Newman Plays

Other Adaptations of Novels

John Newman has adapted and directed a number of novels by other authors, two of which have been published and the rest of which were adapted with permission for a single production. If you are interested in the writer seeking rights to a novel and adapting a script for a one-time production for your school or company, email John.Newman@uvu.edu

THE SECRET SCHOOL by Avi

In The Secret School, 14 year old Ida Bidson assumes the role of teacher when the instructor at her one-room schoolhouse leaves to care for her mother. The play was adapted for Highland High School in Salt Lake City, UT, with subsequent productions at the Open Eye Theater in Margaratville, New York and Dreamwrights Youth and Family Theatre in Lancaster, PA. Newman’s adaptation is now published by Dramatic Publishing, and there is a 40 minute adaptation of the script available from the publisher upon request.

https://www.dramaticpublishing.com/browse/the-secret-school

THE SECRET SISTERS by Avi

In this sequel to The Secret School, Ida Bidson moves onto Steamboat Springs High School, lodging with Miss Sedgwick and bonding with four of her classmates who want to embrace everything modern in the world of 1925. It was adapted for a one-time production by the Summer Youth Theatre Intensive at Gunnison Valley High School in Gunnison, UT under the direction of Kaylee Hill.

WHIRLIGIG by Paul Fleischman

Teenager Brent Bishop gets drunk at a party and accidentally kills a young woman in another car as he tries to drive home. The victim’s family asks Brent to create four whirligigs in the corners of the country as memorials to their daughter. In the full-length version, we see the stories of four groups of people Brent never meets whose lives are changed for better by the whirligigs, demonstrating the positive as well as negative long-lasting consequences of our actions. This script was adapted for production at Highland High School in Salt Lake City and was subsequently performed at Mountain View High School in Orem, UT under the direction of Nathan Criman. The play is now published by YouthPLAYS and has had a dozen productions in the United States, as well as one in New Zealand. Full-length, one-act, and Zoom versions of the script are available for licensing.

https://www.youthplays.com/search.php?quicksearchbox=whirligig

CARRY ON, MR. BOWDITH by Jean Lee Latham

In this rendering of a lesser known hero from the early days of the United States, mathematical genius Nathaniel Bowditch is indentured to a book-keeper, missing his chance to attend Harvard. Nat educates himself and teaches math and navigation to the sailors as he works as an officer on sailing ships. Through Nat’s prodigious teaching ability, he helps men who can barely count on their fingers master calculus, do calculations few captains can do, and enjoy more prosperous lives as ships’ officers. Newman adapted the book for a touring production at Utah Valley University, with an expanded script directed by Nathan Criman at Mountain View High School in Orem, UT.

HERE LIES THE LIBRARIAN by Richard Peck

Teenage Elinor, known as PeeWee, helps her brother fix automobiles in her rube corner of her small town. When four college-graduated librarians arrive from Indianapolis to take over their tiny library, Elinor is introduced to a world of books and reading, while helping her brother win an anything-goes car race. Newman adapted the play for a one-time touring production by Highland High School in Salt Lake City, UT.

A YEAR DOWN YONDER by Richard Peck

In this Newbery Medal winning book, Mary Alice is sent by her parents, struggling to make ends meet during World War II, to live with her eccentric Grandma Dowdle in a small town in Central Illinois. During her year in town, Mary Alice comes to appreciate how her grandmother takes care of people in the town without letting them know her business. Newman adapted the script for a single production at the Open Eye Theater in Margaretville NY.

PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale

Miri, a young woman living in the quarry village of Mount Eskel, is compelled to attend the hastily-organized Princess Academy that is designed to prepare the rough maidens from their chosen province to become potential brides for the crown prince. As Miri discovers reading and learns about the world beyond their isolated mountain, she changes forever the lifestyle of her fellow villagers. Newman adapted the script for a single production of a youth play in the Noorda Theatre Summer Camp at Utah Valley University.

SOPHIA’S WAR by Avi

Sophia, living in British occupied Manhattan during the Revolutionary War, struggles and fails to preserve her brother, who joined the rebel army, was captured, and languishes in British prisons. When Sophia has the chance to become a spy for the American side, she uncovers the plot by celebrated General Benedict Arnold to help the British take the fortification at West Point on Hudson’s River. While fictional, Sophia’s journey addresses several of the mysteries related to the thwarting of the conspiracy. A staged reading of the script was directed by Adam Slee at Renaissance Academy in Ogden, UT and a full production was staged at Mountain View High School by drama teacher Nathan Criman.