Great Scripts to Introduce Drama

I think if I see one more presentation of "The Wizard of Oz," I'm going to lose it. There are more plays that are good "beginner" student plays that are great to introduce to your students! I worked in a small school and couldn't have a full-blown drama class and so I had to use bits and pieces of time to introduce good literature and plays.

At first, I wanted to have the kids read plays, but their eyes glossed over. They groaned at the page count. It obviously didn't excite them.

 

So I tried something new. I handed out scripts. Highlighted lines. Stage directions. They latched to a character. They compared parts with their friends. Switching to scripts and having them read them aloud brought new life to stories and plays!

Are you unsure of what stories can be easily converted to scripts OR scripts that are set up for beginners? I used almost all of these almost every year to get the kids excited about literature and plays and it was a hit!

1. Ransom of Red Chief - O. Henry

You may figure out quickly that I have a soft spot for O. Henry. I love watching the students realize the surprise ending that he writes so cleverly. This one has villains, a kid, and lots of laughs. This is a great one for students that want a little comedy mixed in. It's a little bit longer, but engaging. If you can't find a version in a script form, it would be super easy to do yourself with a narrator. 

Clicking here will lead you to a PDF download of the story.

2. The Open Window - Saki

Another surprise ending! This story has a compelling female character at the forefront and a few more characters than some of the other stories. A little bit of dark humor and a surprise that holds until the very, very end. Talk about dramatic! This story is shorter too and was easy to adapt to a script. 

Clicking on this link will lead you to a PDF download of the story.

3. Arsenic and Old Lace - Joseph Kesselring

If you haven't seen the classic Cary Grant movie of the same thing, stop what you're doing and go find a place to watch it online RIGHT now. If you've seen this one, the play is excellent for students. It's not difficult to follow, full of surprises, and has fun, expressive characters. A guy that thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt? Two little old ladies? A crazy brother? (This would be a GREAT pre-Halloween read!) It's a win all-around! If you want only a short cutting from this play, I recommend using the scene where (spoiler alert!) Mortimer finds the body in window seat and confronts his sweet old aunts for the truth. I did this scene with my kids at a competition and they got high marks. It's so much fun!

You can find more information about the play here.

4. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkein

Tolkein wrote a lot of stories that adapt well to scripts, but the "Riddles in the Dark" from the Hobbit is a fun one. I encouraged my students to do their own version of Gollum, and not to just copy the movie version. Since most students were familiar with The Hobbit in some form or other, this one took less explanation and I could add or subtract students depending on how I divided up the narrator parts. They loved it!

You can find the same script I used at a competition on this website under "Riddles in the Dark."

5. Cyrano de Bergerac - Edmond Rostand

Which one of these is not like the others? I know, Cyrano seems like a weird choice here, but it's a simple premise and has an iconic scene at the balcony, and most translations are easy for students to understand. Don't believe me? My kids did this scene at a local competition and placed!

You can find the same script I used in my TeachersPayTeachers store.

6. Blind Date - Horton Foote

This is a shorter play and can be done in its entirety or as a cutting. This funny play about a date-gone-wrong incorporates several characters who are all humorous in very different ways. This play is a great introduction to Horton Foote's work.

If you've never read this one, read an excerpt here. This scene is between a bossy aunt and a free-spirited niece. 

7. After Twenty Years - O. Henry

Ok, I might have snuck in one more O. Henry story. This one is probably the shortest of all the stories I highlighted but still good! It can be read as is or could easily be made into a script with multiple narrators. My students loved the ending!

You can read it here. (It's a PDF download of the story.)

Looking for a few more ideas? Look into Our Town by Thorton Wilder (the Stage Manager character might take some explanation or The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

I hope this list was helpful! Do you know of some more stories that are great for students who are just starting to dip their toe into drama? Tell me more in the comments below!

Leave a Comment