Getting going... finding the right idea

While I'm on the subject of inspiration, I thought it might be a good idea to start making a list of songs, poems and stories that would make good children's theatre scripts. I'll get the ball rolling (but please chip in!).

So, based on our own personal experience, I can thoroughly recommend:

• Maurice Sendak's short story Where the Wild Things Are
• Larry Lipton and Peter Yarrow's ballad Puff The Magic Dragon (sung by Peter, Paul and Mary)

Both have:

• a clear structure
• the possibility for varied scenes/settings
• lots of visual potentia
• underlying messages that are relevant to young people but which adults can also relate to (they have universal appeal)

Other sources for theatre scripts that occur to me:
 Image via Wikipedia

• Still on a Maurice Sendak theme, In the Night Kitchen. Tthough this has always been a controversial book, I loved it as a child and it has that same magical feel to it as Where The Wild Things Are (though perhaps best to avoid the nudity issue!)
• The Owl and the Pussycat (Edward Lear)

• Storybooks like Simon Bartram's Man on the Moon (a day in the life of Bob)

• Modern classics like Michael Rosen's We're Going on a Bear Hunt (perhaps changing the objective of the hunt - ghost, monster, treasure...?)

In terms of songs, perhaps:

• Space Oddity (David Bowie)
• Pierre (Carol King, but sung by The Dresden Dolls)
• The Fox, the Crow and the Cookie (Mewithoutyou)

..... I'm open to suggestions! So fire away......