Number the Stars
Based on the book by Lois Lowry. Adapted by Dr. Douglas W. Larche, with educational and editorial assistance from Susan Elliott Larche.
Product Code: N45000
Full-length Play
Drama
Cast size: 7m., 7w., extras if desired.
No Livestream or Record and Stream Rights Available
Rights and availability
This title can be licensed and sold throughout the World.
* Please note the royalty rate listed is the minimum royalty rate per performance. The actual royalty rate will be determined upon completion of a royalty application.
Synopsis
During the German occupation of Denmark in World War II, the Nazis closed down Jewish-owned businesses and began to round up the Jews for relocation to concentration camps for the final solution. Danish freedom fighters of all ages risked everything in daring, hurried attempts to rescue the entire Jewish population. In this stirring play, young Annemarie and Kirsti Johansen face soldiers, interrogations, fierce dogs, personal danger, the loss of loved ones and their own fears as they try to help their friend Ellen Rosen escape across the ocean to Sweden and safely. Courage, faith, ingenuity and even their fledgling acting skills eventually win the day. All the drama, pathos, adventure, terror and humor that have made Number the Stars a national best seller (and winner of the Newberry Award and the American Library Association Book of the Year Award) come to life in this powerful adaptation.
Notes
No Livestream or Record and Stream Rights Available
Details
- Status In stock
- Type of Show Full-length Play
- Product Code N45000
- Minimum Cast Size 14
- Pages of Dialogue 54
- Min. Royalty Rate $110.00/perf
- Approx. Run Time 80 min
- Staging Area staging.
Categories
- Target Audience Middle School | High School | College and Adult | Family (all ages) | Senior Adults | Praise Groups
- Performing Group Middle School | High School | College Theatre | Community Theatre | Professional Theatre | Praise Group | Dinner Theatre
- Genre Drama
- ISBN(13) 9780871297112
Customer Reviews
I loved it. It is a great play with an even better and important story.
This enduring story of young Annemarie was embraced! When many of our students heard we would perform Number the Stars, I heard nothing but excitement! Many of them had read and loved the novel by Lois Lowry while in elementary school.
Number the Stars was an excellent, entertaining and educational script. It was relatively easy to produce, and it was very true to the original novel by Lois Lowry.
Number the Stars captures the essential plot and characters of the novel in a suspenseful, easy to stage drama. We performed it before elementary school audiences who were enraptured at the drama.
This play was a beautiful story that the students really connected with. The messages of courage and friendship proved powerful. Our student audiences loved seeing the favorite novel come to life!
Fabulous play as the leading characters are females, which we all know most of us have plenty of in our departments.
It's a great adaptation of the novel. Much of the dialogue comes straight from the book!
A touching adaptation with well-shaped characters and a well-told story.
Great play. Best turnout in 19 years. Even got a standing ovation and tears.
This play was beautifully written and effective. We appreciated the staging simplicity; but more, we were grateful for such a sensitive stageplay for our middle school students to perform. It was exciting to present them with such role models.
Hints, Tips, and Tricks
The play can be done with minimal costumes, set pieces, and props. There are quite a few sound effects in this play, some more difficult to time than others. In our production, we added a table on stage where some of our actors created the sound effects, such as the bicycle in the first scene, the train whistle, and clock chimes. Other sound effects, such as the dogs barking in the second act, were pre-recorded.
We dressed our soldiers in long wool coats and trapper-type hats so we did not have to create uniforms (this was a look we saw in photos from the era). We made rules out of wood to sling over their shoulders and it was very realistic.
We used wood grain patterned contact paper to cover the wheels of a regular antique boy's bike.
There are many scenes. Keep the sets/props simple!
Production Map
| Location | City | State | Opens | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence Academy | Green Bay | WI | 04/09/2025 | 04/12/2025 |
| Covenant Academy | Cypress | TX | 04/25/2025 | 04/25/2025 |
| Franklin Jr. High School | Franklin | OH | 02/06/2026 | 02/08/2026 |
Downloads
| File Description | File Format | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance Poster | Download |
Poster Suggestions
- Each poster includes a text box which allows you to customize it with your production information. Once a poster has been opened, position your mouse over the lower third portion until you see a label with instructions on entering your production information. Use the Text Select Tool to customize your poster.
- You can print the poster in its original format and hand write your information.
- 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
Number the Stars - NYS Theatre Institute, Troy, NY
Number the Stars - Goucher College Theatre, Baltimore, Md.
Number the Stars-Story Theatre Company, Ames, IA
Also By These Authors
Roberta Weiner, Prana Productions, Holliston, Mass.