Plays
Directing Strategies For The Novice Director
New directors guide by Deborah Solberg
This quick and handy guide will get you started directing your first production!
At its most basic form, a director is a stage traffic cop.
The actors need to know the 5 w’s of moving in their part of the jigsaw puzzle known as THE PLAY.
Why are they going, how, where and when.
Most importantly, who is the character which drives all this action. ‘What is My Motivation’.
The Actor learns to bring something to the table, but the Director must take them from the audition through to strike.
Now, the basic question….
HOW do you become a director??
Save the Salmon, Save the World
30-45 minute play by Deborah Solberg
Theatrix Youtheatre Society is pleased to present support in dramatic form for anyone who is interested in educating children about salmon conservation and First Nation’s curriculum objectives.
Save the Salmon, Save the World is a concrete method of introducing these objectives, and children get to learn about public speaking, articulation, expression, and of course, reading. For a limited time, it is free of charge to read and perform, compliments of Theatrix Youtheatre Society and myself as playwright.
The Golden Rule
30-45 minute play by Deborah Solberg
This original fairy tale begins with an angel who is on a mission to earn her second wing. She runs into characters who don’t see her, but clearly have a problem respecting each other.
Baby Dragon needs dragon breath, Princess has no empathy for the Peasant who needs water, and Prince just wants to play and not slay the dragon. Joker is not funny and the Wizard is at his wits end.
They team up to create the Golden Rule,which gives Angel her second wing, and they all live happily ever after.
Not So Long Ago
30-45 minute play by Deborah Solberg
Peace is a problem-solving process.
Not So Long Ago is a fun, educational and interactive one act fairy tale; an example of how we can work out our problems to live peacefully with the spirits on earth and above.
Angel has crossed over to the other side, but wants to help her parents, the Wife and Husband, who are grieving and have to move because the country has split in two. A Fairy comes to help her help them even though no one can see or hear them.
The Kingdom of Canukland is not getting along very well. Duke BouRassy takes direction from his thumb-sucking, blanket carrying wizard, Merlinus, and Prince Mulronyd has a Dragon, named Fearless, who does not speak or breathe fire, and in fact, is very fearful.
The Maid is the narrator and describes how the Kingdom of Canukland has been split in two, Canadonia and Canadavia, and no one knows how to bring it together.
The Husband and Wife resent being forced to speak a different language, and the Husband declares
he will go to war. The Maid overhears and decides to warn the Prince.
The Angel and the Fairy wonder how they can stop it and decide to wait for the right moment to intervene.
How do they come together when they are so far apart?
Tillicum
30-45 minute play by Deborah Solberg
The title TILLICUM, is the Chinook word for FRIEND.
The play follows the friend ship of E. Pauline Johnson, Canada’s renowned poetess,and emissary to King Edward, Chief Joe Capilano from the Squamish Nation including, her poems and his stories as relayed in the book: Legends of Vancouver.
This play is an excellent educational tool to teach poetry and storytelling, and the history of two of Canada’s notable First Nations storytellers.
What Goes Around, Comes Around
30-45 minute musical by Deborah Solberg
This is a classic tale of good triumphing over evil, and the fairies, wizard and goblin take on the Queenie meanies and Sorceress.
Important themes are learning to Walk the Walk and be our best because What Goes Around, Comes Around!
This is a delightful tale for elementary school children to try vocal and character expression,with fun songs to sing and dance to.
Charlotte’s Web
30-45 minute musical by Deborah Solberg
True to the classic, Templeton the Rat helps Charlotte the Spider save Wilbur the Pig from becoming the Christmas Ham!
Wilbur is Fern’s precious little piggy, but they live on a farm,where a pig is raised to be the Christmas Ham. The Farm yard animals let Wilbur know he is next. A spider named Charlotte comes to the rescue to let him know that he has a friend.
The magical journey begins when she spins a word into her web. This is a delightful tale for elementary school children to try vocal and character expression, with fun songs to sing and dance to.
The Velveteen Rabbit
30-45 minute musical by Deborah Solberg
Play by Deborah J. Solberg
Music, score and Lyrics by Yurgen Ilander
This is the story of a toy Rabbit who wants to be loved. Girl receives Rabbit for Christmas. Once in the nursery, Rabbit learns that in order to be loved, she might get worn and torn.
When Girl gets sick, Rabbit is thrown out into the garden. Real bunnies and fairies help Rabbit learn that she is loved. Girl sees Rabbit with the real bunnies and recognizes her by the pink ribbon. They all live happily ever after.
Alice in Wonderland
40-50 minute musical by Deborah Solberg
Music and Lyrics by Yurgen Ilander, Gary Huntbach, Sanders Whiting
Synopsis:
Alice drops down the Rabbit hole into another dimension of wild and wacky characters who share their satirical view of manners.
This version is an original musical adaptation combining favorite stories from Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass. It opens with a contemporary scene as children audition for roles in the play.
It follows Alice on her journey to find herself and get home. Characters include: White Rabbit, Queen of Hearts, Mad Hatter, Doormouse, Hare, Lion, Unicorn, Humpty Dumpty, Caterpillar, Cheshire Cat, and many more.
This is a delightful tale for elementary school children to try vocal and character expression, with fun songs to sing and dance to.
Babes in Toyland
40-50 minute musical by Deborah Solberg
Music and Lyrics by Yurgen Ilander, Gary Huntbach, Sanders Whiting
Synopsis:
This lovely tale of good over evil, thanks to children, a touch of magic and the classic tune of Victor Herbert, is all you need to celebrate the holidays. This original musical adaptation is scripted by Deborah Jean Solberg with music by Yurgen Ilander, Gary Huntbach and Sanders Whiting.
The children in Nursery Rhyme Land are at the hands of the evil Madame Barbarina who only cares about money.
Jack and Jill find a way to save Mother Goose and Nursey Rhyme Land. Together with the Gypsy, they help Madame Barbarina learn about the power of giving, and they all live happily ever after.
Cinderella
40-50 minute musical by Deborah Solberg
Music tracks and lyrics by Stephen Bulat, Yurgen Ilander and Peter Abando
Synopsis:
This is the story of the girl with the shoe from a completely different perspective.
This original musical adaptation scripted by Deborah Jean Solberg with music by Stephen Bulat, Ted Yurgen Ilander and Peter Abando has a different take on the magic of the shoe.
Cinderella is a young girl, Ella, and once she becomes the servant of her stepmother and stepsisters, she is dismayed to learn that her fairy godmother is a fairy Godfather and the Mob. This hilarious rendition a salute to Princess Diana in her quest for freedom from the press.
This is a delightful tale for elementary school children to try vocal and character expression, with fun songs to sing and dance to.
Snow White
40-50 minute musical by Deborah Solberg
Music and Lyrics by Yurgen Ilander & Gary Huntbach, both vocal and instrumental
Synopsis:
Snow White wants to be loved, but the Queen wants to be the Fairest in the Land. That means Snow White must go. And never come back. Only the Ladies in Waiting, Dwarves and animals can help Snow White determine her own fate.
This original musical adaptation scripted by Deborah Jean Solberg with music by Yurgen Ilander mirrors the real story. And it’s all in the Mirror! The mirror, as all mirrors do, tells it like it really is. Even the Queen cannot escape the mirror.
Snow White must run for her life, and just like the story says, she encounters little people in the forest. But a twist in the story about true love turns this classic fairytale into a contemporary redemption story for elementary school children to try vocal and character expression, with fun songs to sing and dance to.
The Nutcracker
40 – 50 minute musical by Deborah Solberg (Script sold separately)
Music tracks and lyrics by Yurgen Ilander, adapted from the ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
Vocal and prompt tracks for each song, plus SFX (Music tracks sold separately)
Music notation by Yurgen Ilander also available (Sold separately)
40-50 minute musical adaptation by Deborah Solberg
Synopsis:
Play by Deborah J. Solberg
Music, score and Lyrics by Yurgen Ilander
The classic story of Good over Evil when Clara gets her magical Nutcracker for Christmas. She learns the true story of how “love can save the broken family.” and makes that wish for the Nutcracker. After a dramatic rescue by his sisters, Sugar Plum Fairy, he introduces Clara to his family in Candyland. A fun treat for children to act in and watch.
Drama Camp Lesson Plans – Peter Pan
Lesson plan and script adaptation of James Barrie’s Peter Pan by Deborah Solberg.
Includes music tracks and lyrics by Yurgen Ilander, both vocal and instrumental.
You may be a new teacher to the drama world, or a teacher who has been assigned drama, or you might need some new ideas. Many of the drama games are well-known and often the choice of material lies with the makeup of the group.
But over five days, kiddies can have a taste test of games, activities, bits of scenes and songs with choreography to introduce them to the very fun world of theatre. These ideas may help you in the regular classroom teach everything from language to social studies, and build self-esteem, confidence and group problem-solving.
This 5-Day lesson plan includes an original musical adaptation of James Barrie’s Peter Pan by Deborah Solberg, with music and lyrics by Jurgen Ilander.