In vignettes and monologues, the Dog, Cat, Donkey, and Rooster tell why they're homeless. They meet on the road to Bremen and join forces. Together they discover the nefarious plot of the none-too-able burglars to steal from the Bremenites, and defeat them. Dog discovers his courage, Cat finds friends, Donkey finds he's pretty smart, and Rooster gets healthy. Six minimal set scenes. Running time: 1 hour, 15 minutes. Cast: 3-6m, 10-14f. Piano score available for six songs.

HANSEL AND GRETEL
Musical based on the Humperdinck score, available from playwright.
Elementary to lower middle-school audiences.
Query for royalties and rental rates.

Scene 1: Left alone in their hut Hansel and Gretel neglect their chores, dance, and are scolded by their mother and woodcutter father on their return. Scene 2: At the fair where Father hopes to sell his wood, the children see a puppet show, join in a dance, and meet SweetsSeller, who is a witch! Scene 3: The children are told to return home, but they dally in the forest with wild mushrooms and fall asleep, protected by 14 angels. Scene 4: Later, lost in the woods, they discover the Witch's gingerbread house and her spells. Clever Gretel frees Hansel from the fattening cage by pushing the Witch into the oven, which releases the gingerbread children from their spell. Running time: 50 minutes. Cast: 3 adults, 16 or more young adults to quite young. Easy piano score.

STONE SOUP
Musical, available from playwright.
Elementary to lower middle-school audiences.
Query for royalties and rental rates.

On a bare stage, the Storyteller introduces three village families: the Scarlets (the butchers), the Goldens (the bakers), and the Greens (the candlestick makers). They argue incessantly! Enter hungrily Corporal Mish and Private Mash and their horse Pansy. The bickering children are intrigued and finally persuaded to end their arguing and contribute to a bubbling pot of soup, which unites the families. One act. Running time: 50 minutes. Cast: 5 men, 3 women, 4 boys, 4 girls, 2 actors in horse costume. Piano score available for 6 songs.