Afternoon of the Elves
adapted from the Newbery Honor Book by Janet Taylor Lisle
 © 1993

Elves at Windmill 2
Windmill Theatre, Adelaide, Australia

Hillary Lennox is thrilled when Allison and Jane, two popular fourth-graders, invite her to join their ranks to become "The Mighty Three." With their generous guidance, Hillary will learn how to think, talk, dress and be. Sara Kate Connolly, the little girl who lives in the dilapidated house adjacent to Hillary's back yard, has different plans for Hillary's future—Sara Kate wants Hillary to share in the wonder of the elf village that has mysteriously appeared in the Connolly back yard. Hillary discovers that Sara Kate's backyard hides not only an elf village but a terrible secret as well. Hillary promises to keep the secret, but the promise takes on a life and a horror of its own.

Elves at SCT 4
Chris Bennion, Seattle Children's Theatre

Originally commissioned by the Seattle Children's Theatre and developed at the Kennedy Center's New Visions/New Voices Festival, this play has gone on to productions in the US, Canada, and Australia. The play was awarded the AATE Distinguished Play Award in 2001.

Elves at Windmill 6
Windmill Theatre, Adelaide, Australia

1 adult male, 1 adult female, 4 juvenile females
full-length (also available in shortened 1-act form)
unit/flexible set

elves bradley
Bradley University

Download Excerpt

Elves

available from Dramatic Publishing
also anthologized in
Seattle Children's Theatre: Six Plays for Young Audiences
 Smith and Kraus
Around the World in 21 Plays
Applause Books
Theatre for Youth II
University of Texas Press

elves bradley
Bradley University

"This excellent script, filled with powerful and descriptive dialogue, may help children better understand those who are different from themselves. It shows how easy it is to make judgments without really knowing a person, and how those judgments can not only be inaccurate, but hurtful." Children's Book & Play Review

elves windmill
Windmill Theatre, Adelaide, Australia

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