Synopsis
All the World's a Stage
Published by Dramatists Play Service
Large Mixed Cast
They can be anything they want to be - a procedure which is objected to by the Interrupter, who breaks in on them. When he is overruled, however, he elects to be a gangster, and takes everyone's money
Soon the others, perhaps affected by his actions, begin to bicker and disagree, until the Producer's Son appears and implores them to stop
But they are soon in open challenge, and it is decided that the Producer's Son, who stands in the way of their selfish interests, must be removed. He is roughly dragged off, but not before warning all the Boys and Girls that they must not allow the pressure of a few to destroy what is best for the many
After his departure, however, it is the worst, not the best, which emerges, and the Narrators are hard pressed to explain that only by allowing free choice could the Professor know who deserved credit for doing well
Then, quietly, the Producer's Son returns, to reassure them that as long as even one good actor remains on stage the play can be saved - no matter how hopeless it may seem
For the play is as long as the world, all of us are the actors and actresses, it is our play
Conceived for production at England's Coventry Cathedral, this charming and beautifully written play is designed specifically for presentation by children of grade school age and older
Set on an open stage, it offers a large number of brief acting parts which, within the 25-minute span of the play, are blended into a uniquely meaningful theatrical and moral experience. Especially appropriate for contest, church and school use
Cast requires 13 boys and 7 girls