The Box of Stories

by J.S. Puller

Storytelling is the native language of all human beings. But what would the world have become without stories? When the trickster gods Coyote, Loki, and Anansi steal the art of storytelling from mankind, sealing away stories into a magical box, it is a young girl without a name that rises to become a hero. Upon finding the box, she uses the stories inside to reintroduce mankind to civilization. Spanning the realms of Native American, Norse, African, Greek, Indian, Vietnamese, Celtic, and Middle Eastern mythology, The Box of Stories demonstrates the power of the spoken word and the ability of mankind to grow, learn, and survive.

$12.00

Quick Details

  • Type: Play
  • Estimated Run Time: 75-90 minutes | Can be cut for competition
  • Availability: Available for productions worldwide
  • Cast Size: 24 roles | Doubling possible for a cast of 5

Full Details

Roles:

  • Jenna: The narrator; a young Muslim woman in her early 20s
  • Imra and Girl: Jenna's little sister; a young woman in her teens
  • Loki: A trickster god; appears to be an elderly gentleman
  • Coyote: A trickster god with animal body parts; a young man
  • Anansi: A trickster goddess; a queen among gods
  • Young Boy: A little boy afraid of echoes; late teens
  • Echo: A nymph; must be able to dance
  • Narcissus: A handsome mortal in love with himself
  • Aphrodite: The goddess of love
  • Villager 1: A villager who wants to sneak into a party of the god Indra
  • Villager 2: A villager who wants to sneak into a party of the god Indra
  • Villager 3: A villager who wants to sneak into a party of the god Indra
  • Thintha: A raggedy peasant man
  • Kalavati: A spirit dancer, married to Thintha
  • Indra: A jealous god who hates mortals
  • Survivor 1: A survivor of a monster attack
  • Survivor 2: A survivor of a monster attack
  • Survivor 3: A survivor of a monster attack
  • Âu Co': A fairy healer
  • Lac Long Quân: A great hero and monster-slayer
  • Sea Monster: A large monsters with many tentacles, perhaps operated as a puppet
  • Royal Page: A servant to the Girl
  • Cockatrice: A dragon with the head of a rooster who has the ability to turn people into stone with its breath; played as a Chinese dragon, with two actors operating a puppet

The following resources are included in each performance license:
  • Permission to photocopy the PDF script for your production so there is no additional cost for these assets.

The following resources may be added to you license for an additional fee:
  • Logo/Media package

J.S. Puller

J.S. Puller is a playwright and author from the Windy City, Chicago. She has a master's degree in elementary education and a bachelor's degree in theatre from Northwestern University. She is an award-winning member of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education and has written about the social-emotional benefits of arts education with the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research. When not writing, she can usually be found in the theatre. She is the author of two novels, CAPTAIN SUPERLATIVE and THE LOST THINGS CLUB, both published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. She also has several published plays.

Learn more about J.S. Puller on her website or Linktree! 

Originally produced by The Growing Stage in Netcong, NJ

Winner of the American Alliance for Theatre and Education 2019 Unpublished Play Reading Series
Winner of the 2018 Old Miner's Play Competition at Utah Valley University 
Winner of the 2016 Laurie Award at The Growing Stage

Photos of production at The Growing Stage

Photos of production at The Growing Stage

Photos of production at The Growing Stage

Reviews

“

The goal of “Box of Stories” is not only to emphasize the importance of storytelling to young audiences, but to highlight our similarities.

- New Jersey Stage
“

This completely captivating production conveys the message that stories have the power to influence people’s ideals, a message for children and adults alike.

- Broadway World