Plays and Musicals Adapted from Novels

Explore your favorite novels, reimagined as unforgettable plays and musicals! Celebrate Read a Book Day with stories that leap from the page to the stage.

Dracula by Steven Dietz
Adapted from the novel by Bram Stoker

“I want your fear. For your fear, like a current, rushes through your body. Your fear makes your heart pound, it renders your veins rich and full. Your fear hemorrhages deliciously within you.” This new adaptation brings the suspense and seduction of Bram Stoker’s classic novel to the stage. As Count Dracula begins to exert his will upon the residents of London, they try to piece together the clues of his appearances – in a valiant attempt to save themselves from a hideous fate. Rich with both humor and horror, this play paints a wickedly theatrical picture of Stoker’s infamous vampire.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, from the novella Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

A new and shocking version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale of depravity, lust, love and horror. On the fog-bound streets of Victorian-era London, Henry Jekyll’s experiments with exotic “powders and tinctures” have brought forth his other self – Edward Hyde, a sensualist and villain free to commit the sins Jekyll is too civilized to comprehend. When Hyde meets a woman who stirs his interest, Jekyll fears for her life and decides to end his experiments. But Hyde has other ideas, so the two sides battle each other in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse to determine who shall be the master and who the slave. With multiple Hydes portrayed by members of the cast.

Emma! A Pop Musical by Eric Price

Emma, a senior at Highbury Prep, is certain she knows what’s best for her classmates’ love lives, and is determined to find the perfect boyfriend for shy sophomore Harriet by the end of the school year. But will Emma’s relentless matchmaking get in the way of finding her own happiness? Based on Jane Austen’s classic novel, this sparkling new musical features the hit songs of legendary girl groups and iconic female singers from The Supremes to Katy Perry. Girl power has never sounded so good!

Also available: Emma! A Pop Musical JV

Father of the Bride by Caroline Francke
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. Daughter Kay announces the engagement out of nowhere. Mrs. Banks and her sons are happy, but Mr. Banks is in a dither. The groom-to-be, Buckley Dunstan, appears on the scene and Mr. Banks realizes that the engagement is serious. Buckley and Kay don’t want a “big” wedding – just a simple affair with a few friends! We soon learn, however, that the “few” friends’ idea is out. Then trouble really begins. The guest list grows larger each day, a caterer is called in, florists, furniture movers and dressmakers take over, and the Banks household is soon caught in turmoil – not to mention growing debt. When Kay, in a fit of temper, calls off the wedding, everyone’s patience snaps. But all is set right, and the wedding (despite more last-minute crises) comes off beautifully. 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.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: High School Edition, based on an original story by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany and Jack Thorne

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 head-strong 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 and bring the wizarding world to life for their communities. Your students will be empowered to conjure the magic through their own creativity, making it a truly exciting and engaging experience for students and audiences alike.

Flesh and Blood by Peter Gaitens, adapted from the novel by Michael Cunningham

Adapted from Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Cunningham’s keenly observed saga of 20th-century American life, Flesh and Blood traces nearly 100 years in the lives of one archetypal family. Dominated by their volatile father, the Greek immigrant Constantine, and alienated from their mother, the genteel and ambitious Mary, the Stassos children, Susan, Billy and Zoe, struggle to build lives and find love in a culture undergoing tectonic shifts. Burdened by expectation, betrayed by circumstance and confounded by desires that they can only struggle to control, the ever-evolving clan marches inexorably toward tragedy – and ultimately redemption. Eschewing a literal translation of the novel’s massive scale, the play employs an almost musical structure, relying on theatrical versions of counterpoint, rhythm and harmony to illustrate both the yawning chasms and the intimate spaces that define human relationships. Finding humor in the most unlikely of places, sadness in the funniest of exchanges, and grace in the most devastating of circumstances, Flesh and Blood is a detailed, poetic and boldly theatrical reinvention of a classic American story.

John Steinbeck’s East of Eden by Frank Galati

Escaping a turbulent past, Adam Trask is determined to make a new start in California’s Salinas Valley. Adam and his wife, Cathy, settle on a beautiful farm, and soon Cathy gives birth to twins Caleb and Aron. But family history, sibling rivalry, and the impending danger of World War I will threaten their little piece of paradise. East of Eden is an American epic, grand in scope yet deeply personal, that asks if it is possible to escape the mistakes of previous generations.

John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath by Frank Galati

Winner of the 1990 Tony Award for Best Play

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 universal. 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 Joad, who is determined to keep the family together at any cost, and by the volatile young Tom Joad, an ex-convict who grows increasingly impatient with the intolerance and exploitation they encounter, the Joads face death and deprivation before reaching their destination – where their waning hopes are dealt a final blow by the stark realities of the Great Depression. Despite the anguish and suffering it depicts, the play is a soaring and deeply moving affirmation of the indomitability of the human spirit and of the essential goodness and strength of working people everywhere.

Little House on the Prairie Book by Rachel Sheinkin, Music by Rachel Portman, Lyrics by Donna di Novelli
Based on the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This heartwarming musical follows the Ingalls family’s journey westward and settlement in De Smet, South Dakota, where Ma and Pa Ingalls hope to make a better life for their children. In story, song and dance, the Ingalls family weathers the hardships of winter blizzards and prairie fires and rejoices in the settlement of land and town. Through it all, Laura grows from a wild child who loves to run free to a woman who embraces the responsibilities of her own future – while struggling to remain true to herself.

Little Women by Kate Hamill
Adapted from the novel by Louisa May Alcott

Jo March isn’t your typical Victorian lady. She’s indecorous and headstrong, and one day she’s going to be a great American novelist. As she and her sisters grow up in the middle of the Civil War, they strive to be brave, intelligent and imaginative young women. But as adulthood approaches, each sister must negotiate her private ambitions with society’s expectations. In a war-torn world defined by gender, class and personal tragedy, Jo March gives us her greatest story: that of the March sisters, four dreamers destined to be imperfect little women.

Misery by William Goldman, based on the novel by Stephen King

This suspense thriller follows successful romance novelist Paul Sheldon, who is rescued from a car crash by his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, and wakes up 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.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

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. Lennie is a man-child, a little boy in the body of a dangerously powerful man. It’s Lennie’s obsessions with things soft and cuddly that have made George cautious about who the gentle giant, with his brute strength, associates with. His promise to allow Lennie to “tend to the rabbits” on their future land keeps Lennie calm, amidst distractions, as the overgrown child needs constant reassurance. 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. George, now worried about his own safety, knows exactly where Lennie has gone to hide, and he meets him there. 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?

Peter/Wendy by Jeremy Bloom

In this lyrical, atmospheric interpretation of Peter Pan, Jeremy Bloom strips the familiar story down to its emotional essence. Peter lures Wendy away from her nursery to the magical world of Neverland, where she joins his adventures with Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily and the menacing Captain Hook. A low-tech, inventive adaptation that pays homage to the darker themes of J.M. Barrie’s original, Peter/Wendy will mesmerize audiences of all ages.

The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon (full-length) by Don Zolidis

The fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm are turned on their heads in this fast-paced, rollicking ride as two narrators and several actors attempt to combine all 209 stories ranging from classics like Snow White, Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel to more bizarre, obscure stories like The Devil’s Grandmother and The Girl Without Hands. A wild, free-form comedy with lots of audience participation and madcap fun. (A one-act version of this play is also available.)

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time based on the novel by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens

Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play

15-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain: He is exceptional at mathematics but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. Now it is seven minutes after midnight, and Christopher stands beside his neighbor’s dead dog, Wellington, who has been speared with a garden fork. Finding himself under suspicion, Christopher is determined to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington, and he carefully records each fact of the crime. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a thrilling journey that upturns his world.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, adapted for the stage by Simon Levy

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.

The Joy Luck Club by Susan Kim, adapted from the novel by Amy Tan

This sweeping family drama 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 to San Francisco in the 1950s and 1980s, as the eight women struggle to reach across a seemingly unpassable chasm of culture, generation and expectations to find strength and happiness.

The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby: Part I & Part II by David Edgar, from the novel by Charles Dickens

Winner of the 1982 Tony Award and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play

This hit stage adaptation of Dickens’ celebrated novel is a brilliant recapturing of the sights and sounds of Victorian England, and the touching, funny, exhilarating saga of the virtuous young Nicholas as he meets and masters the challenges of poverty and corruption. Despite its length and large cast, the play requires relatively simple staging, enabling it to move smoothly through its many scenes and related storylines. In the end, the play is a soaring affirmation of man’s essential goodness – a thrilling, eloquent rendering of diverse people, places and events that, in Dickens’ time or in ours, make up the real stuff of life and draw on the deepest resources of the human spirit. As Clive Barnes put it: “The greatness of Nicholas Nickleby is breathtakingly simple. The play flies. And it flies backwards. It takes you to a world of sentiment and passion glimpsed before but never known.”

The Princess and the Pea adapted by John O’Hara

King Pendleton and Queen Pandora are in search of the perfect match for their son Prince Pete. With the help of wisecracking Granny Primrose, uptight Lord Pendragon, and sweet Lady Jean, the kingdom has summoned a plethora of princesses to compete for their son’s affection. Add a stack of mattresses, switched identities, and a mysterious late night visitor, and you end up with the wackiest (and probably first) fairy tale dating game. The princesses may be fierce competitors, but who will win the Prince’s heart?

Vanity Fair by Kate Hamill
Based on the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray

Becky is “bad.” Amelia is “good.” But in an unfair world, it isn’t always that simple. Two women – one born into privilege, another straight from the streets – attempt to navigate a society that punishes them for every misstep. Clever Becky is unafraid of breaking the rules; soft-hearted Amelia is afraid to bend them. Both strive for what they want – but neither can thrive without the other. Through Becky and Amelia’s victories and losses, this thrilling, highly theatrical (im)morality play explores how flexible our morals can become when the wheel of fortune turns. Bold, wickedly funny and shockingly relevant, Vanity Fair demands that we face our own hypocrisy. After all… who are we to judge?

Water for Elephants (High School Edition) Book by Rick Elice, Music and Lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co., Based on the novel by Sara Gruen

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, Marlena, who is married to August. A last-ditch effort to save their struggling show brings an elephant into the troupe, drawing Marlena and Jacob dangerously close, forever changing the circus’s fate. Nominated for seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Water for Elephants features a book by four-time Tony Award nominee Rick Elice (Peter and The Starcatcher, Jersey Boys) and a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co. (The Old Man and The Old Moon). Hailed by The New York Times as a “miracle,” Water for Elephants will fill your heart and make you feel alive.

For more great plays and musical, visit broadwaylicensing.com.