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Jack Frakes

JACK FRAKES  (1927 - )

 Nationality:    USA
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a


Born in Champaign, Illinois, December 1, 1927. Moved to Tucson, arizona in 1935. attended the Tucson Public Schools. Studied drama with Mary MacMurtrie and participated Tucson Children's Theatre Programs. Graduated from the University of arizona in 1950. Then went to San Diego State and Stanford University for graduate work in theatre. Program director of classical music station in 1954-55. Taught high school drama 1955-1971. Published 4 plays with Samuel French. Served as Drama Coordinator for Tucson Unified School District 1971-1980. Moved to the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Janet, in 1983 and served as artistic Director for a community theatre in South San Francisco from 1986-1991. Returned to Tucson in 2001 and joined Old Pueblo Playwrights. Published 3 more plays with Samuel French and Baker's Plays, and a textbook called acting For Life with Meriwether. Still continues to write and participate in Play Festivals.

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below is a list of Jack Frakes's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

 Boy Who Killed Panch Villa, The         California Odyssey         Final Dress Rehearsal         Once Upon A Playground         Pied Piper Of Valley Junction, The         Sally And Sam         Spoofydoofs' Funnybone

Boy Who Killed Panch Villa, The

Synopsis:
Loosely based on THE PLaYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD . It's rodeo time in Tombstone, 1912. The girls admire local cowboys like Red Roberts, while feisty Peggy Fletcher longs for past romantic heroes. a rumor spreads that Pancho Villa, the notorious Mexican bandit, is in town. But Danny Jones, a shy young man, arrives to claim he killed Pancho Villa by hitting him over the head with his ukelele. Just as the townspeople accept Danny as a hero, Pancho Villa arrives with head bandaged and furiously looking for Danny. Helen Hunt, the town flirt gets rid of Pancho so Danny can take her to the barn dance. Meanwhile, citizens enter Danny in the donkey race, which he wins - becoming a more popular hero! as Peggy and Helen bicker over Danny's affections, Pancho Villa returns to get even. again Danny clobbers Pancho with his ukelele. The townspeople now think Pancho is really dead! But since they saw "the killing" they prepare to lynch Danny. again, Pancho returns to ask Danny to join his band in Mexico, and teach him to play the "guitarito." Danny agrees. as they leave as "amigos", Peggy follows in pursuit of the boy who almost killed Pancho Villa!

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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
Full Length, Folk Comedy

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  9            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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California Odyssey

Jack Frakes
Corky, Tad and Jinx, three young people in their 20's share their hopes, adventures and fun on a day and a half trip from San Francisco to San Diego. Tad, a serious practical "desert rat" is anxiously eager to get to his sister's wedding in San Diego. He is traveling with his cousin, Corky, a zany and mischievous "beach bum" who is a talented photographer. The trip is delayed and complicated when they encounter Jinx, a fun loving and charmingly flirtatious young woman, who is desperate to find her father, "King of the California Rodeos," to write his story for a movie. She convinces them to visit Carnival people, Jinx's relatives, Uncle Herman and aunt Lita, who give her a Treasure Box - not to be opened - and her mother, a former actress, who says her father is in the California desert. Squabbles over more side trips and temptations over opening the Treasure Box, fears from a hitchhiker and romance cause delays adventures and fun before they arrive at the wedding and discover Jinx's father.

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1st Published:
Baker's Plays (2009)   978-0-87440-225-4

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Romantic-Comedy (Fantasy & Myth)

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  9            Other:  flexible

Further Reference:
-

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Final Dress Rehearsal

Synopsis:
an amateur theatrical group's final dress rehearsal of Cinderellais a disaster: Cinderella is late, the prompter wants to play all the parts, the sassy stage crew is noisy, the author feels her brainchild is being ruined and the director is distraught. The stepsisters miss cues, sound effects are played at the wrong speed, the messenger crashes her bicycle and the fairy godmother can't find her wand. Final Dress Rehearsal is among the most popular plays for high school production according to the International Thespian Society.

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1st Published:
Samuel French Inc, NY,    -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Farce

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  13            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Once Upon A Playground

Synopsis:
after tomboys on a playground cruelly reject a girl with a funny nose because she is different, each expresses her inner fear of being different. The girl with the funny nose discovers a boy like herself. He offers friendship, hope and illusion. This comedy portrays the cruelty of youth as a total theatre experience, blending realism with such theatrical devices like stylized movement, choral chants and expressionism.

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1st Published:
Samuel French Inc, NY,    -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  8            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Pied Piper Of Valley Junction, The

Synopsis:
During the seasons of 1911 and 1912 andrew Singleton, an idealistic school teacher, returns to the small conservative farming community of Valley Junction, Kansas, for his health. He discovers "Buzzy," a bright young student who is the adopted son of the Turner family. But andrew's new educational ideas meet resistance from the citizens, represented by Homer Wadsworth and the town gossips. andrew and Jenny Turner, the local librarian, fall in love. But because of his health, andrew resists making a commitment. When Noah turner dies Buzzy fears he'll have to give up his studies. But, Bradley, a young farmer marries Ruth Turner and Buzzy receives a college scholarship. andrew's health grows worse and he says goodbye to Jenny and moves west, leaving future teaching to Buzzy. a short time later he dies and Jenny leaves Valley Junction to a new and changing world.

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1st Published:
Baker's Plays (2007)   978-0-87440-097-4

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Sentimental Folk Play

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  14            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Sally And Sam

Synopsis:
From morning to late the same night Sally and Sam are seen at home with parents, in class, after school with fellow students, and finally with each other at the football game and in Sam's car. Inner thoughts, hopes, fears and rebellions are humorously expressed by their Psyches. Realism is blended with theatrical devices such as area lighting and staging, choral chants and optional use of projected slide images.

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1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
Samuel French Inc, NY,    -

Music:
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To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  8            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Spoofydoofs' Funnybone

Synopsis:
The spoofydoofs live peacefully under a tree-- their only worry is the Hurry Scurries. Gigles finds a funnybone that makes everyone laugh. His search party is chased by Polly and her dog-- and by gloomy faced aunt Nettie, a Hurry Scurry. The spoofydoofs catch her and hand her the funnybone. She happily returns to Hurry Scurry land to spread laughter.

Notes:
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1st Produced:
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Organisations:
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1st Published:
Samuel French Inc, NY,    -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Comedy

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  9            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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