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The Happy Prince (Dooley/Perkins)

Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy  /  4w, 8m, 4any gender (youth)

Oscar Wilde, David Perkins, Caroline Dooley

"A bittersweet fable of... self-sacrifice, Oscar Wilde's fairy story is perhaps weighty stuff for a musical comedy. But in their adaptation, Caroline Dooley and David Perkins have mined the story for its moments of satirical humour and sincere humanity…

The Happy Prince (Dooley/Perkins)

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 8m, 4any gender (youth)
  • Duration
    Duration
    75 Minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptations (Literature), Theatre for Young Audiences, Fables/Folktales
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for all audiences, Children (Age 6 - 10), Pre-Teen (Age 11 - 13), Teen (Age 14 - 18)
The Happy Prince (Dooley/Perkins)

Details

Summary

A touching musical based on the well-loved story by Oscar Wilde... The golden statue of the Happy Prince stands high above the city looking down on the misery and poverty beneath him. Desperate to bring hope and happiness to the poor people, he asks a swallow to distribute his gold and jewels to them. The generosity of the Happy Prince and the courage of the swallow help to overcome the greed of the powerful mayor and we are shown that the most precious things in life are often the least obvious.

The Happy Princehas been specially written for a large cast with a mixed range of agesand abilities making it suitable for schools, youth theatres or amateur groups. The 16 principal roles are augmented by much chorus work which can be adapted according to the size of the company. Helpful and detailed Director’s Notes are included to assist with every aspect of the production. The running time is approximately 80 minutes.

 

History

First performed at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, UK on 4th December 2003

HAPPY PRINCE (m/f)
GOD* (m)
ANGEL (m/f)
SEAMSTRESS* (f)
HER SON (m)
WRITER* (m)
MATCH GIRL (f)
TEACHER* (f)
DREAMY CHILD (m/f)
MAYOR* (m)
TOWN CLERK* (m)
THOMAS* (m)
CECILY* (f)
SWALLOW (m/f)
EARNEST (m)
MR SWANN* (m)

CHORUS

*Could be played by older children or adults

LARGE CAST

  • Time Period Victorian (British and American)
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 75 Minutes
  • Cautions
    • No Special Cautions

Media

"When a show opens with God as a natty dresser in a white suit, practising his golf swings while he whistles Heaven, I'm in Heaven, you know you're in for a treat" Surrey Advertiser

Music

Song Samples

Waiting for the Mayor
The Mayor's Song
I've a Long Way to Go
Lullaby of Dreams
How Wonderful the Stars Are
Bird Song
Where's the Play? / How Can I Write?
Matches for Sale
Golden Leaves
When Your Dream is in Sight
1 Piano-Conductor
1 Reed 1 (Flute, dbl. Bb Clarinet)
1 Reed 2 (Flute, dbl. Bb Clarinet & Bass Clarinet)
1 Reed 3 (Oboe, dbl. Cor Anglais)
1 Trumpet (dbl. Flugelhorn)
1 Violin
1 Bass
1 Drums/Percussion (Drum Kit, Glockenspiel, 2-Pedal Timpani, Triangle, Mark Tree (Wind Chimes), Wood Block, Duck Call)

8-Piece instrumentation can be reduced to Piano Only, or Piano, Bass & Drums/Percussion.
  • Musical Style Classic Broadway, Contemporary Broadway
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Chorus Size Large

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
17 Piano-Conductor

1 Reed 1
1 Reed 2
1 Reed 3
1 Trumpet
1 Violin
1 Bass
1 Drums/Percussion
17 Piano-Conductor

Add-Ons

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Authors

Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) was born in Dublin to Sir William Wilde and his wife Jane. While studying at Oxford, he was fascinated by the aesthetic movement and eventually became a proponent for L'art pour l'art ("Art for Art's Sake") and wrote the award-winning poem "Ravenna." U ...

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David Perkins

David Perkins works as a composer, pianist, MD and music arranger. His specialization is writing and collaborating on musicals for the youth/schools market and shows aimed at young/family-orientated audiences. Published works include Shake Ripple & Roll, Pandemonium! (a Greek ...
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Author

Caroline Dooley

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