1984
Adapted by Robert Owens, Wilton E. Hall Jr. and William A. Miles Jr. From the novel by George Orwell.
Product Code: N15000
Full-length Play
Drama
Cast size: 14 actors.
No Livestream or Record and Stream Rights Available
Rights and availability
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Synopsis
This authorized stage adaptation is true to the novel in which Orwell depicts with great power the horrors of man’s fate in a society where Big Brother is always watching—where everything that is not prohibited is compulsory. As your cast presents the play, you will be participating in a theatrical event that is both powerful and disturbingly provocative. Orwell himself once said, “I do not believe that the kind of society I describe necessarily will arrive, but I believe that something resembling it could arrive. The moral to be drawn from the dangerous nightmare situation is a simple one: Don’t let it happen. It depends on you.”
Notes
No Livestream or Record and Stream Rights Available
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Details
- Status In stock
- Type of Show Full-length Play
- Product Code N15000
- Minimum Cast Size 8
- Pages of Dialogue 77
- Min. Royalty Rate $110.00/perf
- Approx. Run Time 95 min
- Staging Bare stage with props.
Categories
- Target Audience Middle School | High School | College and Adult | Senior Adults
- Performing Group Middle School | High School | College Theatre | Community Theatre | Dinner Theatre
- Genre Drama
- ISBN(13) 9780871295422
Customer Reviews
This adaptation of George Orwell's classic novel was very useful for an academic theatre. It provided great learning opportunities for our students and brought this dystopian novel to life on the stage for our audiences.
This is an intense show that was a great acting experience for my cast. Try to bring some lightness during rehearsals in order not to get swallowed up with the darkness! The audiences were so appreciative. You could hear a pin drop through every minute of the two and a quarter hours of play—not an easy task in this day and age. We made it a point not to get too political, but I could easily see a production making a lot of current connections.
Challenging play for advanced high school actors, also provided terrific design opportunities.
The play 1984 seemed perfect for this time in America's history. The script was adapted well, retaining all the important elements of Orwell's story.
This was truly an unforgettable experience. The show was amazing, as was our set. The audience was blown away by the acting, set and projections!!
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
I would suggest having the students maybe read the book or at least have in-depth character development to help them grasp the tragedy this show is.
Instead of small television screens, we used a 5' X 10' video screen to present footage, some stock/archive and some videos produced in-house. We used a more benign image for Big Brother, one that seemed more contemporary. Focus was still on the performances but the large screen emphasized the omnipresence of BB. We also had a very talented student compose an original score that we used for scene transitions. He played it live on a grand piano, out of sight of the audience. Make sure that the technology does not overwhelm the acting, they have to work in synchronization.
Definitely be sure to utilize lights and sound to indicate the passage of time. I also added an ensemble of guards and party members to keep the stage filled at all times. This supported the idea that someone is always watching.
If you use technology to your advantage, this can be a visually wonderful show.
Production Map
| Location | City | State | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloverdale Performing Arts Center | Cloverdale | CA | 03/14/2025 | 03/23/2025 |
| Cloverdale Performing Arts Center | Cloverdale | CA | 03/14/2025 | 03/23/2025 |
| Theatre 68 Arts Complex | Los Angeles | CA | 04/03/2025 | 04/13/2025 |
| Sharnbrook Mill Theatre | Sharnbrook | 09/24/2025 | 09/28/2025 |
Downloads
| File Description | File Format | |
|---|---|---|
| Big Brother Poster | jpg | Download |
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- Your local copy shop should be able to create prints from a file saved to disk. They might even be able to increase the size of the poster for you (although some loss of resolution will occur).
Gallery
1984 - Blackford High School, Hartford City, IN
1984-St. Stephens High School, Hickory, NC
1984-Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, Kitchener, Ontario
1984-Bancroft School, Worcester, MA
1984 - Gallo Center for the Arts, Modesto, CA
1984 - Kelvin Players, Bristol, England
Also By These Authors
Kenneth Cramer, Montini Catholic High School, Downers Grove, Ill.