Hi,

One of th most inspirational plays I know is 'The Miracle Worker', the story of Helen Keller & her teacher Annie Sullivan.

Well there is always one of my favorites - CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD - however, that DOES have mature content in it - more rough language than anything.  But it IS a good script...even with the language (can't get past it though since it's integral to one of the characters personalities - he likes to swear).  Alas!!

TonyDi

Hi Mike,

We have a one-act play on our catalog which deals with the issues surrounding a disabled child growing up, and the stresses that this can cause to the immediate family.

For The Love Of Sara (4m, 3f) Genre - Drama
Ben is a patient in a psychiatric ward. As he is being questioned by Carl, a psychiatrist, the landscape of Ben's family life emerges. The centre of his life is his love for his daughter, Sara, who was born brain damaged.

Carl succeeds in getting Ben to describe those times in his life which have been both painful and pleasureable, and these are portrayed through flashback scenes behind a shadow screen. We never actually get to see Ben's alter ego, or Jenny, or Sara, or the other minor characters face-to-face, they are merely shadows in his mind, as well as on the stage.

As the years go by, the difficulties of bringing up a severely disabled child both medically and socially, whilst trying to maintain both careers and a semblance of conventional life, causes a deepening rift to develop between Ben and Jenny. The culmination of their plight is the breakdown of their marriage, then separation and custody hearings. For Jenny, this is absolutely the right thing to do; for Ben, it's his worst nightmare.

Carl finally teases out of Ben the horror in his life that he can't face up to, and the reason for his incarceration. Ironically though, it is this same horror that has the effect of dramatically changing Jenny and Sara's lives forever.

Visible Actors : (2m)
  *Carl - a psychiatrist
  *Ben - the patient

Actors in the Shadow-play (2m, 3f)
  *Ben (#2)
  *Jenny - Ben's wife
  Sara - Ben's daughter. Played as various ages 6-12. Non-speaking  role
  Midwife
  Nurse
  Doctor
  Judge

  NOTES :
  1) * denotes a principal role.
  2) The Midwife and Nurse, and the Doctor and Judge are shown in the cast totals as being doubled roles, but they could be separate actors.

Although you don't ask for this, we also have another one-act play (a comedy) called 'Time For Ben' (the name is a pure coincidence to the above) which does feature a character who is severely disabled and wheelchair-bound. It really is a lovingly accurate look at the sacrifices made by Ben's parents and the blase incomprehension  of disability demonstrated by society at large. The author has written a truly magnificent comedy around a very sensitive and emotionally-charged subject.

Both of these plays are available individually, or bound together in the anthology 'Dreams And Delusions, Vol 4'. Our website provides full details on all the above, where you can buy all rehearsal material and licences securely online, and also download a preview script. Look under the menu item 'Plays' 'One'Act'.

best regards

David
www.playsandmusicals.co.uk

How about Anne of Green Gables by Sylvia Ashby from Baker Plays (through SF).  Very well received, and exceptionally clean.  Only bad part is there are 17 characters--but many are female and some can be doubled.

Scooter Thomas Makes it to the Top of the World is a beautiful, emotional play about friendship.  2 males.  Does have some profanity, but it has a great theme.