Plays for kids
Anne of Cleves, Super Queen!
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19+ characters. Approximately 30 minutes running time.
Anne of Cleves, Super Queen! is a fabulous short play that tells the story of Henry VIII's plucky and kind fourth wife as she leaves her home to marry this not-so-merry monarch. Travelling across the seas from Germany, Anne has a shock when she meets horrible Henry! With the help of new friend, chatty silk seller Mrs Vaughan, she helps the needy and makes a great new life in England. Anne's story is often told through the eyes of Henry, but this fun version puts Anne and ordinary Tudor folk centre stage instead.
The script includes full production notes plus great follow-on classroom activities for further learning.
Boss Boudicca and her Fearsome Friends
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18 characters. Flexible casting. Approximately 45 minutes running time.
Boss Boudicca and her Fearsome Friends is a comedy about making friends, helping one another, and standing up to bullies. When the Roman invaders of Britain commit cruel and unfair acts, Boudicca inspires her tribe and that of her neighbors to fight back. Ruling by example, Boudicca leads her subjects in rebellion, combating Romans who underestimate and insult the Britons. Through their struggle, Boudicca helps her friend Tina to find her own strength within. Although in the final battle Boudicca is defeated, her incredible legacy lives on. With plenty of silliness and fun, along with a warm and hopeful ending, Boss Boudicca and her Fearsome Friends shows that defeat is not all that it appears, that heroism comes in all shapes and sizes, and that girls can, and have, led and fought as heroes.
The Plucky Wives of Henry VIII
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14 characters. Approximately 10 minutes running time.
The Plucky Wives of Henry VIII is a comedic short play about the unfortunate women who became involved with this most notorious of monarchs. As each wife comes and goes, we learn that all is not well with the King’s sanity. Although plenty of excuses are made as to why each wife should be dispatched, the real cause lies with the instability of the not-so-merry monarch!
With plenty of silliness and fun, Plucky Wives teaches students the names and dates associated with Henry’s marriages, emphasizing that the women in this man’s world are not to blame for their undoing and faced their situation with a pluckiness that can inspire us all in challenging times!
With a cast of fourteen (which can be increased if lines are split up,) Plucky Wives is suitable for middle school and high school students, especially those studying Tudor England.
Useful Women, A Victorian Chat Show
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6 characters. Approximately 10 minutes running time.
Queen Victoria hosts a chat show featuring remarkable 19th Century women. Sara Forbes Bonetta, Ada Lovelace, Mary Seacole and Florence Nightingale feature, and there's a surprise appearance from Emmeline Pankhurst! Suitable for KS2/3, elementary, middle and high school students.
'Making Masks' in 48 Quarantine Monologues
Available at Drama Notebook
1 character. Approximately 5 minutes running time.
A teenager bonds with his lonely Grandpa over a dusty sewing machine.
