Family Theater > A Crime in a Rhyme

Play with improvisation, 5 boys, 6 girls, 2 men, 3 women (doubling possible, adult roles may be played by children), 30 minutes

SYNOPSIS
Welcome to Nursery Rhyme Land where all of the children are characters from the Book of Mother Goose. The story begins when poor Little Bo Peep has lost her favorite lamb Lamberta. Soon after, Mary Had A Little Lamb shows up at school with an adorable lamb. Failing to hide her from Mrs. Pumpkineater, Mary is accused of stealing Bo Peep's lamb. After a heated trial, Lamberta is returned to her rightful owner and Mary and her accomplice Tom Tom, The Piper's Son are sentenced for their wrongdoing. A Crime in a Rhyme adds a twist to traditional nursery rhymes and offers a chance for the audience to delight in a story of trickery and justice.

Read Excerpt

HISTORY
Production
Franklin Fine Arts Center, a CPS Magnet School, Chicago, IL
March 29 and March 31, 2011
Directed by Rachel Jamieson

Publication
TADA! Youth Theater, New York, NY
Fall 1996

Staged Reading
Free Spring Staged Reading Series
TADA! Youth Theater, New York, NY
March 31, 1996
Directed by Tara Bahna-James
Featuring Nicole Evans-Lambert (Mother Goose/Old Woman in the Shoe), Hallie Hobson (Mrs. Pumpkineater), Alexander Clifford Iwachiw (Jack), Marisol Rosa-Shapiro (Jill), Devin Correa-Spain (Mary Mary), Bernardo Cano (Tom Tom the Piper's Son), Rebecca Marcus (Little Miss Muffett), Jason Townes (Little Tommy Tucker/Simple Simon), Lizzie Grosso (Little Bo Peep), Joshua Peck (Baa baa Black Sheep), Annie Wenger-Schulman (Mary Had a Little Lamb), Kim Erika Belmont Anderson (Lamberta), Chris Briggs (Judge/Pieman)

Award
New Scriptwriting Contest
TADA! Youth Theater, New York, NY
Fall 1995

Production
Festival of Plays
Children's Theater of Western Springs, Western Springs, IL
May 25-26, 1993
Directed by Monica Guzowski

May 25th Production Featuring Julia Cumby (Mother Goose/Old Woman in a Shoe), Matt Griffin (Jack), Susan Mauer (Jill), Maria Martin (Little Bo Peep), Marissa Zuskar (Mary-Had-a-Little-Lamb), Tim Higgins (Tom Tom the Piper's Son), Katie Drago (Mrs. Pumpkineater), Darcy Dangler (Mary, Mary), Ryan Galli (Little Tommy Tucker), Megan O'Callaghan (Little Miss Muffett), Shannon Spellman (Baa Baa Black Sheep), Chris Melka (Judge), Meagan Berls (Lamberta), Matt Wise (Simple Simon)

May 26th Production Featuring Maggie Mrozak (Mother Goose), Bryan McCarthy (Jack), Katie Konrath (Jill), Diane Howe (Little Bo Peep), Elizabeth Jarabek (Mary-Had-a-Little-Lamb), Andrew Roddewig (Tom Tom the Piper's Son), Sarah Dees (Mrs. Pumpkineater), Michelle Kolososki (Mary, Mary), Patrick Kilmer-Lipinski (Little Tommy Tucker), Jordan Roddewig (Little Miss Muffett), Melissa Kosar (Old Woman in the Shoe), Maggie Busch (Baa Baa Black Sheep), Ethan Rucker (Judge), Joanna Weber (Lamberta), Robert Brandon (Simple Simon)