Fables and Folk-tale Plays for Children and Teens

Plays with Flexible Casting

(These plays contain characters which can be played by either male or female actors.)

A Tree Called Aesop
Full-length play for 20-60 actors. Features ten fables told individually. Flexible cast! (10 credits.)

Stone Soup Script
10 minutes long. Parts for 20+ actors (flexible cast). Best suited for ages 6-10. Includes study guide, production notes and more! (3 credits.)

La Mariposa Script and Activities
20+ parts, but can be flexible. Includes production notes, discussion questions and extension activities! (3 credits.)

The Fisherman and His Wife
4-25 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes long. Based on the classic tale, The Fisherman and His Wife.

It Could be Worse
Five-minute play. 20 parts. Best-suited for ages 6-10. Includes discussion questions, production notes and extension activities! (3 credits)

How the Beetle Got Her Colors
19+ characters; 2M, 1F, 16 Either; Flexible casting; 36 pages in length. Approximately 45 minutes running time. A musical play about Latin folktales written by Carlos Perez.

The Crowded House
16-20 roles, flexible casting, approximately 10 minutes long. A Yiddish Folktale about a family who thinks their home is too small for them.

Spider Besider

16 characters. Flexible casting; 15 pages in length. Approximately 15-20 minutes running time. A Native American folktale (with classroom materials) adapted by August Mergelman. (3 Credits)

Deer Mouse Vs. The World
16 characters; 10M, 6F; Flexible casting; 11 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A comedic, Southeast Asian fable for children written by Gemma Goodwin.

Aesop Remixed
15+ characters, flexible casting, approximately 15 minutes. Comedy script that combines Aesop’s fables, “The Lion and the Mouse” and “The Tortoise and the Hare”.

Cormorant and Rainbow Snake
Short script based on a Venezuelan myth. Parts for 15, flexible cast. Ages 6-10. Includes activities and more! (3 credits.)

How the Camel Got Its Hump
6-30+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 5 minutes long. An origin animal origin story about how the camel got its hump. Based on the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.

How the Elephant Got Its Trunk
6-30+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 12 minutes long. An origin story about how the elephant got its trunk. Based on the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.

How the Kangaroo Got Its Jump
3-30+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 5 minutes long. An origin animal origin story about how the camel got its hump. Based on the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.

How the Rhinoceros Got Its Wrinkly Skin
3-30+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 5 minutes long. An animal origin story about how the rhinoceros got its wrinkly skin. Based on the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.

How the Whale Got Its Throat
3-30+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 5 minutes long. An origin animal origin story about how the whale got its throat. Based on the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.

Chinese New Year Zodiac Script
14 characters. Approximately 20 minutes running time. Funny and poetic play script featuring the animals of the Chinese zodiac. Animals speak in verse. Adapted by Jennifer Reif.

Why Bananas Belong to the Monkeys
14+ characters. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Fun trickster tale play script from Brazil about monkeys and bananas.

The Best Treasure Ever
14 characters. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Tall tale adaptation of a Polish folk tale-includes song lyrics.

Fancy Nancy & the Ants
14 characters. Flexible casting; 16 pages in length. Approximately 15-20 minutes running time. A West African folktale (with classroom materials) adapted by August Mergelman. (3 Credits)

Room in the Forest
6-13 characters of any gender. Approximately 20 minutes running time. A modern fable of how humans and animals can live in harmony. This original and educational play is by Carlos Perez.

Brer Rabbit and the Day of Learning
10+ characters with flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. An original take on the Brer Rabbit trickster tale with lots of animal friends. Written by Malcom Henty.

Robin Hood
10 characters; 5M, 1F, 4Either; Flexible casting; 14 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A comedic adaptation of the English folktale by written by Andy Pavey.

Stone Soup with Simple songs
10 characters. Approximately 10 minutes long. Based on the folktale about sharing with strangers. Includes simple songs to familiar tunes.

The Nobleman’s Bride
8-12 characters, flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short play about a nobleman who goes about finding a wife the wrong way. By Debra A. Cole.

How Anansi Got His Stories
9-15 characters, for ages 6-10. Ten-minute play based on a popular African folk-tale.

Brer Rabbit Tricks Brer Fox
9 characters with flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. An original take on the familiar Brer Rabbit Down the Well tale. Written by Malcom Henty.

Mr. Man’s Candy Store, A Brer Rabbit Tale
8+ characters with flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. An original take on the Brer Rabbit trickster tale with lots of animal friends. Written by Malcom Henty.

The Corpse Bride
8 characters. 3F, 2M, 3 Either; Flexible casting; 15 pages in length. Approximately 15 minutes running time. A Jewish folktale for teens written by Jack Helbig.

Brer Rabbit and Sister Swan’s Daughter
7+characters with flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Funny and short playscript about the trickster Brer Rabbit and many other animal friends. Written by Malcom Henty.

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock
7+ characters. Flexible casting; 8 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. An African folktale about Anansi the Spider adapted by Jenifer King.

The Fox and the Crow
7 characters; Flexible Cast; 11 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A comedic adaptation of the fable written by Andy Pavey.

Jump
7 characters; 6M, 1F; Flexible casting; 13 pages in length. Approximately 15 minutes running time. An adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fable written by Marino-Moana Begman.

Chicken Little
7 characters; Flexible cast; 8 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A comedy based on the classic fairy tale written by Andy Pavey.

Belling the Cat
7 characters; Flexible cast. 6 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A comedic adaptation of the classic fable written by Andy Pavey.

The Straw Millionaire
7 characters; Flexible cast; 6 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A comedy based on the Japanese folk tale written by Andy Pavey.

Hey Diddle Diddle
7 characters; Flexible cast. 4 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. An adaptation of the nursery rhyme written by Andy Pavey.

The Unlucky Man
7 characters; Flexible cast. 3 pages in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time (depending on casting). An Irish folk-tale adapted by Janea Dahl.

Boogie Shoes
7 characters, any gender. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Adaptation of a Japanese folk tale.

Honey Cakes
7 characters, 4M 3F flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short play adaptation from a story in ‘The Arabian Nights’ by Debra A. Cole.

Cutting the Strings
6 characters, flexible gender. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Play adaptation of a Burmese folk tale. Students play life-sized puppets!

The First Fire
6+ characters; Flexible cast. 1 page in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time (depending on casting). An Aboriginal pantomime play for children adapted by Janea Dahl.

Three Fish Friends
6 characters; Flexible casting. 3 pages in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time. An adaptation of an Indian Panchatantra fable written by Neha Bhatt.

Dinner for Lion
6 characters; flexible casting; 2 pages in length. Approximately 3 minutes running time. A short African folk tale.

The Honorable Woodsman
5 characters, 1M, 2F, 2 any gender. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Play adaptation of a Jean La Fontaine fable.

Stonecutter Script
5 minutes long. Parts for 6 actors. Best suited for ages 7-13, however, this story is really ageless and may be performed by children all the way up to adults.

Jaguar and Deer
5+ characters; Flexible cast. 3 pages in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time. A South American folk tale adapted by Janea Dahl.

The Moon and Her Mother
5+ characters. Approximately 3 minutes running time. Short play based on an Aesop fable.

The Town Mouse and The Country Mouse
5 characters; Flexible cast; 6 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A comedy for children based on the classic folk tale written by Andy Pavey.

The Wishing Pond
6 characters, 1F, 5 any gender. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Short play based on an African American folk tale.

A Golden Peace of Mind
4 characters, 1M, 1F, 2 any gender. Approximately 7 minutes running time. Short play that teaches the value of believing in yourself!

The Lost Letters of Mother Goose
4+ characters; 1F; 3+ Either; Flexible casting; 11 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A comedy based on a nursery rhyme written by Robin Blasberg.

The Adventures of Don Marcos Sebastian Guevara Fantastico
4 Characters. Approximately 30 minutes running time. An unlikely pair teams up to defeat the school bullies in this playful script. Perfect for elementary, middle school, or school assemblies.

Brer Rabbit Meets Brer Lion
4 characters with flexible casting. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Original take on a Brer Rabbit trickster tale using rhyming couplets. Written by Malcom Henty.

How Chipmunk Got His Stripes
4 characters, 3 minutes long. Native American Legend about how the chipmunk got his stripes.

The Smell of Soup the Sound of Money
3 minutes long. Parts for 4 actors. Best suited for ages 7-13, however, this story is really ageless and may be performed by children all the way up to adults. Includes one page of extension activities and discussion questions.

Stone Soup Radio Play
3-9 characters. 9 pages long. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Radio play adaptation of the classic fable.

Boomerang
3 characters; Flexible cast. 2 pages in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time. An Australian folk tale adaptation written by Janea Dahl.

Whole Class Plays

A Tree Called Aesop
Full-length play for 20-60 actors. Features ten fables told individually. Flexible cast! (10 credits.)

Baba Yaga
25+ characters. 1M, 7F, 17+ Either; 50 pages in length. Approximately 50-60 minutes running time. A comedic folktale for children and teens written by Jack Helbig. (10 credits)

The Rough-Face Girl
10-30 characters. 5+F, 3+M; 10 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A Native American Cinderella story adapted by Jenifer King.

Stone Soup Script
10 minutes long. Parts for 20+ actors (flexible cast). Best suited for ages 6-10. Includes study guide, production notes and more! (3 credits.)

La Mariposa Script and Activities
20+ parts, but can be flexible. Includes production notes, discussion questions and extension activities! (3 credits.)

Fables to Perform
34 fables in paragraph (not script) form, ready to print and perform with your group!

Short Stories from Around the World
34 short stories from around the world for students of all ages to turn into skits and short plays. Includes instructions for younger students and older students.

Nasrudin Stories to Perform
40 funny short stories that offer life lessons. Organized by number of parts and set up so that they are easy to print, cut apart and hand out to groups.

Plays for Smaller Groups

The Rough-Face Girl
10-30 characters. 5+F, 3+M; 10 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A Native American Cinderella story adapted by Jenifer King.

Kiwis Gift
7-30+ characters, for ages 6-10. Ten-minute play based on a popular New Zealand folk tale.

Little Red Hen
5-22 characters, for ages 6-10. Ten-minute play based on a popular European folk-tale.(3 credits)

How Anansi Got His Stories
4 minutes long. Parts for 10-20 actors. Best suited for ages 6-10.

Cormorant and Rainbow Snake
Short script based on a Venezuelan myth. Parts for 15, flexible cast. Ages 6-10. Includes activities and more! (3 credits.)

Anansi and the Weird Rock
4 minutes long. Parts for 7-15 actors. Best suited for ages 6-10.

Fancy Nancy & the Ants
4 minutes long. Parts for 7-15 actors. Best suited for ages 6-10.

To Freeze or Not to Freeze
10+ characters. 10 minutes running time. Folk tale featuring the classic Eastern character, ‘Juha.’

Rainbow Crow
4 minutes long. Parts for 10-14 actors. Best suited for ages 6-10.

The Mind-Boggling, Spine-Tingling Math Race Between Cottontails and Turtledoves
12 characters. 6F, 6M, 17 pages in length. Approximately 15-20 minutes running time. An adaptation of Aesop’s fable written by Denis Meadows.

The King is in Double Trouble
13 characters. 7M, 6F; 16 pages in length. Approximately 15-20 minutes running time. A medieval comedy for children and teens written by Terence Patrick Hughes.

Pecos Bill and the Rip-Roaring Tornado
12 characters. 2M, 4F, 6 Either; 6 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A western adventure for children written by Corinna Rezzelle.

Turtle’s Race with Beaver
6 minutes long. Parts for 12 actors. Best suited for ages 6-10.

Baba Yaga’s Black Geese
3 minutes long. Parts for 11-12 actors. Best suited for ages 8-12.

Stowaway Toad
2 minutes long. Parts for 8-12 actors. Best suited for ages 6-10.

Chipmunk and Bear
6 minutes long. Parts for 11 actors. Best suited for ages 6-10.

Robin Hood
10 characters; 5M, 1F, 4Either; Flexible casting; 14 pages in length. Approximately 10-15 minutes running time. A comedic adaptation of the English folktale by written by Andy Pavey.

How Anansi Got His Stories
9-15 characters, for ages 6-10. Ten-minute play based on a popular African folk-tale.

The Tortoise and the Hare
8 minutes long. Parts for ten actors. Humorous re-telling of the classic Aesop’s fable. Best suited for ages 6-11.

The Corpse Bride
8 characters. 3F, 2M, 3 Either; Flexible casting; 15 pages in length. Approximately 15 minutes running time. A Jewish folktale for teens written by Jack Helbig.

Fables to Perform
34 fables in paragraph (not script) form, ready to print and perform with your group!

Monkey Hats Script
5 minutes long. Parts for 9+ actors (flexible cast). Best suited for ages 6-10.

The Stonecutter
9 characters. 4M, 1F, 4 Either; 10 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. An adaptation of the folktale about humility by Terence Patrick Hughes.

The Enormous Turnip
9 characters; Flexible cast. 3 pages in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time (depending on casting). A Russian folktale for children with study guide adapted by Janea Dahl.

Monkey and the Mango
8+ characters, for ages 6-10. Ten-minute play based on a popular Asian folk-tale.

Billy Goats Gruff
7 minutes long. Parts for 8 actors. Humorous re-telling of the classic Norwegian fairy tale. For ages 7-10.

The Firefly and the Ants
8 characters; Flexible Cast; 5 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A comedic fable written by Andy Pavey.

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock
7+ characters. Flexible casting; 8 pages in length. Approximately 10 minutes running time. An African folktale about Anansi the Spider adapted by Jenifer King.

The Fox and the Crow
7 characters; Flexible Cast; 11 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A comedic adaptation of the fable written by Andy Pavey.

Jump
7 characters; 6M, 1F; Flexible casting; 13 pages in length. Approximately 15 minutes running time. An adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fable written by Marino-Moana Begman.

Chicken Little
7 characters; Flexible cast; 8 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A comedy based on the classic fairy tale written by Andy Pavey.

Peter’s Big Adventure
7 minutes long, parts for 7 actors. Ages 7-10. Adaptation of the classic story by Beatrix Potter.

Peter Rabbit
7 characters; 4F; 3M. 7 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. An adaptation of the classic tale written by Andy Pavey.

Belling the Cat
7 characters; Flexible cast. 6 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A comedic adaptation of the classic fable written by Andy Pavey.

The Straw Millionaire
7 characters; Flexible cast; 6 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A comedy based on the Japanese folk tale written by Andy Pavey.

Three Blind Mice
7 characters; 1M, 1F; 5 Either; 5 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. A comedy for children based on the nursery rhyme written by Andy Pavey.

Hey Diddle Diddle
7 characters; Flexible cast. 4 pages in length. Approximately 5 minutes running time. An adaptation of the nursery rhyme written by Andy Pavey.

The Unlucky Man
7 characters; Flexible cast. 3 pages in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time (depending on casting). An Irish folk-tale adapted by Janea Dahl.

Boogie Shoes
7 characters, any gender. Approximately 10 minutes running time. Adaptation of a Japanese folk tale.

Nanuk and the Hunter
Short script based on a Canadian legend. Parts for 7 actors. Ages 6-10. Includes activities and more! (3 credits).

The First Fire
6+ characters; Flexible cast. 1 page in length. Approximately 1-5 minutes running time (depending on casting). An Aboriginal pantomime play for children adapted by Janea Dahl.

The Miser and His Gold
6 characters; 2M, 2F, 2Either; 9 pages in length. Approximately 5-10 minutes running time. A comedic adaptation of the fable written by Andy Pavey.

The Ants and the Grasshopper
6 minutes long. Parts for six actors. Humorous re-telling of the classic folk-tale.

Mary Had a Little Lamb
5 minutes long. Parts for 6 actors. Comedic short script based on the traditional nursery rhyme.

Anansi the Trickster Spider and a Witch Named ‘Five’
3 minutes long. Parts for 6 actors. Best suited for ages 6-10.