Synopsis
Alexander is having a bad day. A terrible day. A horrible day. To be quite honest, it's a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. But then, everybody has bad days, sometimes. In this delightful adaptation of her popular book, Judith Viorst sets Alexander's rather trying life to music and brings to the stage one of America's feistiest characters. Not only does Alexander wake up with gum in his hair, but his mother forgets to pack him dessert, and his best friend decides he's not his best friend anymore. And if that's not bad enough, Alexander's brothers don't have any cavities but—he does. And just when it can't get any worse, there are lima beans for supper and —yuck!—kissing on TV. It is enough to make anyone want to go to Australia. Alexander's struggles with life's daily dramas will not only entertain but educate young audiences as they identify with Alexander and the obstacles he encounters, encouraging them to share their feelings and to realize that bad days happen—even in Australia. Commissioned and premiered by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Notes
No livestream rights are available for this title.
The original cast recording CD can be ordered from LML Music.
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Details
-
Status
In stock
- Type of Show Musical
- Product Code A83000
- Cast Size 7
- Min. Royalty Rate $110/perf
- Cost $11.95
- Approx. Run Time 75 min
Categories
- Target Audience Young Audiences | Family (all ages)
- Performing Group High School | College Theatre | Community Theatre | Professional Theatre
- Genre Comedy
- ISBN(13) 9780871299796
Customer Reviews
- "Alexander... was a great experience for my multi-talented and energetic cast and crew! The reviews from our young audience were stellar as well!"
- Review by Meredith Yanchak, Westlake High School, Austin, Texas
- "Delightfully funny! The show sold out almost as soon as we advertised it."
- Review by Carey Cahoon, Palace Professional Children's Theatre, Manchester, NH
- "Alexander ... is an entertaining musicalÑtremendously popular with young onesÑmost of whom know the original by heart. Very faithful and very funnyÑa huge success for our children's theatre."
- Review by Chuck Minsker, First Stage Theater Company, Huntington, W.V.
- "Alexander ... is a sure-fire audience pleaser. With its delightful tunes and fun characters, it is a show that reaches all age groups from pre-K to grown-ups. Our audiences loved it!"
- Review by Julie Condy, Stage to Stage, Inc., New Orleans, La.
- "This play was a joy to do and attracted a huge crowd as elementary schools planned curriculum around this story. It was easy to do, required a large cast, and offered the opportunity to be creative in the sets and props."
- Review by Sandra Erlandson, Woodlands High School, The Woodlands, Texas
- "Alexander is absolutely captivating for cast, crew, and audience. It offers a multitude of opportunities for creativity and creative risks in directing, designing and performing."
- Review by Sherry Hoover, Elkhart Memorial High School, Elkhart, Ind.
- "Alexander was a great success here at Peacock Players. The audience thought it was adorable. The show was great for young and old. We had our "young company" produce and direct the show and they had a great time doing it."
- Review by Scott Severance, Peacock Players, Nashua, N.H.
- "This show is perfect for the specific purposes of our theatre's outreach program. It is a fun, fast-paced, intelligent and funny adaptation of Judith Viorst's book."
- Review by John A. Bow, Surflight Theatre, Beach Haven, N.J.
- "A real audience pleaser, especially for our school matinee crowds. Good show for talented young people to shine as the leads."
- Review by Wayne Marek, Eau Claire Children's Theatre, Eau Claire, Wis.
- "Universal pain from Alexander's sensitive experiences will bring adults and children laughs and sighs in this fast-paced musical."
- Review by Leslie Manning, College of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City, N.C.
- "This show is awesome. It's well written and the music is fun. It's great for all ages. I'm so glad I did this one!"
- Review by Kim Mittelstadt, Centre des Arts, Watertown, N.Y.
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
- "Think outside the box."
- Tip by Sherry Hoover, Elkhart Memorial High School, Elkhart, Ind.
- "Start rehearsing with all props from the first day of rehearsalÑthere're a lot of them!"
- Tip by John A. Bow, Surflight Theatre, Beach Haven, NJ
Productions
| Location | City | State | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson High School | SIOUX FALLS | South Dakota | 2/7/2025 | 2/7/2025 |
Downloads
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Gallery
Main Street Theatre, Houston TX
Westlake High School, Austin, TX
The Coterie Theatre, Kansas City, MO
