Plays of the American Experience

Subtitled 25 Fascinating Stories for the Classroom or Stage, Plays of the American Experience is a unique Collection of 25 short plays that brings to life critical moments in American history

Most of the characters are not famous figures or even factual, instead they represent ordinary Americans who did not make history, but rather lived history

And it's through them we experience the past

Each of the 25 plays runs about 10 minutes

They can be read aloud

Or simply staged in the classroom

Or else fully staged with the help of complete set and costume descriptions included with each play

And to further enhance their educational value, each of the plays includes background information of the historical situation and explains what happened after the event

These engaging scenes capture the essence of the American spirit and are ideal for middle school or high school drama classes

Cast sizes range from two to eight and they offer roles equally for male and female

The 25 plays are ...

1845--Without Ice (3M, 3F)

1863--Her First Decision (2F)

1865--Laura Keene's Big Night (5M, 3F)

1873--The Good Fight (1M, 3F)

1888--Breaker Boy (2M, 2F)

1891--Beaded Souvenirs for Sale (1M, 4F)

1906--Music in the Air (2M, 2F)

1909--The Letter E (2M, 4F)

1918--Caught in the Wire (1M, 3F)

1920--Tiny Pieces of Light (2M, 2F)

1927--Lamb Chops and Pineapple (4M, 2F)

1933--Bread and Soup (4M, 3F)

1937--Lady Lindy (1M, 1F)

1938--We Interrupt This Program (1M, 4F)

1939--Poison (1M, 2F)

1941--Sunday Morning (1M, 3F)

1943--Add One Cup of Sugar (1M, 3F)

1945--VJ Day Blues (2M, 4F)

1951--'Til Further Notice (2M, 3F)

1955--Waiting for the Bus (4F)

1957--About the Size of a Beach Ball (1M, 3F)

1959--Adios, Havana (4M, 2F)

1964--All My Loving (4F)

1972--A Triangle Box Frame (2M, 3F)

1973--Just Like a Toaster (1M, 3F)

REVIEWS

"A highly recommended collection of short 10-minute plays that are particularly well-suited for middle to high school presentation under all kinds of conditions. Students will absorb historical facts and the social sentiments of various times; audiences will receive food for thought through hard-hitting aftermaths that cement the lasting impacts of these events. Educators seeking powerfully-crafted scenes that hold high interest for students normally resistant to learning history could do no better than to choose this versatile, compelling collection as their foundation text for not just teaching drama, but adding life to the American history learning experience" ~ D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer -- Midwest Book Review