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Rachel Lampert
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Lesley Greene
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Rachel Lampert
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Lesley Greene
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Plays/Musicals Available for Licensing
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The scripts described below are available for licensing. In most cases the casting is flexible in terms of gender. Casts are generally from 4 to 9 actors and have suggested doubling and tripling but can be divided to employ more actors. In the plays with opera, trained voices are needed. There are some roles specifically for child actors and others that can be played by a teenage and/or young adult actors. Licensing is generally per performance. Please contact Rachel. Happy to answer any questions. rachel@fitzandstartzproductions.org
Emmett & Ella: A Trilogy of Dog Tales
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Emmett & Ella: Big Apple Escapade
Book & Lyrics by Rachel Lampert
Music by Lesley Greene
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Emmett is a hound, Ella is a retriever. They live in a small town upstate with their human Louella who is an eccentric older woman and an amateur opera singer. Louella has booked a concert for herself in New York City and is excited to be headed to the Big Apple. Emmett and Ella, who go everywhere with Louella, are at first thrilled, but then disappointed to discover that she intends to leave them at home. Determined to not be left out of the trip to the big city, Emmett and Ella jump on the Greyhound Bus and arrive in a few hours. During their adventure they meet the Canine Tour Guide for a bus tour and Park Pooch in Central Park. The Doggie Docent at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Gramps, the DJ Dog at Roseland. And the Stage Door Dog at Radio City where they have gone to find Louella. Their escapade comes to a halt when they learn that Louella is cancelling her concert because she heard that her dogs were missing. Emmett and Ella have to do some pretty difficult tricks to make everything right.
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Flexible casting: Minimum – 5 (with doubling/tripling) or 8 without doubling
Emmett – a hound dog, played by a young adult
Ella – a lab retriever, played by a young adult
Louella – Emmett & Ella’s human, a senior citizen
Tour Guide/Stage Door Dog/Park Pooch (Can be played by 1 actor or divided)
Doggy Docent, Gramps (Can be played by 1 actor or divided)
Piano accompaniment - score available
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Emmett & Ella: The Puppy Plot
Book & Lyrics by Rachel Lampert
Music by Lesley Greene
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It’s summertime. Louella, Emmett and Ella’s enthusiastic and out-going human, is planning a big talent show to raise funds for a new animal shelter. She is over-the-top involved in making this the greatest event her town has ever seen. She’s also agreed to host her grandniece and grandnephew, Sierra and Adam, for a whole month. Canines Emmett and Ella can’t wait. They remember Sierra and Adam’s last visit three years earlier as the greatest time in their entire doggie lives! But when Sierra and Adam arrive, it is clear from their first hello that they are not the happy kids Emmett and Ella remember. What’s going on? Emmett and Ella race to consult with their doggie pal Rags about what they can do to make Sierra and Adam happier. But when they find Rags, they discover he has his own set of challenges: Rags has just found two abandoned puppies. Two unhappy kids, two abandoned puppies! These are the ingredients that set into motion The Puppy Plot. Will Emmett and Ella find a way to help Sierra and Adam have a better summer? Is there a forever home for the two puppies? And, will Louella’s determination result in the “best talent show, and the best animal shelter ever?” You’ll have to come see the show to find out!
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Flexible casting: (7 cast members)
Emmett – a hound dog, played by a teenager or young adult
Ella – a lab retriever, played by a teenager or young adult
Louella – Emmett & Ella’s human, a senior citizen
Rags - a dog with street smarts - played by a teenager or young adult
Sierra - Louella's grandniece - 13. Can be played by a young adult or teenager.
Adam - Louella's grandnephew. Sierra's brother - 15. Young adult or teenager.
Georgina - Louella's best friend, a senior citizen
Piano accompaniment- score available
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Emmett & Ella: A Doggone Mystery
Book & Lyrics by Rachel Lampert
Music by Lesley Greene
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Emmett and Ella, two charming and fun-loving canines were adopted by their human, Louella, nine years ago. Louella wants to surprise them with something special to celebrate their Adoption Day Anniversary and Emmett and Ella want to surprise Louella. What to do? What will make this a truly special day? Louella reads that a new French pastry chef, Bernot La Boulanger, has moved to town and decides to see if he can make something very special for her and the dogs. Coincidently, Rags, Emmett and Ella’s canine friend has been taken in by Bernot and tells Emmett and Ella that he is learning French and also how to bake. Rags offers to make a special cake for the special day. And just a few minutes later Louella and Bernot complete the plan for a special cake for the special day. When Bernot’s cake is delivered, Louella hides it from the dogs, but when she checks on it the next morning, it is gone! What happened to it? Emmett and Ella are determined to figure it out. And, what they find is “a doggone mystery!”
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Flexible Casting (Minimum 6 with doubling) or 8 with no doubling
Emmett – a hound dog, played by a young adult
Ella – a lab retriever, played by a young adult
Louella – Emmett & Ella’s human, a senior citizen
Rags - a dog with street smarts - played by a young adult
Bernot, La Boulanger – a French pastry chef with lots of flair
Squirrel/Rabbit/Possum – Can be played by one actor or divided
The Sisters Fitz&Startz: A Case for the Classics
a musical, dance and theatrical celebration of Autumn
Book & lyrics by Rachel Lampert
Music by Mozart, Schumann, Beethoven, Donizetti, & more
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The curriculum at The Sisters Fitz&Startz School of Music and Dance has not changed in many decades. Focused on the classics, sisters Ashtabula and Phlemena have been training students in the music of Beethoven, Mozart, Tschaikovsky and Chopin. And all their proteges know their ballet steps. But the times they are a-changing. There’s an undercurrent of rebellion as they plan for the Annual Autumn Celebration of the Season recital. Age versus youth, old versus new, generations must learn from each other knowing that the “show must go on!” A music, dance and song-filled event for the whole family.
Flexible casting:
Ashtabula (one-half of the sister duo) Older person (has been played by a man dressed as a woman)
Phlemena (one-half of the sister duo) Older person (has been played by a man dressed as a woman)
Eddie (10 or 11 years old*) too smart for his own good. Says what he thinks. Likes being the instigator.
Adelaide (10 or 11 years old*) smart and quick. She and Eddie are always competing. Maybe because there is some affection under it all.
Benno (10 or 11 years old*) a worried pleaser. Great singer coming into his own.
Rhonda (10 or 11 years old*) sweet and confident. Waiting to blossom.
Travis/Roberta (12 or 12 years old**) doesn’t say much but an excellent pianist
*These roles have been played by a young-looking adult actor, high school or college age
**Travis is also the music director, so he must be able to play the score. This could be a female actor
The Mystery of the Magic Flute
an operatic adventure for three young American girls on a visit to Salzburg
Book and new lyrics by Rachel Lampert
Music by Mozart
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Three American girls–Bettina age 15, Anna age 12, and Suz age 9–are off to Salzburg, Austria with their Uncle Wolfie to see the sights and experience going to the opera in Mozart’s home town. Uncle Wolfie has told his nieces about a mysterious opera house that is on a street with no name and is not on any map. Can they find it? When Uncle Wolfie turns a corner and disappears and then a mysterious door appears, the girls decide to enter. They find a company of opera singers who have been stuck in time for 125 years! Can Bets, Anna and Suz get them out of their time warp? And, how many times must they perform The Magic Flute before the spell is broken? For lovers of music, mysteries and merriment, The Mystery of the Magic Flute is a delight. Requires trained voices. Great for young opera singers/apprentices
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Casting: 11
Bettina (Bets) – age 13 oldest of the three sisters* (played by older singer who looks young)
Anna - age 11 middle sister (played by a real child)
Susannah - age 9 youngest sister (played by a real child)
Uncle Wolfie - Baritone - uncle of Bettina, Anna, and Susannah
Constanza/Queen of the Night - Soprano - oldest of three sisters
Monastatos - Baritone - Leader of the company
Alfonso/Papageno - Baritone - smart and funny
Elvira/Papagena - Mezzo - middle sister to Constanza
Elmira/Pamina - Soprano - younger sister of Constanza and Elvira
Tom/Tamino - Tenor - studious and forthright
Dorabella - Dancer in the company, sings in ensemble
Piano accompanist - score available
Flute part available
I Have a Song to Sing O!
a G&S sing-a-long musical
Book and new lyrics by Rachel Lampert
Music by Arthur Sullivan/lyrics by William Gilbert
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The Corcoran Family is obsessed with Gilbert & Sullivan. They sing their way through every day and find an appropriate song for every occasion. Unfortunately, not everyone shares their enthusiasm for the music and their new land lords are among the G&S detractors. The Corcoran’s have moved two times already this year and want to figure out how they can co- exist with their music-hating landlords, the Snivells. Many of G&S’s most popular songs are employed throughout the play and finally, in the spirit of G&S, all is resolved. Following each song used in the play, the actors break the fourth wall and invite the audience to sing-a-long in a second go round. The lyrics are projected for everyone to see. Through the course of the play the Snivells reveal why they hate music so much and everyone celebrates with a song.
Flexible casting:
9 total actors (can be more)
Corcoran Family:
3 adults–mom, dad, grandma
4 children. Children can be any combination of genders and there can be more. They should be between 8 and 16 years old.
The Snivells: Mr. and Mrs. Could be one man and one woman or two women or two men.
Winter Tales
a cautionary tale told in movement and song for a cold winter’s day
Book & lyrics by Rachel Lampert
Music by Lesley Greene
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A last-minute school closing forces Rebecca, who is 9 going on 10, “almost double digits”, to be left alone by her mother who must report to work. After lots of instructions, Rebecca’s mom leaves Rebecca and her giant cat, Muriel at home alone. Most important instruction is “to not leave the house under any circumstances.” When Muriel wants more milk and there isn’t any, Rebecca decides that Mr. Ramirez’s grocery is only a little ways away and she can make it there and back without her mother ever knowing. But the snow storm is stronger than she imagined, and she gets lost, ending up in the City of Freezeville where she meets the Ice Man who takes her to his castle of ice. Rebecca discovers she is not the only lost person the Ice Man is hosting. With the help of Muriel, the giant cat, and some quick-thinking Rebecca escapes and returns home just before her mother returns from work. Rebecca confesses what happened and she and her mother confirm that she made a bad decision, but this time she came home safely. Rebecca accepts that rules about safety are important to remember and keep.
Flexible casting. Minimum 5
Rebecca – 9 “going on 10”
Rebecca’s Mom – 30s-40s
Muriel the Cat – a dancer with good acting skills
Ice Man – Good singer, the “bad guy”
Narrator – Great story teller
Ensemble can be as many as desired.
Pianist – can join in the singing. There are flute and clarinet parts available.
Adventure in Apartment G#
an introduction to opera for the whole family
Book and new lyrics by Rachel Lampert and Nathan Hilgartner
Music by Mozart, Rossini, Dvorak
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Nine-year-old Bernadette is excited to be spending the weekend with her Uncle Howard in Manhattan and especially looking forward to the wonderful desserts he creates especially for her. In fact, a weekend with Uncle Howard would be perfect except that he listens to opera constantly, and Bernadette is not an opera fan. Shortly after Uncle Howard sings her a lullaby, tucks her into bed and tiptoes away, some strange things begin to happen-an operatic dream, or a singing nightmare?
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Bernadette is transported back in time to a faraway land where she is mistaken for a servant girl and finds herself sorting out the complicated lives of two sisters, two brothers, and a father who is determined to see at least one of his daughters married to one of those brothers! Lots of zaniness and lots of beautiful singing ensue.
Casting: 6 (with doubling)
Bernadette/Despina - 9-years-old, plays Bernadette and Despina in dream
Uncle Howard/Don Horatio - Baritone - plays Howard and in the dream Don Horatio
Carlotta - Soprano - Pushy, arrogant young aristocrat
Rosalina - Soprano - Cousin to Carlotta - sweet and smart
Alphonso - Bari-tenor - Brother of Alfredo. Alphonso is full of himself. Braggart.
Alfredo - Bari-tenor - Shy and inexperienced. Means well, but very timid.
Pianist accompanist - score available