Past Shows

Selected Past Apple Box Productions

Comedy of Errors

July 2024

“Comedy of Errors” is a twin/mistaken identity farce written by William Shakespeare and adapted for kids and modern audiences by Maren Anderson. In it, two sets of twins, each named Antipholus and Dromio, are separated at birth. One set of Antipholus and Dromio twins arrives in Ephesus from Spain looking for the other twins, but they are all mistaken for each other. Also, their father Egeon is in town and has one day to raise a thousand ducats or he will be executed. He also does not know any of the twins are in town.


Watch it here

El Principe Oso or The Bear Prince

by Maren Bradley Anderson 

July 2023

This is the story of Ninfa, a poor girl who lives in a village in Mexico. Her father, a woodcutter, chops down a tree in the bosque encantador (enchanted forest), and a talking bear threatens to kill him unless the woodcutter brings Ninfa to marry him. Ninfa discovers the bear is actually El Principe Oso, a.k.a. Raul, the enchanted prince cursed to be a man by night and a bear by day. When she breaks a promise to her prince, she must go on a quest with her companions to free him from the clutches of an evil witch.


Watch it here.

St. George and the Dragon

By Maren Bradley Anderson

July 2022

In "St. George and the Dragon," the Red Knight, who has no name and was raised by the fairies, goes on an epic (and funny) adventure with Princess Una and her short friend Big Al. They encounter swordplay, magic, monsters, and yes, a dragon to fight at the end. 


Wacth it here

Much Ado About Nothing

adapted by Maren Bradley Anderson

July 2021

Much Ado About Nothing is about two couples who fall in love. Hero and Claudio are young and eager to be married, but Beatrice and Benedict have to be convinced they actually like each other. Don John, a jealous prince, tries to sabotage Hero and Claudio’s wedding by lying about Hero’s devotion. But this is a comedy, so there is much hilarity, a happy ending for everyone, and the bad guys get their comeuppance.

Watch it here

Beowulf

By Maren Bradley Anderson

July 2019

The story is set in Scandinavia. Beowulf, a hero of the Geats, comes to the aid of Hrothgar, the king of the Danes, whose mead hall in Heorot has been under attack by a monster known as Grendel. After Beowulf slays him, Grendel’s mother attacks the hall and is then also defeated. Later in Beowulf’s life the angry dragon mercilessly burns the Geats’ homes and lands and Beowulf decides to fight and kill the monster personally. He and his Thanes climb to the dragon’s lair where, upon seeing the beast, the Thanes flee in terror, leaving only Wiglaf to battle at Beowulf’s side. This is an epic story of Beowulf’s bravery and triumph with good over evil.

Watch it here.

The Jungle Book

July 2018

Watch it here.

Arabian Nights

by Maren Bradley Anderson 

July 2017

Arabian Nights is an adaptation for children of four of the stories from 1001 Arabian Nights. This play was first performed by children (ages 6-14) in July 2017 by the Apple Box Children’s Theater of Monmouth, Oregon, but it would also be appropriate for adults to perform for children.

The stories include the tale of Sheherazade and Shahryar as an overall framework, and then “Al-a-din,” “The Hunchback’s Tale,” and “The Son of Adam” are all nested into each other. “Al-a-din” is the story of a poor boy who finds a magic lamp. “The Hunchback’s Tale” is about three groups of people who think they have accidentally killed the king’s hunchbacked jester. “The Son of Adam” is about animals that run from the cruelty of a human being. The humor in all the stories is emphasized, and they all tie together at the end.

Watch  Arabian Nights video

read a feature about Arabian Nights here


The Jolly Roger and the Pirate Queen

July 2016

watch it here

A Midsummers Night’s Dream

Adapted by Maren Bradly Anderson 

July 2015

A Midsummers Night’s Dream is an adaptation for children of Shakespeare’s comedy. This play was first performed by children (ages 4-14) in July 2015 by the Apple Box Children’s Theater of Monmouth, Oregon, but it would also be appropriate for adults to perform for children. I worked to translate the play into more modern English while preserving as much of the poetry as possible.

A Midsummers Night’s Dream follows three story lines. The first is of Hermia who wants to marry Lysander, but her father wants her to marry Demetrius who is loved by Helena, so they run away to the woods followed by Demetrius and Helena. The second story is of Bottom and his working class friends who go to the same woods to practice a play. Bottom is transformed into a donkey by the fairies. The third story is of Oberon and Titania, King and Queen of the fairies, who are fighting. Oberon uses a magic flower to make Titania fall in love with Bottom, the donkey. They also cause trouble for the lovers who are lost in the woods.

Everyone is in love with the right person by the end of the play, and Bottom (no longer a donkey) and his friends are even allowed to perform their terrible/funny play.

watch it here

read a feature about Midsummer Night’s Dream here

The Odyssey

2014


Arthur and Guinevere

2013


The Magic Flute

2012


Theater for a Small Planet

2011