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Thomas W Olson

THOMAS W OLSON

  
Nationality:    USA
email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a

Thomas W. Olson began his professional Theatre career at age 17 as an actor with the Children's Theatre Company (CTC); he eventually became a member of its resident acting company and also served as stage manager, promotions director, stage director, literary manager, Dramaturg for 24 productions by guest playwrights, and, from 1978-1990, as CTC's resident playwright. To date, CTC has commissioned and produced more scripts by Thomas W. Olson than any other playwright in its history (30 scripts in 45 productions and three national tours), including world premiere adaptations of the Clown of God, Dracula, the Hobbit, the Phantom of the Opera, and his award-winning the Secret Garden. Beyond CTC, nearly a dozen additional original plays and adapted works have received productions by Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (mainstage and national tour), the National Arts Centre of Canada, Alliance Theatre of Atlanta, Arkansas Arts Center, Indiana Repertory Theater, Riverside Shakespeare Theatre and other troupes large and small across North America and beyond. His adaptation of Frankenstein became a nationally-broadcast CBS television special and the Marvelous Land of Oz, for MCA/Universal, appeared on HBO and Showtime cable as well as home video.

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below is a list of Thomas W Olson's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Adventures of Babar, The         Adventures of Mottel, The         Beatrix Potter's Christmas         Clown of God, The         Frankenstein         Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars         Jungle Book, The         Marvellous Land Of Oz, The         Merry Christmas Strega Nona         Mister Pickwick's Christmas         Penrod         Pied Piper Of Hamelin         Pippi Longstocking         Prince and the Pauper, The         Secret Garden         Shelock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars         Strega Nona         Troubles: The Children Of Belfast         Velveteen Rabbit, The         Wind in the Willows, The         Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Adventures of Babar, The

Synopsis:
A young orphan elephant - Babar - flees the forest and runs away to Paris. He is taken in by a kindly old lady who clothes him, teaches him French and buys him a red car. Babar's cousin and the lovely Celeste come looking for him

Notes:
Music by Steven Rydberg; lyrics and book by Thomas W Olson. Based on the books by Jean de Brunhoff

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

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:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  12            Female:  12            Other:  doubling

Further Reference:
-

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Adventures of Mottel, The

Synopsis:
A story of adventure and misadventure set in Russia in the year 1905. A Jewish boy named Mottel meets the trials of living under rule of a cruel Czar with wit and good cheer. Mottel has many adventures, from causing the whole town to sneeze, dying the river (and in effect all the laundry) blue, and eventually travelling to America. We are able to experience what life was like for Jews in Russia at this tine while being entertained by the mishaps of a young boy.

Notes:
from book by Sholom Aleichem

1st Produced:
Children's Theatre Company-Minneapolis.     1985

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences, 2009   -

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:
TYA

Parts:
Male:  13            Female:  11            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Beatrix Potter's Christmas

Synopsis:
Beatrix Potter arrives home with her brother Bertram. She is determined to make this Christmas unforgettable

Notes:
Music by Anita Ruth; lyrics and book by Thomas W Olson. Based on characters created by Beatrix Potter

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

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:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  14            Female:  17            Other:  doubling

Further Reference:
-

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Clown of God, The

Synopsis:
Giovanni is an orphan who leaves his village of Sorrento to join the commedia dell'arte, a travelling acting troupe. At first he is only an errand boy, but as he matures and perfects his art, he becomes the star. He sets out on his own, soon to become the finest juggler in Italy. For many years he travels throughout the country gaining wealth and fame. But the later years are cruel to the juggler and he can no longer perform the beautiful spectacles of his earlier days. He returns to Sorrento, where he is inspired to give the most magnificent performance of his life. In the end he is an old man who finally finds peace when all that he had to offer, a simple gift of his art, is acknowledged as precious and is valued above all else.

Notes:
from book by Tomie dePaola

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences, 2009   -

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:
Youth Audience

Parts:
Male:  15            Female:  7            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Frankenstein

Synopsis:
Through a series of flashbacks, Victor Frankenstein recalls the birth of his incredible, deadly creation to a team of arctic explorers. When his mother dies, Victor becomes determined to discover a way to bring life back to the dead. Through years of secret study and experiments, and the help of a magnificent lighting storm, Victor revives a corpse. But instead of creating a beautiful, strong, invincible man, Victor had created an ugly, terrifying monster. Should Victor create a mate for the monster, who suffers from aching loneliness, and send them into exile? Or should Victor destroy the monster before he causes more death and destruction?

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays for Young Audiences   -

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:
TYA

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars

Synopsis:
Out in the damp London streets, at the river wharf, and in his comfortable flat at 221-B Baker Street, Sherlock Holmes is at work on a puzzling new case. In addition to his faithful friend Watson, Holmes has enlisted the cooperation of some ragged street urchins known as the "Baker Street Irregulars." Together they investigate the appearance in London of a derelict cargo ship,the poisonous giant rat of Sumatra, a royal kidnapping, the eruption of Krakatoa, and a pair of lethal pygmies.

Notes:
from book by Arthur Conan Doyle

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences, 2009   -

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:
Youth Audience

Parts:
Male:  14            Female:  7            Other:  ensemble

Further Reference:
-

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Jungle Book, The

Synopsis:
Mowgli has been raised by animals in the jungle. But he now has to choose between the jungle and the human world

Notes:
Based on the books by Rudyard Kipling

1st Produced:
Childrens Theatre Company, Minneapolis    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences   -

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:
Childrens play Adaptation

Parts:
Male:  11            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Marvellous Land Of Oz, The

Synopsis:
Tip a young boy is forced to live with Mombi a witch. Mombi has been given the power of life which Tip steals and creates two friends for himself - Sawhorse and Jack. The three decide to runaway. They hear that there is going to be an attack on the Emerald City and go to warn the Scarecrow.

Notes:
Music by Richard A Dworsky; lyrics and book by Thomas W Olson. Based on the books by L Frank Baum

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

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:
Musical

Parts:
Male:  12            Female:  6            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Merry Christmas Strega Nona

Synopsis:
Every year at Christmas Strega Nona a witch prepared a meal for her neighbours. As it is Christmas she never uses magic in the preparation of the food. Big Tom - as always - finds some way to mess everything up

Notes:
Music by Alan Shorter; lyrics And book by Thomas W Olson. Based on the book by Tomie de Paolo

1st Produced:
Childrens Theatre Company, Minneapolis    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences   -

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:
Childrens musical

Parts:
Male:  12            Female:  7            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Mister Pickwick's Christmas

Synopsis:
Mr Pickwick and friends arrive at Wardle Farm to spend Christmas

Notes:
Music by Hiram Titus; lyrics And book by Thomas W Olson. Based on "the Pickwick Papers" by Charles Dickens

1st Produced:
Childrens Theatre Company, Minneapolis    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences   -

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:
Childrens musical Adaptation

Parts:
Male:  16            Female:  13            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Penrod

Synopsis:
Penrod loves to daydream and write stories, but he also manages to get himself in lots of trouble. Penrod and his friend Sam meet Herman and Verman, two new boys who just moved into town. the four boys set up a carnival type show for the neighborhood kids. Penrod's crush, Marjorie, comes over and asks Penrod if he will take her and her brother, Mitchy-Mitch, to the real carnival in town. Once there, Mitchy-Mitch gets upset which makes Marjorie mad at Penrod, and they both leave him. Penrod is so sad that when he meets Rupe Collins, a carnival worker, he becomes convinced to run away and join the carnival. Later that night, when Penrod is running away with Rupe, Herman and Verman show up and defend Penrod from Rupe, who is secretly a thief trying to steal Penrod's belongings.

Notes:
from book by Booth Tarkington

1st Produced:
Children's Theatre Company-Minneapolis.     1984

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences, 2009   -

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:
TYA

Parts:
Male:  15            Female:  10            Other:  ensemble

Further Reference:
-

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Pied Piper Of Hamelin

Synopsis:
A friendly piper says he can rid the town of rats

Notes:
Based on the poem "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" by Robert Browning

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

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:
Childrens play

Parts:
Male:  14            Female:  6            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Pippi Longstocking

Synopsis:
On the outskirts of town stands a ramshackle house. It may not seem like much 'til you peek through the railings&then, there's a horse on the porch, a monkey in the kitchen and a freckle faced, red-pigtailed, whirlwind of a girl in mismatched stockings presiding over all! This is the domain of  ready?  Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim's Daughter Longstocking. Pippi is outrageously unsupervised and proud of it. She has what she needs to get by, and if she doesn't she'll make something up that will do the trick. Her Father is a pirate captain off sailing the seas. Her mother is an angel watching over her from heaven. And neither Mrs. Prysselius, head of the Child Welfare Board, nor Thunder and Bloom, a couple of ne'erdo- wells who try to abscond with the gold in her pirate treasure chest can get the best of her. Neither can the policemen who try to make her go to school, or the school teacher she meets once she goes. (She decides to give school a try once she learns from her neighbors and new very-best friends, Tommy and Annika, that if you go to school, you get a summer vacation.) In fact, the adults who come in contact with her often are the ones who learn from the encounter. She teaches the burglars in her house a lesson in manners when they use the word, damn, (language no well behaved person should use), and she conducts a real-world mathematics lesson at school until even the teacher enjoys the romp. But it's not that she's unteachable. Pippi swallows her fears of not knowing any of the rules of etiquette and goes to a fancy party. She cares so much more than she's willing to admit, and she learns a hard lesson that even fun can go too far, and sometimes what starts out as play can end up just plain disrespectful. She simply doesn't fit, and it's hard to imagine Pippi fitting in anywhere  unless you meet her, and then you can't imagine life without her. When her Father sails (quite literally) into town just in time to rescue her from a solitary life in the Children's Home, she has the chance to join him in his adventurous pirate life, but she chooses to stay. As odd as it seems, and against all the rules, she has found a place where she belongs.

Notes:
Based on the book by Astrid Lindgren

1st Produced:
Childrens Theatre Company, Minneapolis     1982

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences   -

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:
Childrens play Adaptation

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  6            Other:  +ensemble/puppeteers

Further Reference:
-

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Prince and the Pauper, The

Synopsis:
When a prince and his double meet

Notes:
Based on the book by Mark Twain

1st Produced:
Childrens Theatre Company, Minneapolis    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences   -

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:
Childrens play Adaptation

Parts:
Male:  18            Female:  5            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Secret Garden

Synopsis:
Orphan Mary Lennox is sent to live with her uncle at his remote mansion. Left to her own devices she explores the grounds and discovers a walled garden

Notes:
Based on the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett

1st Produced:
Childrens Theatre Company, Minneapolis     1988

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences   -

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:
Childrens play Adaptation 90 min

Parts:
Male:  6            Female:  4            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Shelock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars

Synopsis:
Holmes enlists the Baker Street Irregulars to help in the Case of the Giant Rat of Sumatra

Notes:
Based on characters created by Arthur Conan Doyle

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

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:
Drama

Parts:
Male:  14            Female:  7            Other:  extras

Further Reference:
-

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Strega Nona

Synopsis:
When Strega Nona leaves Big Anthony in charge of her house, she warns him not to touch her magic pasta pot. But Big Anthony can't resist and soon the town is swimming in pasta. Can Strega Nona save the day? Does anyone have a recipe for a good Marinara sauce? All ages.

Notes:
Based on the Caldecott Award winning book by Tomie de Paola; Original lyrics by Roberta Carlson And Thomas W. Olson; Music by Aron Accurso

1st Produced:
Adventure Theatre, Glen Echo, Md     2009

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

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:
adaoptation Musical

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Troubles: The Children Of Belfast

Synopsis:
The youngsters on both sides of the divide in Belfast

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

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:
Youth play

Parts:
Male:  16            Female:  15            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Velveteen Rabbit, The

Synopsis:
If a toy is loved a lot it comes to life

Notes:
Based on the book by Margery Williams

1st Produced:
South Coast Repertory Theatre, Costa Mesa, California     20 Mar 2010

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

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:
Childrens play Adaptation

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Wind in the Willows, The

Synopsis:
Mr. Mole had no idea when he scurried out of his cozy underground home on a bright spring day what marvelous adventures and good friends the day would bring. Inspired by the new season, the Mole is determined to leave his reclusive life behind and explore the world above ground. Mole's explorations lead him to discover the River Bank, Wild Wood, Toad Hall and even catch a glimpse of the Wide World. More importantly, he finds new friends: the dependable Water Rat, wise Old Badger, and the notorious Mr. Toad.

Notes:
Music by Roberta Carlson

1st Produced:
Childrens Theatre Company, Minneapolis     1994-95

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences, 2011   -

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:
Childrens musical 100 min

Parts:
Male:  15            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Synopsis:
Follow Dorothy and her loyal companions  a scarecrow stuffed with straw, a tin woodsman, a cowardly lion and many others  on their adventures through Oz, the Emerald City and beyond.

Notes:
L. Frank Baum, Author. Thomas W. Olson, playwright. Victor Zupanc, composer

1st Produced:
Childrens Theatre Company, Minneapolis     1992-93

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Plays For Young Audiences, 2011   -

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:
Childrens musical 100 min

Parts:
Male:  14            Female:  14            Other:  ensemble

Further Reference:
-

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