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Skinflints and Scoundrels: Molière's Miser

Skinflints and Scoundrels: Molière's Miser

Translated, adapted and arranged by Suzan Zeder from The Miser by Molière.

Product Code: SJ3000

  • One-act Play
  • Comedy | Farce | Satire
  • Cast size: 11m., 5w., with doubling 9m., 5w., expansion possible with inclusion of multiple courtiers.

    Livestream and Record & Stream Rights Available

  • Awards: The Charlotte B. Chorpenning Playwright Award

Rights and availability
This title can be licensed and sold throughout the World.

* Please note the royalty rate listed is the minimum royalty rate per performance. The actual royalty rate will be determined upon completion of a royalty application.

$9.95 /script

Min. Royalty Rate: $50/perf

In stock

Synopsis

Zeder has created this 40-minute version of her full-length play with high-school production and competition in mind. This new translation and adaptation of Molière's classic comedy, The Miser, is set in the opulent court of King Louis XIV at the Palace of Versailles. Molière and his renowned troupe of actors are ready to premiere The Misanthrope before the king and courtiers until Pierre Pomponne, a minor minister of culture, refuses to pay for the evening's entertainment. Molière pulls down the scenery and tosses costume pieces to his company, and a brilliant improvisation is presented as an instruction on the importance of art and the value of the artist. This play within a play presents the story of Harpagon, the greediest of comic villains, as he causes consternation in his family with his parsimonious pursuit of a sweet young thing who is also loved by Harpagon's son. Mayhem abounds with dazzling dandies, tricks and thievery, wise and winsome women, sons and daughters lost at sea and found at last! But at the end of the day and the end of the play, the artist must be paid! Zeder takes us back to a time when this classic play was first conceived—when actors struggled to remember their newly minted lines and bits of business were improvised for the first time. In this raucous telling, she captures the comic power of this cautionary tale of misguided monetary mania and defines the priceless power of the creative artist and the alchemy of theatre.

Notes

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Details

  • Status

    In stock

  • Type of Show One-act Play
  • Product Code SJ3000
  • Cast Size 14
  • Min. Royalty Rate $50/perf
  • Cost $9.95
  • Approx. Run Time 40 min

Categories

  • Target Audience Middle School | High School | College and Adult | Family (all ages)
  • Performing Group High School | College Theatre
  • Genre Comedy | Farce | Satire
  • ISBN(13) 9781583422571
* Please note the royalty rate listed is the minimum royalty rate per performance. The actual royalty rate will be determined upon completion of a royalty application.

Customer Reviews

"This script is pure period fun. My students got a great educational experience with studying Moliere, wearing period costumes and learning about physical comedy. This farce is non-stop fun for the actors, director and audience!"
Review by Carol Svoboda, Lincoln Southeast High School, Lincoln, Neb.
"Entertaining play-within-a-play. Great adaptation to introduce classic literature to young performers."
Review by Sue Floyd, Canyon Ridge Middle School, Austin, Texas

Hints, Tips, and Tricks

"Go all the way with the period costumes and the physical comedy. It really makes the show."
Tip by Carol Svoboda, Lincoln Southeast High School, Lincoln, Neb.

Production Map

Location City State Opens Closes
Hunter High School West Valley City Utah 5/2/2024 5/3/2024