Y York’s award-winning plays for young people are noted for their relevance, humor and high critical response. They have been produced to popular acclaim for audiences of children and adults throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. This anthology contains original plays, adaptations from literature and “listening plays,” work based on research and interviews with living people. The original plays include the Portrait the Wind the Chair, which deals with two sisters using their dream life to deal with the death of a grandparent; The Last Paving Stone, a futuristic environmental comedy; Mask of the Unicorn Warrior, a swashbuckling drama for adolescents on the power of truth and lies; and River Rat and Cat, a slapstick farce on friendship for young children. The Garden of Rikki Tikki Tavi is loosely based on Rudyard Kipling, Getting Near to Baby is adapted from Audrey Couloumbis’ Newbery Honor Book, and Eggs is from Jerry Spinelli’s popular novel. The listening plays are The Forgiving Harvest, developed from conversations with Midwest farmers and their families; Nothing Is the Same, derived from the experience of elders in Wahiawa, O'ahu, during and after the Japanese air attacks on Dec. 7, 1941; and Don’t Tell Me I Can't Fly, inspired by the life and art of African-American Milwaukee artist Della Wells.
