Details 

Tom Sawyer 

 

Tom Sawyer

Musical Adaptation by Kevin M Reese]

Available in Musical & Non-Musical Versions

Video Promo Available Soon

Detailed Plot:
Mark Twain himself begins the show, and reappears throughout the play to provide the necessary narration. He introduces us to Aunt Polly, who is looking for Tom (YOU, TOM). She catches him, but just as she is about to punish him for his misbehaving, he runs off again. Tom comes across Alfred, the new rich boy. They size each other up and, after a comical tussle, Alfred runs off crying for his mommy. When Aunt Polly hears of this, she makes him spend his Saturday whitewashing the fence. He soon has Ben Rodgers (and other neighborhood kids) talked into doing the work for him. The next day, on his way to school, Tom comes across Huck Finn who is on his way to the cemetery with a dead cat to find a cure for warts. Huck and Tom  agree to meet that night to go together (ADVENTURE) . The next day, when Tom finally arrives late at school, he is made to sit with the new girl, Becky Thatcher. They become engaged, but when Becky learns that Tom has been engaged before, she calls it off and Tom storms away (much to Becky’s agony). That night Tom and Huck go to the cemetery and come across Injun Joe and Muff Potter helping Doc Robinson steal a corpse from a grave. They witness Doc’s murder and run home swearing secrecy. The next day, The town is in an uproar and are blaming Muff for the crime. Tom, Huck and another friend, Joe Harper, decide to run away to become pirates (THE PIRATE SONG). After living the good life for a couple days, they discover that the town believes them to have drowned and are preparing a glorious funeral for the boys. The boys can’t resist a good party so they arrive in town just as the minister is extolling the glorious virtues of the three boys. Now a hero, Tom decides that Becky is no longer good enough for him. Becky tries to use Alfred to arouse jealousy in Tom (I LIKE YOU) but to no avail. When Alfred discovers Becky’s motivation, he defaces Tom’s school book to get Tom in trouble with the teacher. Becky witnesses the vandalism, but keeps quiet, reveling in Tom’s fate. However, in her glee over Toms predicament, she accidentally tears one of Teacher’s books and tries to conceal it. The teacher finds Tom’s defaced book and punishes him. When she finds her own book vandalized, she immediately assumes Tom was the culprit. Just as she begins to suspect that Becky might have done the deed, Tom nobly takes the blame and the punishment. The school year ends and summer vacation begins. Muff’s trial reveals that Injun Joe is the real murderer– but he escapes, much to Tom and Huck’s dismay. Tom and Huck are again having an adventure, this time at a haunted house, when they discover Injun Joe talking about a buried treasure and planning another gruesome deed. Huck plans to follow Injun Joe to find out where the treasure is buried. Meanwhile Tom attends Becky’s birthday party and the two get lost in a cave. Just as they are believing that they will never see the light of day again, Tom sees Injun Joe and, fleeing the murderer, finds an opening of the cave. After the celebration, Tom and Huck return to the cave and find Injun Joe’s dead body near the newly-locked entrance to the cave. They backtrack to where Tom saw Injun Joe in the cave and discover the buried treasure. They again return to the town as heroes (GONNA HAVE FUN - FINALE).

Sets:
House Ext - Add fence unit
Street Ext - town street scenery
School Room Int - Teacher’s chair, long bench
Graveyard Ext - spooky moonlight scenery with gravestone Camp Ext - River-side scenery with campfire unit
Cave Int - stalactites and stalagmites
Countryside Ext - generic Ext scenery

Original Cast: 5:   3 Men, 2 Women played 10 characters
You may use more actors by NOT doubling.

Theme:
Classic Literature, Friendship, Tolerance, Family.

Running Time:  55 Min.  

Target Audience: Ages 2 - 10, Families.

Characters:  14 (4 voice-overs)
Narrator (Twain)
Aunt Polly
Tom
Alfred Temple
Ben Rodgers
Kid
Huck Finn
Becky Thatcher
Joe Harper
Miss Dobbins

Voice-Over characters:  Doc, Potter, Crook, Injun Joe

NOTE:  The four voice-over characters may be recorded or miked live.  You may also elect to play the voice-over scenes with actors onstage as part of the scene.

MUSIC:
1: The Ballad of Tom Sawyer (Underscoring)
2: You, Tom! - Aunt Polly
3: Adventure - Tom, Huck
FX1: Graveyard voice-overs of Injun Joe, Doc, and Muff
4: The Pirate Song - Tom, Huck, Joe
FX2: Cannons shooting over the river
5: I Like You/I Hate You - Becky, Alfred, Tom
FX3: Haunted House voice-overs of Injun Joe and Crook
6: The Ballad of Tom Sawyer - Reprise (Underscoring)
7: Gonna Have Fun (Finale) - All

Short Description:
It would seem that some things NEVER change: Boys will be boys, still trying to get around rules established by their adults– and no self-respecting kid can pass up a good adventure. We’ll follow that rascal Tom Sawyer (with the help of Mark Twain himself) and his friends– and foes– as they whitewash a fence, play hooky, find a cure for warts, attend their own funeral, get lost in a cave, and solve a murder mystery. 95% Twain!

Original Productionstrong>
TOM SAWYER was first produced by Wichita Children's Theatre Professional Touring Company for its 2003-2004 touring season. It opened October 3, 2003 and played 44 performances. Kevin Reese directed, Barbara Schoenhofer was the choreographer. The cast of five actors was:

Narrator (Twain) . . . . . . . Bryan T. Welsby
Aunt Polly . . . . . . . . . Sarah Sinsheimer
Tom . . . . . . . . . . . . John Pirtle
Alfred Temple . . . . . . . . Graham Fairleigh
Ben Rodgers . . . . . . . . Graham Fairleigh
Kid . . . . . . . . . . . . April L. Follmer
Huck Finn . . . . . . . . . Graham Fairleigh
Becky Thatcher . . . . . . . April L. Follmer
Joe Harper . . . . . . . . . Bryan T. Welsby
Miss Dobbins . . . . . . . . Sarah Sinsheimer
Voice-Overs . . . . . . . . . . Kevin Reese