Melodramas were a popular form of theater in the nineteenth century. Good and evil were poles apart, the hero and heroine had pure intentions and this exaggerated art form invariably had a happy ending.
Because melodramas feature cliff-hanging events, heart-tugging emotional appeals, the celebration of virtue, they make a wonderful feel good Valentine’s Day show. Stereotypical characters make the shows easy for amateurs and teens.
Check out the following royalty free scripts available free of charge on the TeachersPayTeachers website.
The Widow’s Oil (based loosely on 2 Kings 4; what will the poor widow Ann Teek do when all that is left for her family to live on is some cod liver oil? Will Robin DaPoor and his henchman, Noah Count prevail?)
Abigail the Melodrama (loosely based on the Biblical account of David and Abigail with a wild. wild west setting. When Abigail's father, Owen Lots, can't pay the rent Abigail has to marry the despicable landlord Nabal, it's David to the rescue!)
Esther - a Somewhat Melodramatic reader's theater (will Haman, the villain, succeed in his murderous plot against the queen?)
Check out previous articles featuring resources for Black History Month, President’s Day and more free melodramas.
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