The Flower of Beauty: Two Commedia dell'Arte Plays for the Modern Stage

By Gwen Adams

A Short Comedy Adapted for the Stage from "The Flower of Beauty" in Tales of Enchantment from Spain

 

Part of the Series: Commedia dell'Arte Plays for the Modern Stage

 

ACTOR'S EDITION

 

Perpetua is perplexed when her son Arlecchino loses his apprenticeship, first at the bakery, and then at the butcher shop. But things begin to look up when Arlecchino apprentices with the court painter Brighella. For the king's dreams are haunted by visions of a princess, the Flower of Beauty. Brighella despairs when the king orders him to paint a portrait of the Flower of Beauty. But Arlecchino volunteers to give it a try. When Arlecchino succeeds, the king takes him on a journey to find the princess. With her maid Columbina, the princess Isabella is being held by enchantment in the tower of Il Dottore. When the king and Arlecchino free them, Il Dottore pronounces a terrible curse. How will they find a remedy?

 

Cast Size: (with doubling) 8 overall: 5m; 3w. May be expanded to 6m, 4w, 3m/w.

 

Approximate Running Time: 55–65 min. Two Acts with optional intermission (can be performed as a One Act Play).

 

Time Period: A short time or a long time ago.

 

Setting: Far away, in a place a little like Italy and another place a little like Spain. Can be staged in minimalist fashion, without sets or backdrops.

 

Min. Royalty Rate: Contact Bardstreet for licensing inquiry.

 

Target Audience: Young Audiences, Middle School, High School, College/University, Adult/Family (all ages), Catholic and Christian audiences, Classical schools

 

Performing Group: Middle School, High School, College/University Theater, Community Theater, Professional Theater, Touring Group

 

Note: This modern Commedia play is composed primarily of scripted lines. This is a departure from the original Commedia plays, which had far fewer set lines (and sometimes none!). However, the series preserves the Commedia dell'Arte flavor by allowing traditional Commedia characters to present the play, and giving them ample opportunity for "lazzi" or "business," improvisation, pantomime, music, dance, tumbling, sword-play, and recommendations for memorized poems to present as "stock speeches."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bardstreet
• Release date: Jan 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798986718521

Gwen Adams

Gwen Adams is a writer, playwright, speaker, and Visiting Assistant Professor of Theology at the Augustine Institute. She is the author of By an Unexpected Way: Stories of the New Evangelization (Augustine Institute Press, 2019). With experience in parish, diocesan, school and university settings, she has produced plays, taught history, literature, and writing, and offered courses on the New Evangelization, Catholic Education, and Reform and Renewal within the Catholic Church. Directing credits include A Midsummer Night's Dream, Uncle Vanya, and Life Is a Dream. Her master's thesis focused on fairytales; her dissertation gathered interviews with men and women about parish renewal. When she's not inventing funny, hopeful stories, she's retelling the stories of others, past and present, unexpected and full of wonder.

Book preview

The Flower of Beauty

A Commedia dell’Arte Play for the Modern Stage

Based on the story The Flower of Beauty

collected by Elsie Spicer Eells in Tales of Enchantment from Spain

by

Gwen Adams

BardStreet Actor’s Edition

Contents

COPYRIGHT & CAUTION

BACKGROUND

SYNOPSIS

CHARACTERS, TIME, PLACE, RUNNING TIME

THE PLAY

ACT I

Part 1: A Town, Somewhere in a Place a Little like Italy

Part 2: A Bakery, One Day Later

Part 3: A Town, Somewhere in a Place a Little like Italy, Same Day

Part 4: A Butcher Shop, One Day Later

Part 5: A Town, Somewhere in a Place a Little like Italy, Same Day

Part 6: The Studio of the Royal Court Painters, a Few Weeks Later

Part 7: The Royal Palace, Same Day

Part 8: The Studio of the Royal Court Painters, Same Day

ACT II

Part 1: A Mysterious Castle in a Place a Little like Spain, Two Days Later

Part 2: The Tower of the Magician IL DOTTORE, One Day Later

Part 3: Near and at a Mysterious Castle in a Place a Little like Spain, Same Day

Part 4: The Royal Palace, a Few Months Later

Part 5: The Royal Palace, One Day Later

Part 6: A Mysterious Castle in a Place a Little like Spain, Two Days Later

Part 7: A Butcher Shop, Two Days Later

Part 8: The Royal Palace, the Same Day

Part 9: The Royal Palace, a Few Years Later

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

COPYRIGHT & CAUTION

First Bardstreet Edition, January 11, 2023

Copyright © 2022 Gwen Adams.

All rights reserved.

While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

The Flower of Beauty: A Short Comedy Adapted for the Stage from The Flower of Beauty in Tales of Enchantment from Spain

Part of the Series: Commedia dell’Arte Plays for the Modern Stage

Written by Gwen Adams

ISBN: 979-8986718521

Library of Congress Registration #: PAu004145241

CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that performance of The Flower of Beauty is subject to payment of a royalty. This work is fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, and of all countries covered by the International Copyright Union (including the Dominion of Canada and the rest of the British Commonwealth), and of all countries covered by the Pan-American Copyright Convention, the Universal Copyright Convention, the Berne Convention, and of all countries with which the United States has reciprocal copyright relations. All rights, including without limitation professional/amateur stage rights, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio broadcasting, television, video or sound recording, all other forms of mechanical, electronic and digital reproduction, transmission and distribution, such as CD, DVD, the Internet, private and file-sharing networks, information storage and retrieval systems, photocopying, and the rights of translation into foreign languages are strictly reserved. Particular emphasis is placed upon the matter of readings, permission for which must be secured from the Author or Author’s designee in writing.

The stock and amateur stage performance rights throughout the world for The Flower of Beauty are controlled exclusively by Bardstreet, LLC. No professional or nonprofessional performance of the Play may be given without obtaining in advance the written permission of the Author, Author’s designee, and/or Bardstreet, LLC and paying the requisite fee.

Inquiries concerning all other rights should be addressed to Gwen Adams, Director, at [e-mail].

NOTE: Anyone receiving permission to produce The Flower of Beauty is required to give credit to the Author as sole and exclusive Author of the Play on the title page of all programs distributed in connection with performances of the Play and in all instances in which the title of the Play