A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Marian, or The True Tale of Robin Hood: Teen Edition

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  4w, 4m, 6any gender (adult)

A gender-bending, patriarchy-smashing, hilarious new take on the classic tale, adapted for performance by teen actors for family audiences.

Marian, or The True Tale of Robin Hood: Teen Edition

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 4m, 6any gender (adult)
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adventure, Adaptation (Literature), Period
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Appropriate for All Audiences

Details

Summary

A gender-bending, patriarchy-smashing, hilarious new take on the classic tale, adapted for performance by teen actors for family audiences. Robin Hood is (and has always been) Maid Marian in disguise, and leads a motley group of Merry Men (few of whom are actually men) against the greedy Prince John. As the poor get poorer and the rich get richer, who will stand for the vulnerable if not Robin? What is the cost of revealing your true self in a time of trouble?

Modern concerns and romantic entanglements clash on the battlefield and on the ramparts of Nottingham Castle in this play about selfishness, selflessness, love deferred and the fight. Always the fight. The fight must go on. 

History
Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood premiered in a production by the Flux Theatre Ensemble in New York City in April 2017 under the direction of Kelly O'Donnell.

ROBIN/MARIAN – Female 
ALANNA DALE – Female 
THE SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM – Male 
LITTLE JOHN – Male, large 
LADY SHIRLEY – Female 
PRINCE JOHN – Male 
TANNER – Any gender (can be doubled by actor who plays Theo or Lucy)
WILL SCARLET – Female (played as male)
MUCH THE MILLER’S SON – Nonbinary (can be played by female, male, transgender, genderqueer or nonbinary individual) 
FRIAR TUCK – Male (in smaller cast, can be played by the same actor who plays the Sheriff) 
TOMMY OF NO CONSEQUENCE – Played as male by any gender
SIR THEO THE PUNCTUAL – Played as male by any gender 
SIR LENNY THE OBSERVANT – Played as male by any gender 
LUCY – played as female (can be doubled as Sir Lenny or a Guard)
GUARDS – Played as male by any gender (as many or as few as you like – up to fifteen speaking parts). In a smaller cast, Guard 1 and Guard 2 are played by Theo and Lenny. In a larger cast, each time Guard 1 and 2 appear, they can be played by different actors. The actor who plays Tommy can play a Guard toward the end, too. Same for the actor who plays Shirley.

Author's Note: All parts are race non-specific. Marian/Robin need not be white. When women are playing men, fake moustaches and beards are probably a good idea. Try very hard to have a diverse cast. Almost forty percent of the U.S. is non-white. Can at least forty percent of your cast be? It would also be very helpful to have transgender, genderqueer, and/ or nonbinary people involved in the production. Preferably more than one. The designations of female and male above can be used more as a guideline in the casting of this play. It would be great if Much was cast with a transgender, genderqueer, or nonbinary actor, but there are other parts that might be cast that way, too.

Author's Note: All parts are race non-specific. Marian/Robin need not be white. When women are playing men, fake moustaches and beards are probably a good idea. Try very hard to have a diverse cast. Almost forty percent of the U.S. is non-white. Can at least forty percent of your cast be? It would also be very helpful to have transgender, genderqueer, and/ or nonbinary people involved in the production. Preferably more than one. The designations of female and male above can be used more as a guideline in the casting of this play. It would be great if Much was cast with a transgender, genderqueer, or nonbinary actor, but there are other parts that might be cast that way, too.

  • Time Period Medieval (6th-14th Century)
  • Setting England. Nottingham, Sherwood Forest. During the Third Crusade. The 1190s.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Additional Features Physical Comedy, Stage Combat
  • Duration 90 minutes

Media

“A swashbuckling story of what it takes to make change.” – New York Theatre Review

“The show thrives on its own playfulness and silly energy while still tying everything up at the end. Marian manages to present something important without taking itself too seriously.” – Theatre is Easy, Read More

“A rollicking, gender-bending romp... Szymkowicz has delivered a swashbuckling story of a what it takes to make change, and the networks and chosen families that keep that revolutionary spirit alive.” – New York Theatre Review, Read More

Videos

  • Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood - AHSPA Trailer youtube thumbnail

    Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood - AHSPA Trailer

  • Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood - Theatre of NOTE Promo youtube thumbnail

    Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood - Theatre of NOTE Promo

  • Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood – Service Players Promo youtube thumbnail

    Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood – Service Players Promo

  • Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood - Actors Bridge Ensemble Trailer youtube thumbnail

    Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood - Actors Bridge Ensemble Trailer

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

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Authors

Adam Szymkowicz

Adam Szymkowicz's plays have been produced throughout the U.S., and in Canada, England, Wales, The Isle of Man, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Greece, Mexico, Turkey, Switzerland, South Korea, Thailand, Sweden, Austria, Slovenia and Lithuania. His work has ...

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