Author Archives: jsipos

THE MISFITS garners national attention

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The high school cast for the PIOS residency in Park City

My adaptation of James Howe’s amazing book The Misfits continues to garner awards and notice. The story focuses on four seventh graders (who are misfits) stand up to bullying in their school by running for student government on a No Name Calling platform. It was named one of the top 10 productions in Omaha for 2011 by the Omaha World Herald.   AND it was one of two plays selected by AATE’s Playwrights in Our Schools program.  I went to Park City Utah (where the paper called me a renowned playwright) in March to do a play development residency with the high school and their great director D’acry Benicosa (I expanded the cast).

The Misfits was also featured in TCG’s American Theater Magazine in an article called The Defenders which focused on how theater is used to make a difference about bullying.  The play will also be featured at the summer American Alliance for Theater and Education conferenceat a session about new play development with high schools.

The 2011 professional production at the Omaha Theater Company

Totally True Tall Tales of Pecos Bill: The Musical

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A new musical comedy about the tall tale Texas cowboy Pecos Bill told through the eyes of Slue Foot Sue and her Hot Foot Granny. Production uses traditional cowboy songs in public domain (such as Yellow Rose of Texas, Get Along Little Doggies, etc).

Production History  2004 St. Stephen the Martyr All School Musical (youth production) 2002 Omaha Theater Company (Youth production) 2000 Papillion La Vista Arts Network (Youth production)

Cast Size: 12-50 actors (a professional actor smaller cast version for 10 actors:5m/5f is also available)

For a scene sample of Totally True Tall Tales of Pecos Bill: The Musical click here

Go to the contact page to request a persusal copy, the smaller cast professional actor copy, or to inquire about royalties

Tall Tale Heroes of Americana Show

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A turn of the century medicine show troupe of players performs three patriotic tall tale hero stories: Paul Bunyan, John Henry, and Sally Fink.

Production History
2002 Omaha Theater Company (Mainstage professional production)

Cast Size: for a minimum of 5 actors (2f/3m)

For a scene sample of Tall Tale Heroes of Americana Show click here

Stronger Than Strong: American Tall Tale Heroiness

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Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett from Omaha Theater Company Afterschool Drama final performance

An 1880′s medicine show sells its strength elixir by entertaining the crowd with tales of strong women who drank the elixir including Slue Foot Sue (the cowgirl); Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett (the Tennessee frontier gal) and Annie Christmas (New Orleans Keelboater).

Production History
2006 Papillion Arts Camp (youth production), 2011 Omaha Theater Company (youth production)

Cast Size: 12-40+ actors (a professional cast of 6-8 actors draft is being developed)

Click here to read a scene sample from Stronger Than Strong: American Tall Tale Heroines

Go to the contact page for a full perusal copy, to inquire about the professional actor version) or to inquire about royalties.

Spoiled Princess, The: A Grimms Fairy Tale

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A beautiful, but pampered princess publicly humiliates all of her suitors, including a kind young prince. Then the princess is given a gift of a minstrel from an anonymous prince, she dismisses the minstrel and sends him to sing to the pigs. However, the minstrel eventually tricks the princess into kissing him. When her father catches them, the princess is forced to marry this poor minstrel. When she must work in the kitchen for the kind young prince whom she rejected earlier, her humiliation is complete. The humbled princess, though, still has one more surprise in store for her.

Production History
2007 Summer Camp Youth Production, Papillion NE

Cast Size: for a minimum of 4 actors (2f/2m)

For a scene sample of The Spoiled Princess: A Grimms Fairy Tale click here

Sacagawea: Discovering History

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Jane is a 14 year old who is dragged along on a family road trip following the route of the Corps of Discovery led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. History comes to life for her though when the family reaches Ft. Mandan, South Dakota, where Sacagawea, a 16 year old Shoshoni Native American, joined the 1804 expedition.

Production History
2003 Omaha Theater Company professional Black Box production and local tour; 2002 Omaha Theater Company Black Box professional production

Cast Size: for 3 actors (1f/2m)

For a scene sample of Sacagawea: Discovering History click here

Pride Players, The Best of

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A collection of skits, parodies, scenes and monologues exploring created by teens exploring the challenges and successes of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered or straight allied teens

Production History
1999-present Omaha Theater Company (Teen productions)

Awards/Reviews
2006 National Education Association’s Human and Civil Rights Award Winner; 2011 Heartland Pride Parade Grand Marshalls; 2011 Omaha Arts and Entertainment Awards winner for best performance for young audiences; 2012 American Alliance for Theater and Education Featured Conference Performance;

Cast Size: 10-30 actors (6f/4m)

For a scene sample of The Best of Pride Players click here

Go to the contact page to receive a perusal script or to inquire about royalties (no royalties are charged if young actors are performing these skits for free.  Otherwise royalties go towards the Tracy Iwersen Pride Player college scholarship fund)

NEBRASKALAND! The New Nebraska History Theme Park

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A TIE play where audience is put in role to help planners decide which famous Nebraskans to honor first in the theme park. (can be adapted for other state histories)

Production History
1999-present Omaha Theater Company (school tour)

Cast Size: for 3 actors (2f/1m)

For a scene sample of NEBRASKALAND! The New Nebraska History Theme Park click here

Miss Bindergarten Welcomes You To Kindergarten

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Adaptation of 3 popular picture books by Joseph Slate about a Border Collie Kindergarten Teacher and her 26 animal students

Production History
2009 Omaha Theater Company national tour; 2007 Omaha Theater Company Mainstage Production

Cast Size: for a minimum of 6 actors (3m/3f)

For a scene sample of Miss Bindergarten Welcomes You To Kindergarten click here

Many Disguises of Robin Hood, The

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Robin Hood uses many disguises to continually trick the Sherrif of Nottingham, his daughter Luciana, and Prince John. Robin Hood eventually needs HER merry band of outlaws and her childhood friend, the brave Maid Marian, to save her from the gallows.

Production History
2009 Omaha Theater Company Youth Production; 2003 Omaha Theater Company (Youth production) 2002 Papillion La Vista Arts Network Youth production

Cast Size: 8-30 actors (6f/2m)

For a scene sample of The Many Disguises of Robin Hood click here

Go to the contact page for a full perusal copy or to inquire about royalties

Julie of the Wolves

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World premiere stage adaptation of the Newberry Award winning book about a 13 year old Inupiat Eskimo girl who gets lost on the Alaskan tundra and must befriend a wolf pack for survival. Production is a heavily movement based show.

Production History
2000 Omaha Theater Company (Professional production on Mainstage)

Cast Size: 6 actors (3m/3f)

For a scene sample of Julie of the Wolves click here

If You Give a Cat a Cupcake

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Laura gives her new Cat a cupcake. The Cat is so excited and happy, but he then asks for sprinkles. Laura gives him sprinkles, but the Cat makes a huge mess. Cleaning up the mess will get him wet, so Laura gives him a bathing suit….which leads to crazy adventures to the beach, the gym, a mountain, a lake, and a museum..

Production History
2010 Omaha Theater Company Main-stage Production; 2010-2011 National Tour

Cast Size: 3-8 actors (1m/1f/1e)

Click here for If You Give a Cat a Cupcake scene sample

Click here to view the one minute promotion video from the Omaha Theater Company National Tour.

Go to the contact page to request  a full perusal copy or to inquire about royalties.

King Chemo

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An original story of two kids battling leukemia who use imagination to help them deal with the fear and pain of chemotherapy.

Selected Production History
2010 Students Providing Innovative Theater, Iowa City, 2003 Omaha Theater Company (Teen Production) 1997 Macon College, Georgia (College production); 1996 University of Texas at Austin (University touring production)

Awards: 1997 Southwest Theatre Association’s New Children’s Theater Script, Nebraska Arts Council 2002 Individual Artist Award

Cast Size: for a minimum of 4 actors (2m/2f) can be expanded to 6-8

Click here to read a sample scene from King Chemo 9

Visit Dramatic Publishing for perusal copies and royalty information


PRIDE PLAYERS featured performance at AATE!

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Pride Players (recently honored by the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Awards for best production for young audiences) was selected to be a special event performance at the national American Alliance for Theater and Education Conference this August in Lexington, KY.  Eight alums (Nik, Colleen, Brandi Lynne, Dan, Amanda, Maggie, Annah, and Steph) are joining Amanda and I to present at the end of the Dramatic Change pre-conference to kick off the conference.

Creating Haley’s World

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Haley, a thirteen year old girl, is the only human being; everyone else in the entire world are aliens in disguise as humans sent to Earth to create her world.

Production History
2010 Papillion La Vista Network (youth production), 2008 Phoenix Theater (youth production),  2003 St. Joseph’s School San Jose CA (staged reading), 1999 Omaha Theater Company (Teen Production) 1997 University of Texas at Austin ( Lab production)

Awards
2003 Children’s Theater Foundation Playwrights in Schools selection

Click here to read a scene sample from Creating Haley’s World

Go to the contact page to request a perusal copy of the play or inquire about royalties

Bully Show, The

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An interactive play about the problems of bullies in the schools. Audience watches the problem filled pilot of a new game show Who Wants to be a Bully?   Published by Dramatic Publishing

Awards:  2002 Kennedy Center New Visions/New Voices selection

Selected Production History
2009 Lexington Children’s Theater; 2005 South Carolina Children’s Theater (school tour) 2003- present, Omaha Theater Company (school tour), 2012 Rochester Children’s Theater,

Cast Size 2m/1f, has been done with 2f/1m, can be performed with with 5-10 performers

Sample Scene from The Bully Show

To order a full play or to produce this script go to the Dramatic Publishing website

Brave Little Tailor, The

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Adaptation of the classic Grimms Fairy Tale of a meek little tailor who kills 7 flies in one blow. A small misunderstanding leads the tailor into the challenge of fighting giants, dragons and an evil king to win the hand of a princess.

 

Production History
2008-9 Walnut Street Theater (professional touring production for 4 actors), 2008 Town Hall Theater (Dayton, OH) large youth and community show and professional touring show), 2005 Omaha Theater Company (professional production in black box), 2009  Omaha Theater Company (large youth cast summer camp production), 2008 Papillion La Vista Arts Network Nebraska (large youth cast summer production)

Cast Size:  for a minimum of 4 actors (2m/2f)   can be easily expanded to 16+

For a scene sample of Brave Little Tailor 4.05 click here

Go to the contact page for a full perusal copy or to inquire about royalties