Radio and Puppet Plays
12 new plays to entertain and educate

  • you get helpful potted histories of radio and puppetry
  • there are tips and ideas on getting started
  • usually genderless characters thus ideal for both single-sex or co-ed classes
  • there are many tips and ideas on performing, sound effects and background music
  • there are many follow-up activities
  • there are notes on making puppets and setting up a simple radio station
  • there's a stereo backing-tape with sound effects and background music
  • the plays are great for drama, art, language and fun
  • remember that whilst each play may have only 4-8 actors, others are used with sound effects, recording, miniature scenery moving and, of course, as the audience!

Radio Plays

Puppet Plays

Radio Plays

THE DECORATORS has a cast of four plus a narrator. Four decorators are painting the inside of a house. They spread the drop-sheets, stir the paint and slap it on the walls. Nice neat strokes. Bossy is bossy and the others want a tea-break. But slave-driver Bossy keeps the others hard at it until something unusual happens. Bossy is literally painted into a corner. Oh dear. Now it's time for a break!!

THE SHORT CUT has three characters and a narrator. Lots of interesting sound effects all on the stereo backing-tape. Coward, Brave and Nifty are driving in the country en route to a dance. It's dark. The car breaks down and they decide to walk. Nifty knows a short cut. Off they go through the pitch-black countryside. Bushes, creepy crawlies, puddles and whatever else your imagination desires. Suddenly they see a light. Safe at last. They fight their way through the undergrowth towards the light. Oh no! What an ending!

HOW TO LAUNDER MONEY has four characters plus narrator. We're inside an expensive house. It's night. A grandfather clock ticks away. In the darkened room the burglars are fumbling towards the safe. They fiddle with the combination. It won't open. Suddenly the door opens and two very rich people enter. They talk about a fortune. One wants the other to launder two million. Two million! The burglars are hidden unable to believe their good fortune. The rich folk leave and the thieves attack the safe. They finally crack it. But what's inside?

RUNWAY RUNAWAYS is set beside a busy airport. Planes land and take-off. Great sound effects on the tape. Three characters crouch beside the runway. They've run away from home. One runaway has been in and out of institutions and doesn't want to be caught. The police arrive with a dog. Will the runaways be discovered? They argue about how to escape. The police get closer. The planes continue to come and go. But then an amazing discovery. The runaways are ...

PRESS THE RIGHT BUTTON has three characters and a narrator. The radio play is set in a movie studio where the soundtrack of a new film is being added to the footage. All sorts of sound effects are needed. They're all on the tape. But one of the staff is new and keeps hitting the wrong button. For an animal cry comes a siren. For broken glass comes spooky music. It's crazy. The boss is going nuts. But then someone suggests they try random selection. What will this do to the movie? Great fun with sound effects.

TOM TOM TRAFFIC has three actors and the narrator and is set in a steamy jungle. Strange animal noises are heard together with tom tom messages. Spy is desperately trying to reach base on the portable radio. Wounded is wounded. The drums are driving them insane. The mosquitoes are having a picnic. Wounded is dying. Help is desperately needed. Base replies. There is a lifeline. Pull the cord. They do and something amazing happens.

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Puppet Plays

PARTY GUEST has two puppets and lots of audience participation. Gorgeous is trying to arrange a party and keeps asking the audience for help. Abacus finally arrives and keeps talking in numbers. Gorgeous is going bananas trying to work out how many balloons are needed, how many chairs, how many hats, etc. Abacus keeps talking in numbers. Gorgeous explodes and chases Abacus away only to realise the truth. Great for maths and audience participation.

KEEP UP WITH JONES has three modern characters. Slick has the latest in mobile communications. It can make phone calls, send/receive faxes, produce your horoscope and tell you when to change your socks. Slick is waiting to see some movie stars. Jones is impressed with the latest gadgets. Keep up with Jones. But Easy is more relaxed. You see having all this fantastic equipment is great but if you don't know the basics, well, the gear is all a bit useless. As Easy says, the movie stars ....

PUNCH 'IM JUDY is set inside a gym. A trainer and Judy are the main puppets with some athletes working out in the background. Judy is learning how to box. Remember the beach sideshows where Punch and Judy shows often displayed some violence. Punch 'im Judy is a send-up of the original and also a study of the use of violence. Great for stimulating discussion on this important subject.

SPOOKY DREAMS has four puppets - Griswald, Gako, Grannie and Ghost. It's set in a bedroom of a huge Scottish mansion. Griswald and Gako are young and set to inherit the mansion. It's got 27 rooms but one of them is haunted. The young 'uns plan a dirty trick. Grannie said she would leave if ever she saw a ghost. Why don't they invent a ghost, scare Grannie away and claim the mansion immediately? Great idea. So the trap is set and the ghost appears. But is it a real or a pretend ghost? Somebody has the last laugh.

A RIGHT ROYAL ROMP has six puppets and is set inside a magnificent royal palace. Beautiful costumes. The pompous Knight seeks a royal blessing. The Queen thinks Knight is a windbag and wants the Court Jester and some entertainment. Princess Bossy Boots likes to boss everyone around. Knight seeks her hand in marriage. Jester arrives and presents an unusual stand-up comic routine. "Off with his head" is the cry. Enter the intrepid explorer Sir Incredibly Brave. His last voyage was down the corridor, through the kitchen and into the back yard. Gosh. Now it's off to the end of the world. Well why not take Princess Bossy Boots? And the gardener. Re-enter Jester who tried his comedy for the troops but died. But Jester is someone special. King and Queen hatch a plan to save their kingdom. It's madcap, punny, funny puppetry.

SWINE LAKE is a famous ballet for ... pigs. It's based on a very obscure ballet called Swan Lake. Lots of puppets including Princess Von Baddie, Baron Von Baddie, Siegfried, The Queen Mum and Piggy-Wiggy. Four acts and a glorious musical score for some exquisite dancing. Each scene lasts a minute or two and the narrator keeps us informed of what's happening. From the gardens of the royal castle to the lake in the forest, to the ball and back to the forest, our ballet is a celebration of pork pirouettes. It's charming, enchanting, breathtaking, captivating and just a little bit funny. Whip up your pig puppets and have them dance their trotters off!

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Prices for Radio and Puppet Plays [includes script, tape and royalties]
A$45 [US$35]