Shows for Book Lovers

From A Tale of Two Cities to Fun Home to The Phantom of the Opera, literary adaptations are a proud theatrical tradition. Celebrate this Book Lovers Day with a list of Concord Theatricals titles that are sure to pique the interest of any bookworm.

CHILDREN’S CLASSICS

Youth literature provides a fountain of inspiration for live theatre. From early children’s classics like Anne of Green Gables or The Wizard of Oz, Concord Theatricals has a selection of exciting plays and musicals inspired by books for kids or teens.

Based on… Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

Want to bring to life the story of Avonlea and its famous feisty red-haired orphan, Anne? Several writers have been inspired theatrically by the pluck and personality of this heroine and this classic 20th-century work of literature.

Anne of Green Gables – The Musical by Norman Campbell & Donald Harron (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 17w, 12m plus ensemble)
Based on the beloved novel by L.M. Montgomery, this musical adaptation follows the precocious and imaginative Anne Shirley as she captures the hearts and minds of her newfound family and neighbors in the small farming community of Avonlea – simply by virtue of her own pluck and personality.

Anne & Gilbert, The Musical by Jeff Hochhauser, Bob Johnston and Nancy White (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 6w, 8m)
Set in the village of Avonlea and at Redmond College in Halifax, this show follows Anne’s journey to young adulthood and her romance with high school academic rival, Gilbert Blythe. Gilbert is in love with Anne, but she seems to be immune to his declarations of love. In the end, Anne realizes what everyone else already knows: that Gilbert is the love of her life.

Based on… Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit books

A Peter Rabbit Tale by Sarah Brandt and Neal Richardson (US)
(Short Musical, Theatre for Young Audiences / 2w, 2m plus optional ensemble)
Peter Rabbit doesn’t think life as a rabbit is all it’s cracked up to be in this spirited children’s musical based on the beloved character created by Beatrix Potter. After being picked on for the last time, Peter decides to run away from home and find a better place to live. As Peter struggles to live with other animals, from feisty squirrels to sewing mice, he begins to realize his life at home might not have been so bad after all.

The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck by Steve Liebman, Katherine Paterson, Beatrix Potter and Stephanie Tolan (US)
(Short Musical, Theatre for Young Audiences / 3w, 4m)
In this lighthearted musical adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s classic tale, Jemima Puddle-Duck determines to prove the conceited Henrietta wrong. In the woods she encounters a fine, polite gentleman with a splendid bushy tail and pointed ears who offers his summer house as a nesting place. Dreaming of omelets and roasted duck, the “gentleman” fox sings that his dreams are about to come true. Will Jemima survive to raise a brood of precious little loves?

Based on… The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum is one of the most lasting children’s books of all time. Originally published in 1900, Oz captured the imagination of the nation and became a mega-hit. The first novel spawned a long series of sequels and separate stories within the world, though the most famous continued to be The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Below are just a few of the many adaptations of Dorothy and her friends available to license from Concord Theatricals.

Somewhere Over the Border by Brian Quijada (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 3w, 3m)
Inspired by the real-life journey of the author’s mother, Reina Quijada, from El Salvador to the US, and the original novel, this play embraces the factual and the fantastical in its depiction of one young girl’s pursuit of the American dream. As Reina travels north to the Mexican border, she gathers friends, faces down dangers, and holds tight to the memory of the little boy she left behind.

The Wiz by William F. Brown, Charlie Smalls and L. Frank Baum (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 5w, 6m, 4m any gender)
This smash Broadway musical sets Dorothy’s adventures in the Land of Oz to a lively mixture of rock, gospel and soul music! This dazzling, contemporary adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s original – in which Dorothy and her friends “Ease on Down the Road” to meet the Wiz – is a fun, family-friendly, modern musical and a hit with audiences.

The Wizard of Oz (RSC Version) by L. Frank Baum, Harold Arlen, E. Y. Harburg, Herbert Stothart, Peter Howard, Larry Wilcox and John Kane (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 3w, 5m, 16 any gender)
A delightful stage adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s beloved novel, featuring the iconic musical score from the MGM film. The timeless tale, in which young Dorothy Gale travels from Kansas over the rainbow to the magical Land of Oz, continues to thrill audiences worldwide.

Concord Theatricals licenses various musical versions of The Wizard of Oz. Visit this guide for more information.

For even more Concord Theatricals titles inspired by the children’s books, visit the article “Plays and Musicals Inspired by Children’s Books.”

CLASSIC FICTION

Based on… A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities: The Musical (Broadway Version) by Jill Santoriello (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 5w, 9m, 1 girl plus ensemble)
Dickens’ bestselling novel tells a story of love, revolution and redemption – and now, music! In this new epic musical treatment, it’s still the best of times and the worst of times. Two men are love with the same woman, two cities are swept up in revolution, and all are caught in the clutches of the bloody French Revolution.

Based on… A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

To learn about all of the options for adaptations of and other works inspired by Dickens’ most famous work, visit our A Christmas Carol Collection (US/UK).

Based on… Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace

Ben Hur by Patrick Barlow (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 1w, 3m)
The stage adaptation by Patrick Barlow condenses the epic tale so it can be told by just four actors. The story follows an amateur theatre troupe as they produce the massive tale of the fictional Jewish prince and merchant Judah Ben-Hur. Complete with chariot race, sea battle, and stage combat, Patrick Barlow weaves his compressed style, popularized by The 39 Steps (US/UK), into one of the largest stories ever told.

Based on… The Bible

Bible Women by Elizabeth Swados (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 5w, 1m plus ensemble)
A song cycle of central female figures in the Old Testament, Bible Women gives voice to Lilith, Eve, Sara, Miriam, Esther, Ruth and Deborah, depicting these women as powerful Jewish heroines.

Jesus Christ Superstar by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 1w, 8m plus ensemble)
Rice and Lloyd Webber’s first professional musical, this timeless rock opera depicts the final days of Jesus’ life as seen, unusually, through the eyes of Judas Iscariot.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 2f, 16m)
One of the most enduring shows of all time, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is a reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers, their father Jacob and the coat of many colors. Appropriate for all audiences and groups, Joseph is ideal for a large cast.

Based on… the Brontë sisters and their works

Underdog: The Other Other Brontë by Sarah Gordon (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3w)
Charlotte Brontë has a confession about how one sister became an idol, and the other became known as the third sister. You know the one. No, not that one. The other, other one… Anne. An irreverent retelling of the life and legend of the Brontë sisters, and the story of the sibling power dynamics that shaped their uneven rise to fame.

Based on… Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

Man of La Mancha by Dale Wasserman, Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 5w, 6m plus ensemble)
This heartbreaking and inspirational Tony Award-winning musical, based on Cervantes’ original story, is one of the world’s most popular musicals. Man of La Mancha, the story of one man’s refusal to give up his impossible dream, features the classic and beloved songs “The Impossible Dream,” “I, Don Quixote,” “Dulcinea” and “Little Bird.”

Based on… famous Gothic literature

The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart, Richard Stilgoe and Gaston Leroux (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 4w, 6m plus ensemble)
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s masterwork, a timeless story of seduction and despair based on the novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. Madly in love with an innocent young soprano, the Phantom devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her talents and employing every devious method at his command.

Based on… Jane Austen novels

Jane Austen’s Lady Susan by Rob Urbinati (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 4w, 3m)
Based on an early work by Jane Austen told entirely through letters, now adapted for the stage, this retelling brings Austen’s characters to life with wit, humor and sophistication. This seven-character, two-act comedy focuses all of the novella’s action into a single drawing room, whisking through a week’s worth of flirtation, deception and seduction in less than two hours.

Pride and Prejudice by Andrew Davies (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 13w , 5m)
Adapted from Andrew Davies’ hit 1995 BBC TV series, this delightful comedy of manners revolves around the tumultuous relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the lively and mischievous daughter of a gentleman from the country, and Darcy, a wealthy and proud lord.

Pride and Prejudice by Kate Hamill (US)
(Full-Length Play, Romantic Comedy / 3w, 2m, 3 any gender adult)
This isn’t your grandmother’s Austen! Bold, surprising, boisterous and timely, this Pride and Prejudice for a new era explores the absurdities and thrills of finding your perfect (or imperfect) match in life. Literature’s greatest tale of latent love has never felt so theatrical, or so full of life than it does in this effervescent adaptation. Because what turns us into greater fools…than the high-stakes game of love?

For even more Concord Theatricals titles inspired by or adapted from Austen’s works, visit the article “All About Austen: Stage Adaptations of Jane Austen Classics.”

Based on… John Steinbeck novels

John Steinbeck’s East of Eden by Frank Galati and John Steinbeck (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3w, 7m)
Escaping a turbulent past, Adam Trask and his family are determined to make a new start in California’s Salinas Valley. But family history, sibling rivalry, and the danger of World War I threaten their little piece of paradise. Based on Steinbeck’s novel of the same name, this story is an American epic that asks if it is possible to escape the mistakes of previous generations.

John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath by Frank Galati and John Steinbeck (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 4w, 18m)
Renowned first as a novel, and then as a prize-winning motion picture, the story of the Joad family and their flight from the dust bowl of Oklahoma is familiar to all. Desperately proud, but reduced to poverty by the loss of their farm, the Joads pile their few possessions on a battered old truck and head west for California, hoping to find work and a better life. Led by the indomitable Ma and the volatile young Tom, the Joads must deal with death and terrible deprivation before reaching their destination – where their waning hopes are dealt a final blow by the stark realities of the Great Depression. Winner of the 1990 Tony Award for Best Play.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 1w, 9m)
Two drifters, George and his friend Lennie, with delusions of living off the “fat of the land,” have just arrived at a ranch to work for enough money to buy their own place. But when a ranch boss’ promiscuous wife is found dead in the barn with a broken neck, it’s obvious that Lennie, albeit accidentally, killed her. Realizing they can’t run away anymore, George is faced with a moral question: How should he deal with Lennie before the ranchers find him and take matters into their own hands?

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Pipe Dream by Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers and John Steinbeck (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 10w, 17m)
From the pages of Steinbeck, the drifters and dropouts along Cannery Row spring to life in this uncommon story of love and hope. When Suzy, a homeless girl, is picked up for stealing food, she’s taken in by Fauna, the big-hearted Madam of the Bear Flag Café. When Suzy meets Doc, a carefree marine biologist, romance is suddenly in the air.

Based on… Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Little Women by Kate Hamill (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 6w, 3m)
Hamill understands Alcott’s core beliefs in this feminist-friendly spin on the classic made relevant for modern audiences, focusing specially on the headstrong Jo March. In a war-torn world defined by gender, class and personal tragedy, Jo gives us her greatest story: that of the March sisters.

Magic Valley Community Theatre’s Little Women by Trish Harnetiaux and Liza Birkenmeier (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 6w, 8m)
It’s closing night of Magic Valley Community Theatre’s production of Little Women, so what could go wrong? This play within a play follows the tension and triumphs of an ensemble of amateur actors playing the March sisters onstage and off through the performance of their lifetimes. A poker game, a packed bag, a secret relationship and an unhappy board member all stand in the way of their ultimate dream: making it to the Nationals in Rochester.

Where literary worlds meet…
You on the Moors Now by Jaclyn Backhaus (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 7w, 7m)
Four literary heroines of the 19th century set conventionalism ablaze when they turn down marriage proposals from their equally famous gentlemen callers. What results is a confluence of love, anger, grief and bloodshed, as the ensemble struggles to reconcile romantic ideologies of the past with their modern ideas of courtship. Everything you’ve learned about love from the pages of Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and Little Women is turned upside down in this grand theatrical battle royale.

Based on… Russian Literature

Crime and Punishment, A Comedy by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5 any gender)
Dostoyevsky’s turn-of-the-century masterpiece is reimagined as a 90-minute romp of a morality tale, with five actors playing over 50 zany characters. Riffing on the famous novel – and all of Russian literature – this classic story follows Raskolnikov, an impoverished student who becomes a murderer to save his family. Based on the book you didn’t actually read in high school, this is literature retold as you’ve never seen it before.

Doctor Zhivago by Michael Weller, Michael Korie, Amy Powers, Lucy Simon and Boris Pasternak (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 3w, 5m plus ensemble)
This heartbreaking epic romance, based on the bestselling novel, is set during the final days of Czarist Russia. Raised as an aristocrat, Zhivago is a political idealist, physician and poet whose life is tossed by the tides of history as he is torn between a life with his close childhood friend and wife, and the passionate and mysterious Lara.

Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 5w, 5m, 6 any gender)
This award-winning electropop opera is based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Young and impulsive, Natasha Rostova arrives in Moscow to await the return of her fiancé from the front lines. When she falls under the spell of the roguish Anatole, it is up to Pierre, a family friend in the middle of an existential crisis, to pick up the pieces of her shattered reputation.

Based on… The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby by Simon Levy and F. Scott Fitzgerald (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 4w, 5m)
Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, passionately pursues the elusive Daisy Buchanan. Nick Carraway, a young newcomer to Long Island, is drawn into their world of obsession, greed and danger. The breathtaking glamour and decadent excess of the Jazz Age come to the stage in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, and in Simon Levy’s adaptation, approved by the Fitzgerald Estate.

CONTEMPORARY FICTION

84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff and James Roose-Evans (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 5w, 4m)
A dramatization of business letters between a struggling young writer in New York and Marks & Co., an antiquarian bookstore in London. Over a 20-year period, Helene Hanff writes to Frank Doel, the delightfully dusty supplier of so many old volumes, showing her gratitude through the years by sending “care packages” to the shop’s staff. In a sense, their decades-long correspondence amounts to an exchange of love letters – passionate missives celebrating the love of good literature.

Flowers for Mrs. Harris by Paul Gallico, Richard Taylor & Rachel Wagstaff (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 6w, 4m)
Based on the cherished novel by Paul Gallico. For Ada Harris, day-to-day life is spent cleaning houses. But when she happens upon something that takes her breath away, she sets off on a journey that will change her life… From the cobbled streets of post-war London to the magical avenues of Paris and beyond, Ada transforms the lives of everyone she meets along the way, but can she let go of her past and finally let her own life blossom?

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Isaac Gómez and Erika L. Sánchez (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 4w, 4m)
As she grieves the death of her older sister, Júlia Reyes faces pressure to put her own dreams of becoming a writer on hold. She finds herself caught between her family’s expectations and the less-than-perfect life she grapples with every day as a 15-year-old growing up in Chicago. This remarkable stage adaptation of the bestselling YA novel is a rich and poignant exploration of how to transcend your circumstances while remaining true to who you are.

My Name Is Lucy Barton by Rona Munro, Elizabeth Strout (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama, 1w)
Lucy Barton wakes after an operation to discover – much to her surprise – her mother at the foot of her bed. They haven’t seen each other in years. During their days-long visit, Lucy begins to understand her past, come to terms with her family, and find herself as a writer. A haunting new adaptation of the bestselling novel.

The Joy Luck Club by Susan Kim and Amy Tan (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 12w, 3m)
Based on the novel of the same name by Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club tells the story of four older Chinese-American women and their complex relationships with their American-born daughters. The play moves from China in the early 20th century and San Francisco from the 1950s to the 1980s, as the eight women struggle to reach across a seemingly unpassable chasm of culture, generation and expectations to find strength and happiness.

The Lifespan of a Fact by Gordon Farrell, Jeremy Kareken and David Murrell (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 1w, 2m)
Based on the book by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal. Fingal is a fresh-out-of-Harvard fact checker for a prominent but sinking New York magazine. D’Agata is a talented writer with a transcendent essay about the suicide of a teenage boy – an essay that could save the magazine from collapse. When Jim is assigned to fact check D’Agata’s essay, the two come head to head in a comedic yet gripping battle over facts versus truth.

FANTASY

Based on… the Harry Potter books

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (High School Edition) by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play with Music, Dramatic Comedy / 14w, 16m, 4 any gender)
Nineteen years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world, they’re back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When Harry Potter’s headstrong son Albus befriends the son of his fiercest rival, Draco Malfoy, it sparks an unbelievable new journey for them all – with the power to change the past and future forever. Prepare for spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (High School Edition) is a special adaptation of the beloved worldwide hit. Tailored for high school theatre productions, it provides young actors the opportunity to play Harry, Hermione, Ron and all of their favorite characters on their very own stage, bringing the wizarding world to life for their communities.

Based on… The Lightning Thief from the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan

The Lightning Thief by Joe Tracz, Rob Rokicki and Rick Riordan (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 7 any gender plus ensemble)
This dynamic musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s bestselling book is a guaranteed audience pleaser! When teenager Percy Jackson discovers he’s a demigod, he and his friends embark on an epic journey to find Zeus’ missing lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods. The kinetic and hilarious tuner, which opened on Broadway in 2019, features a thrilling, energetic pop-rock score.

Based on… Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Tuck Everlasting by Claudia Shear, Tim Federle, Chris Miller, Nathan Tysen and Natalie Babbitt (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 3w, 6m, 1 girl plus ensemble)
Eleven-year-old Winnie Foster is torn between going on an infinite adventure with the magical Tuck family and rejecting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to possess eternal youth. Based on the bestselling children’s classic by Natalie Babbitt and adapted for the stage by Claudia Shear and Tim Federle, Tuck Everlasting features a soaring score from Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen. Alternate edition for young audiences is also available (US/UK).

HISTORICAL FICTION

All Quiet on the Western Front by Robert Waterhouse and Erich Maria Remarque (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 5m)
Based on the classic anti-war novel by Erich Maria Remarque, this theatrical adaptation brings the men on the Western Front of World War I to vivid life. In October 1918, a month before the end of the First World War, Paul Bäumer is shot and killed by a sniper on the western front. He is the last of his classmates to fall in a war that will destroy many in his generation and disillusion those who remain. The play chronicles Paul’s observations of life and death in the mud of the trenches and the impossibility of returning to civilian life after living in hell.

Little House on the Prairie by Donna di Novelli, Rachel Portman, Rachel Sheinkin and Laura Ingalls Wilder (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 13w, 10m plus ensemble)
This heartwarming musical follows the fan-favorite characters created by Laura Ingalls Wilder in her Little House on the Prairie novels into a new theatrical frontier. The musical chronicles the Ingalls family’s journey westward and their settlement in De Smet, South Dakota, where Ma and Pa Ingalls hope to make a better life for their children.

HORROR/THRILLER

Based on… American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis

American Psycho by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Duncan Sheik (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dark Comedy / 8w, 8m)
This ruthless and daring new musical based on the electrifying novel tells the story of Patrick Bateman, a young and handsome Wall Street banker with impeccable taste and unquenchable desires. Patrick and his elite group of friends spend their days in chic restaurants, exclusive clubs and designer labels. But at night, Patrick takes part in a darker indulgence, and his mask of sanity is starting to slip…

Based on… Dracula by Bram Stoker

Bram Stoker’s chilling novel, set in the central Romanian region of Transylvania, has been adapted into numerous stage works, from comedies to thrillers.

Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5 any gender, expandable up to 24)
Nobody’s ever seen a Dracula this funny. Five or more actors play dozens of zany characters in a madcap take on the classic tale that’s guaranteed to induce blood-curdling screams – of laughter! Bram Stoker’s legendary vampire tale is put into a blender with Mel Brooks, Monty Python and The 39 Steps in a lightning-fast, laugh-out-loud, 90-minute, gender-bending romp. In this bloodcurdlingly hilarious send-up of the literary classic, casting is flexible and expandable for up to 24 actors.

Other Concord Theatricals adaptations include Count Dracula (US/UK), The House of Dracula (US/UK) and The Passion of Dracula (US).

Based on… Steven King novels

Carrie: The Musical by Michael Gore, Dean Pitchford, Lawrence D. Cohen and Stephen King (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 5w, 2m plus ensemble)
Carrie White is a misfit. At school, she’s an outcast who’s bullied by the popular crowd, and virtually invisible to everyone else. At home, she’s at the mercy of her loving but cruelly over-protective mother. But Carrie’s just discovered she’s got a special power, and if pushed too far, she’s not afraid to use it. Based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel Carrie.

Misery by Williams Goldman and Stephen King (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 1w, 2m)
Misery follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, who holds him captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads his latest book and becomes enraged when she discovers the author has killed off her favorite character, Misery Chastain. Annie forces Paul to write a new Misery novel, and he quickly realizes Annie has no intention of letting him go anywhere. The irate Annie has Paul writing as if his life depends on it – and it does.

Based on… The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Girl on the Train by Rachel Wagstaff, Duncan Abel & Paula Hawkins (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 3w, 4m)
A new stage adaptation based on Paula Hawkins’ international bestseller and the blockbuster DreamWorks film, The Girl on the Train is a gripping mystery/suspense thriller. Longing for a better life, Rachel Watson looks through the train window every day, watching a young couple, seemingly happy and in love. When she learns that the woman she’s been watching has suddenly disappeared, Rachel finds herself caught up in a thrilling mystery revealing more than she could ever have anticipated.

MEMOIR

Act One by James Lapine (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 21w, 30m)
Growing up in an impoverished family in the Bronx, Moss Hart dreamed of being part of the glamorous world of the theatre. Hart’s famous memoir Act One is a classic Hortatio Alger story, plotting Hart’s unlikely collaboration with the legendary playwright George S. Kaufman. Tony Award-winning writer and director James Lapine adapted the memoir for the stage, creating a funny, heartbreaking and suspenseful play that celebrates the making of a playwright and his classic play Once in a Lifetime (US/UK).

Fun Home by Jeanine Tesori, Lisa Kron and Alison Bechdel (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 4w, 2m, 1 girl, 2 boys)
When her father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives deep into her past to tell the story of the volatile, brilliant, one-of-a-kind man whose temperament and secrets defined her family and her life. Moving between past and present, Alison relives her unique childhood playing at the family’s Bechdel Funeral Home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality, and the looming, unanswerable questions about her father’s hidden desires. Fun Home is a refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes.

Left on Tenth by Delia Ephron (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 2w, 2m)
After her husband of more than 30 years passes away from cancer, Delia Ephron has to deal with logistical problems large and small – among them, cancelling her husband’s landline with Verizon. The frustrating experience becomes the basis of a New York Times op-ed, which in turn becomes the basis for a new relationship. In classic romantic comedy style, emails become phone calls become cross-country flights become lasting love. But when Delia is faced with a devastating new challenge, her newfound relationship with Peter comes to mean more than a happy ending – it means winning the fight of her life. Based on Ephron’s bestselling memoir.

MYSTERY

Based on… Agatha Christie novels

Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express adapted by Ken Ludwig (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 5w, 5m)
Ken Ludwig’s clever adaptation of the Agatha Christie novel boasts all the glamour, intrigue and suspense of Dame Agatha’s celebrated novel with a healthy dose of humor to quicken the pace. Just after midnight, a snowdrift stops the Orient Express in its tracks. An American tycoon lies dead in his compartment, stabbed eight times, his door locked from the inside. Isolated and with a killer in their midst, the passengers rely on detective Hercule Poirot to identify the murderer – before another victim is taken.

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie and Mark Shanahan (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 4w, 4m)
In this thrilling stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s ingenious 1926 novel, the tiny village of King’s Abbot is rocked by scandal when Roger Ackroyd, the wealthiest man in town, is found dead shortly after the apparent suicide of his fiancée.

Based on… Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories

As it turns out, many works of theatre are inspired by the one-of-a-kind fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his colorful colleagues, from the reliable John Watson to the manipulative Moriarty. For Concord Theatricals titles inspired by the stories of Sherlock Holmes, visit the article “Magnifying Theatrical Mysteries: Plays and Musicals Featuring Sherlock Holmes.”

NONFICTION

Letters From Max by Sarah Ruhl, based on a correspondence with Max Ritvo (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 1w, 1m)
An adaptation of Sarah Ruhl and Max Ritvo’s 2018 epistolary book, Letters from Max: A Poet, a Teacher, a Friendship, this intimate, poetic play explores the relationship between Sarah and her former student, Max. With humor, lyricism and candor, the two friends share letters and poems as Max faces terminal illness and tests poetry’s capacity to put to words what otherwise feels ineffable.

The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett and Wendy Kesselman (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 5w, 5m)
In Wendy Kesselman’s gripping new adaptation of stage play by Goodrich and Hackett based on the original publication, survivor accounts and newly discovered writings from the diary of Anne Frank are interwoven to create a contemporary, impassioned story of those persecuted under Nazi rule. This is an adaptation for a new generation able to confront the true horrors of the Holocaust. Also available in One-Act Version (US/UK).

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion (US)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 1w)
In this dramatic adaptation of her award-winning, bestselling memoir, which The New York Times called “an indelible portrait of loss and grief… a haunting portrait of a four-decade-long marriage,” Joan Didion transforms the story of the sudden and unexpected loss of her husband and their only daughter into a stunning and powerful one-woman play.

Tiny Beautiful Things by Nia Vardalos and Cheryl Strayed (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 1w, 3 any gender)
Based on the bestselling book by Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos, Tiny Beautiful Things personifies the questions and answers that “Sugar” was publishing online from 2010-2012. When the struggling writer was asked to take over the unpaid, anonymous position of advice columnist, Strayed used empathy and her personal experiences to help those seeking guidance for obstacles both large and small. A play about reaching when you’re stuck, healing when you’re broken, and finding the courage to take on the questions that have no answers.

NOVELLAS

Cabaret by Joe Masteroff, John Van Druten, Christopher Isherwood, John Kander and Fred Ebb (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 8w, 8m)
The Berlin Stories, a collection of two novellas by Christopher Isherwood – Goodbye to Berlin and Mr. Norris Changes Trains – was published in 1945, and together with the play I am a Camera (US), it formed the basis for the hit Broadway musical Cabaret. Daring, provocative and exuberantly entertaining, this show explores the dark and heady life of Bohemian Berlin as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Concord licenses multiple versions of this title – you can compare them all in the article “A Guide to Cabaret.”

The Light in the Piazza by Craig Lucas and Adam Guettel (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 4w, 4m)
Based on a 1960 novella by Elizabeth Spencer. In this lush, romantic musical set in 1958, Margaret Johnson is touring the Tuscan countryside with her daughter, Clara. While sightseeing, Clara meets Fabrizio Naccarelli, a handsome Florentine, and sparks an immediate and intense romance. As events unfold, a secret is revealed, and Margaret is forced to reconsider not only Clara’s future, but her own hope as well.

POETRY

CATS by Andrew Lloyd Webber and T.S. Eliot (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 7w, 11m plus ensemble)
When T.S. Eliot was not writing poems about the horrors of WWI, or the terror in the decision to eat a peach, he was writing about – yes – cats. Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a whimsical collection of poems published in 1939, explored the particular personalities of our favorite feline friends. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who famously loves cats (not only his own, but those of the Eliot poems as well), crafted a tuneful, haunting score to bring Eliot’s creatures to theatrical life. In the musical, the Jellicle Cats come out to play on one special night of the year – the night of the Jellicle Ball. One by one, they tell their stories for the amusement of Old Deuteronomy, their wise and benevolent leader, who must choose one of the Cats to ascend to The Heaviside Layer, to be reborn into a new Jellicle life.

The Golden Apple by John Latouche and Jerome Moross (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 4w, 4m)
A musical retelling of Homer’s epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey set in Washington state at the turn of the 20th century, this classic American operetta musical, which features the jazz standard “Lazy Afternoon,” has earned an avid cult following.

The Wild Party by Michael John La Chiusa, George C. Wolfe and Joseph Moncure March (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 7w, 8m)
Based on the 1928 Joseph Moncure March narrative poem of the same name, this musical fable features debauchery, decadence and sexual freedom in 1920s Manhattan. The jazz- and gin-soaked party, full of high-flying characters like chorine Queenie and bargain Valentino, rages to a mounting sense of threat as artifice and illusion are stripped away. When midnight debauchery leads to tragedy at dawn, everyone lands with a sobering thud, reminding us that no party lasts forever.

PULITZER-PRIZE WINNERS

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific by Richard Rogers, Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 3w, 7m, 1 girl, 1 boy plus ensemble)
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, adapted from James A. Michener’s Pulitzer Prize-winning collection Tales of the South Pacific, is a sweeping and penetrating look at the lives of American service members in the Pacific. In an island paradise during the Second World War, two Americans – a wide-eyed nurse and a promising young lieutenant – discover love and confront their own prejudices.

ROMANCE

Father of the Bride by Caroline Francke and Edward Streeter (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 6w, 10 men plus ensemble)
From the novel by Edward Streeter, illustrated by Gluyas Williams. Mr. Banks learns that one of the young men he has seen occasionally about the house is about to become his son-in-law. In the end, the father of the bride is a happy, proud man, glad that the wedding is over, but knowing too that it was worth all the money and aggravation to start his daughter off so handsomely on the road to married life.

Love, Loss and What I Wore by Delia Ephron, Nora Ephron and Illene Beckerman (US)
(Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy / 5w)
A play of monologues and ensemble pieces about women, clothes and memory covering all the important subjects: mothers, prom dresses, mothers, buying bras, mothers, hating purses and why we only wear black. Based on the bestselling book by Ilene Beckerman.

Water for Elephants (High School Edition) by PigPen Theatre Co. and Rick Elice (US)
(Full-Length Musical, Dramatic Comedy / 2w, 5m, 1 any gender plus ensemble)
Water for Elephants, based on the bestselling novel by Sara Gruen, is a dazzling, heart-filled musical about Jacob, a young man desperate to escape his past, who jumps aboard a moving train uncertain of the road ahead. Finding himself on the ride of a lifetime, Jacob joins the colorful company of a traveling circus and is hired by the imperious ringmaster, August, as caretaker to the animals. Jacob soon develops an unspoken attraction to the star performer – and August’s wife – Marlena. A last-ditch effort to save their struggling show brings an elephant into the troupe, drawing Marlena and Jacob dangerously close and forever changing the circus’s fate.

SHORT STORIES

Aesop Live! by Tracy Wells (US)
(Full-Length Play, Comedy / 5w, 5m plus ensemble)
Aesop’s wonderfully colorful fables burst onto the stage in Aesop Live! Two narrators threaten to retell all 725 ancient Greek tales in just one show, morals included. But never fear! The cleverly told and entertaining stories they present are packed with fan-favorite characters like the sneaky Wolf, the clever Crow, the sly Fox, and of course, the Tortoise and the Hare. A brisk, action-packed show, Aesop Live! is the most fun you can have while learning the dos and don’ts of ethical living. Also available in a One-Act Version (US).

An O. Henry Christmas by Peter Ekstrom and O. Henry (US/UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Comedy / 2w, 2m)
Two heartwarming one-act musicals based on the classic O. Henry stories capture the true spirit of giving. This holiday favorite is set in turn-of-the-century New York City and was originally performed with a piano-only score. The Gift of the Magi (US/UK) and The Last Leaf (US/UK) can be performed individually or together in one evening.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Eamonn O’Dwyer and Helen Watts (UK)
(Full-Length Musical, Drama / 8w, 10m)
Based on Washington Irving’s infamous short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a powerful and atmospheric musical by Helen Watts and Eamonn O’Dwyer. It is a story of community; a story of faith, of blood and belief; a story that asks the simple question: What happens when good people make bad choices?

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by John Heimbuch, Jon Ferguson and Washington Irving (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Drama / 10 any gender)
Want a play based on the same Irving short story? This dynamic ensemble-based retelling is a spooktacular, crowd-pleasing theatrical event. In the quaint village of Sleepy Hollow, stories of wonder and strangeness surround the legend of a mighty headless Hessian. When the humble schoolteacher Ichabod Crane vies for the hand of the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel, the townsfolk might protest, but it is ultimately the Horseman who will decide Ichabod’s fate.

The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie (US/UK)
(Full-Length Play, Melodrama / 3w, 5m)
Brimming with intrigue, sophisticated humor and surprising twists, Agatha Christie’s iconic murder mystery – about a group of strangers trapped during a snowstorm – is the world’s most successful and longest-running play. While The Mousetrap made its premiere as a story on the radio waves, Agatha Christie actually based the play on a short story of hers. However, she requested that the story not be published so long as the play was running in the West End. To this day, the short story has not been published in the UK, but in the US it appeared in the 1950 collection Three Blind Mice and Other Stories.

For more shows for Book Lovers, check out the expanded collection on the Concord Theatricals website in the US or UK.