIS WIFE, AND THE SEA OF DREAMS by Bruce Berger
Middle and Lower Grades; Radio play for reading; 2 male, 3 female, and 1 male or female for narrator; 10 minutes.
A never-satisfied wife and a talking fish help teach a lesson in being grateful for what you have, in a fun tale that’s nothing to carp about.
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THE WHITE SPIDER'S GIFT by Jamie Turner
Middle and Lower Grades; 9 female, 7 male, 1 male or female, and extras; 20 minutes.
A South American folktale in which kindness is rewarded when a boy helps a spider in distress and the spider returns the favor in a very special way.
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THE BAKER'S NEIGHBOR Adapted by Adele Thane
Middle and Lower Grades; 4 male, 6 female, male and female extras; 15 minutes.
Peruvian folktale in which a greedy baker tries to charge villagers for smelling the good smells of his bakery and a wise judge determines what a fair price should be.
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TWO ISLAND TALES by Barbara Winther
Middle and Lower Grades. Battle Between Sun and Sky: 4 male or female and as many extras as desired; 10 minutes. How Coconuts Came to Samoa: 2 male, 2 female, 2 male or female, and as many extras as desired; 10 minutes.
Two short stories from the Pacific Islands that help explain the ways of nature.
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BIG CAT, LITTLE CAT, OLD MAN MONKEY by Gillian L. Plescia
Middle and Lower Grades; 5 female or male; 15 minutes.
A charming Japanese folktale that explores the importance of friendship: how easy it is to lose a friend over a silly disagreement, and how important it is to work things out and share.
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RAINFOREST TRIO by Barbara Winther
Middle and Lower Grades. Three plays in one: Play 1, Crocodile Gives Monkey a Ride, 2 male or female, 10 minutes; Play 2, Trapping the Jaguar, 1 male, 2 male or female, 15 minutes; Play 3, Wild Woman, 4 male, 3 female, 7 male or female, 20 minutes.
Set in different types of rainforests, three folktales of mystery and magic, featuring characters with pluck, ingenuity, and common sense.
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CINDER-RILEY by Claire Boiko
Middle and Lower Grades; 5 female, 2 male, 3 male and/or female; 20 minutes.
A really clever and fun "Irish" version of the Cinderella story, complete with leprechauns and a lot of audience participation.
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MOTHER GOOSE HAS TALENT by David Ely
Middle and Lower Grades; 34 male and female; 25 minutes.
A wonderful spoof of a make-believe television show—complete with funny advertisements—with nursery rhyme characters participating in the competition and solving the mystery of the missing sheep.
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FIRE IN A PAPER by Loleta Hagy
Middle and Lower Grades; 6 male and female; 15 minutes.
Two new brides have to combine smart thinking and common sense in a test demanded by their mother-in-law. The two young women do what is asked of them, and more, setting the stage for a long life of family harmony.
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GREEK PEEK by Carol D. Wise
Middle Grades; 13+ actors: 7 female, 4 male, 2 male or female, as many male and female as desired for Chorus; 30 minutes.
The myth of Persephone, and how the seasons came to be, told two ways: one traditional, one in rap.
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