Treasure Island
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Excerpt Terms & Conditions This excerpt is available to assist you in the play selection process. You may view, print and download any of our excerpts for perusal purposes. Excerpts are not intended for performance, classroom or other academic use. In any of these cases you will need to purchase playbooks via our website or by phone, fax or mail. A short excerpt is not always indicative of the entire work, and we strongly suggest reading the whole play before planning a production or ordering a cast quantity of scripts. Family Plays Robert Louis Stevenson’s TREASURE ISLAND Adapted by R. Rex Stephenson © Family Plays TREASURE ISLAND Drama. Adapted By R. Rex Stephenson Cast: 15 to 35m. and w. This play shows a high- or middle-school class bringing Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island to the stage. It is an attempt by Stevenson’s stepson, Lloyd, to help his father write his first book for young people. Therefore, the produc- tion should always have the style of schoolchildren attempting to create their own drama. Set pieces and costumes should be simple—more representative than accurate. Props should be as children would create them; thus, the swords are wooden, not real; gun fire should either be made off stage or with caps. The play is designed to utilize actors from age 6 to adult. (Teenag- ers can play the adult roles. If mature actors are available to play the Squire, etc., a simple line can be added about par- ents helping in the classroom). Normally the main characters should be portrayed by the older actors, while sailors, pirates, etc., can be portrayed by younger cast members. The key to the style is that the class is enthusiastic and sincere in the effort to create an adventure from Stevenson’s ideas. Keep the play honest and sincere and don’t allow it to get too cute. The play may be performed by junior and senior high-school students or by all adults or by a blend of adult actors and young people. All who are in the cast must be in the opening scene in Mrs. Wilson’s class. Since a class is supposedly presenting this play, either gender can portray any role, with the exeption of Lloyd and Stevenson. (If an all-adult cast is desired, Jim and Lloyd’s roles can be combined simply by having Lloyd ask his father to play Jim Hawkins and by eliminating the auditions.) Approxi- mate running time: 70 minutes. Code: TR7. ISBN-13 978-0-88680-413-8 ISBN-10 0-88680-413-2 311 Washington St., Woodstock, IL 60098-3308 Phone: (800) 448-7469 / (815) 338-7170 Fax: (800) 334-5302 / (815) 338-8981 www.FamilyPlays.com Treasure Island © Family Plays Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island Adapted into a 2-Act Play by R. Rex Stephenson Family Plays 311 Washington St., Woodstock, IL 60098 © Family Plays *** NOTICE *** The amateur and stock acting rights to this work are controlled exclusively by FAMILY PLAYS without whose permission in writing no performance of it may be given. Royalty must be paid every time a play is performed whether or not it is presented for profit and whether or not admission is charged. A play is performed any time it is acted before an audience. Current royalty rates, applications and re- strictions may be found at our website www.FamilyPlays.com, or we may be con- tacted by mail at: FAMILY PLAYS, 311 Washington St., Woodstock, IL 60098. COPYRIGHT LAW GIVES THE AUTHOR OR THE AUTHOR’S AGENT THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO MAKE COPIES. This law provides authors with a fair return for their creative efforts. Authors earn their living from the royalties they receive from book sales and from the performance of their work. 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For performance of any songs, music and recordings mentioned in this play which are in copyright, the permission of the copyright owners must be obtained or other songs and recordings in the public domain substituted. © 1995 by REX STEPHENSON Printed in the United States of America All Rights Reserved (TREASURE ISLAND) ISBN: 978-0-88680-413-8 © Family Plays IMPORTANT BILLING AND CREDIT REQUIREMENTS All producers of the play must give credit to the author(s) of the play in all pro- grams distributed in connection with performances of the play and in all instances in which the title of the play appears for purposes of advertising, publicizing or otherwise exploiting the play and/or a production. The name of the author(s) must also appear on a separate line, on which no other name appears, immediately following the title, and must appear in size of type not less than fifty percent the size of the title type. Biographical information on the author(s), if included in the playbook, may be used in all programs. In all programs this notice must appear: “Produced by special arrangement with Family Plays of Woodstock, Illinois” © Family Plays iii ABOUT THE PLAY Theplay may beperformed by juniorand seniorhigh schoolstudents or by all adults orby a blend of adult actors and youngpeople. Anywhere from 15 to 35 people populate the play depending on the director's desire or the size of the stage. However, all who are in the cast must be in the opening scene in Mrs. Wilson's class. (If an all-adult cast is desired,Jim and Lloyd's roles can becombined simply by having Lloyd ask RLS to play Jim Hawkins and by eliminating the auditions.) Thisplay shows a high schoolor middle schoolclass bringing Robert LouisStevenson's TREASUREISLAND to the stage. It is an attemptby RLS's stepson Lloyd to help his father write his first book for young people. Therefore, theproduction should always have the style of school children attempting to createtheir own drama. Set pieces and costumes should be simple: more representative than accurate. Props should be as children would createthem, thus the swords are wooden,not real; gun fire should eitherbe madeoff stageor with caps (do not use real guns on stage; even blanks cankill or maim). The play is designed to utilize actors from age six to adult (Teenagers canplay the adult roles. If mature actors are available to play theSquire, etc., a simple line can be added about parents helping in the c lasm). sroo Normally the main characters should be portrayed by the actors, while sailors, pirates, etc., canbe portrayed by younger cast members. The key to the style is that the class is enthusiastic and sincerein the effortto createan adventure fromStevenson's ideas. Keep the play honest and sincere and don't allow it to get too cute. Since a is supposedlypresenting this play, either sex can portray anyrole, with the exception ofLloyd andRLS. The play runs aboutan hour and ten minutes. -Rex Stephenson From a review of the premiere by Mike Trochim in FRANKUN NEWS POST: "As a parent,Ihadmanyreasons for likingthe show.RexStephenson's is good, wholesome entertainment for all ages... One couldn't ask for a better to increase child's for live theater... One thing my children and I could agree on-TREASURE ISLAND is just plain, good fun. I made no objection when they insisted I take them to se e the play a second time." © Family Plays iv TREASURE ISLAND Cast in order ofappearance RLS-Robert Louis Stevenson; about 35 years old LLOYD-His stepson,a young ladof 13, bright,confident, and cheerful 1EACHER-Mrs. Wilson; somewhere between 35 and 50 JIM-Canbe a girl or boy; plays thestory's central character; about 13, similar in size to Lloyd BLACK DOG/ISRAEL HANDS-Ap irate; should be one of the biggest members of cast; evil character. LONG JOHN one·legged pirate thatneeds a crutch; he should be both charmingand evil ashe leads thepirates and fools Jim andhis friends; however, we should always feel thatLong John likes Jim andis concerned for his welfare; deepdown he is a good person CAPTAIN BILL-The old pirate who once sailed with Flint andSilver; while gruff, he to o sincerely likes Jim; can double with Ben Gunn DOCTOR LIVESEY-About 35 years of age; always treats Jim as an equal PEW-The blind evil old pirate who delivers the Black Spot; he uses a largepole to makehis way; should speakin a deliberate manner that suggests evil and wickedness SQUIRE 1RELAWNEY -A rich landlord who lives nearJim; he is the oldest memberof the casL He is easily excitable, fast to accuseand should beportrayed with a somewhat comic sense of dignity MORGAN-A pirate; quick to anger CAPTAIN SMOLLETT-About 30 years old, he is straightforward and wants things done by theboo k; with a couple of line changes, could double with teacher,Mrs. Wilson BENGUNN-The marooned sailor Jim discovers on the island; he speaks quicklyand is very nervous;he should beportrayed with a bit of humor Numerous sailors, pirates, tavernpatrons, etc. © Family Plays v First produced by The Blue Ridge Dinner Theatre of Ferrum, Va., with the following cast (most performers played several roles; they are listedhere by the name of their frrst appearanceonly): RL.