The Best School Year Ever
Barbara Robinson
The Best School Year Ever (Expanded Cast)
by Barbara Robinson, Jahnna Beecham, Malcolm Hillgartner
Highlights
75 mins 1970s Expandable Casting Flexible Cast Size Roles for Children Unit Set/Multiple Settings Period Costumes Comedy
Synopsis
Expanded for a cast of 23+!
Beth and Charlie Bradley fear starting another school year with their notorious classmates Imogene, Leroy and Gladys Herdman.
When Miss Kemp assigns the students at Woodrow Wilson Elementary to think of compliments for their classmates and Beth picks Imogene’s name, an unforgettably hilarious school year commences – complete with a tattooed baby, a mysterious teachers’ lounge and a compassionate discovery that might prove there’s something good about this crazy clan after all.
The Best School Year Ever is the second in a series of stories following the beloved characters from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever , adapted from Barbara Robinson’s bestselling Young Adult novels.
Press Reviews
"The story follows a student named Beth as she gets paired on a project with the Herdmans, a group of crazy kids who are not up to any good. This group’s wild behavior and outrageous lies constantly lead to disaster, but Beth slowly learns that there is much more to this family than what meets the eye."
— Nashville Parent
Characters
| Character |
|---|
| BETH BRADLEY Earnest narrator of this story who sees the irony in a lot of what’s happening. This 5th grader tries her best to be straightforward and kind to everyone, but the Herdmans make it difficult sometimes. |
| CHARLIE BRADLEY 3rd grader. The traditional kid brother who is a bit goofy and a little intimidated by older kids, especially the Herdmans. |
| MRS. BRADLEY Unflappable, witty mom. |
| RALPH HERDMAN 6th grader, the enforcer in the family. Strong and silent. |
| IMOGENE (IM-uh-jeen) |
| HERDMAN Bossy 5th grader, leader of the Herdmans. She’s very matter-of-fact and has her own logic. |
| CLAUDE HERDMAN 4th grader, Ralph’s sidekick. He imitates Ralph. |
| LEROY HERDMAN 3rd grader, Imogene’s sly fox of a brother. He enjoys teasing other kids. Rarely smiles. |
| OLLIE HERDMAN 2nd grader, wears glasses that are taped together. He’s always trying to keep up with the older brothers. |
| GLADYS HERDMAN Small and feisty 1st grader. She bites. |
| ALICE WENDLEKEN This prim and proper 5th grader is a know-it-all and can be a tattletale when rules aren’t followed. |
| LOUELLA MCCLUSKY 5th grader. Beth’s best friend who overreacts to most situations. She can be really mad. Or really in love. Or really silly. |
| BOOMER MALONE This likeable 5th grader loves sports, is friendly to everyone and is unaware that several girls have crushes on him. |
| EUGENE PRESTON Painfully shy 3rd grader. He’s allergic to everything and has a nasal voice. |
| JUNIOR JACOBS A very cool, preppy-looking 5th grader. |
| IVY JONES Popular 5th grader. She wears stylish eyeglasses and clothes. |
| ROSE FIDDLER Friendly, sporty best friend of Ivy. |
| LESTER BARNES A studious type who wears black glasses. |
| MISS KEMP Beth’s 5th grade teacher. Enthusiastic and stylish. She’s got systems and is pretty good at wrangling her students. |
| MISS NEWMAN Charlie’s 3rd grade teacher, wears wire-rimmed glasses and has frazzled-looking hair. She’s lost the battle with the Herdmans and is a nervous wreck. |
| MRS. MCCLUSKY Sweet, scatter-brained mother of Louella. We meet her at the hair salon in foils and a brightly colored cape. |
| MRS. WENDLEKEN A self-righteous gossip who is not above bending the rules if it will benefit her perfect daughter Alice. |
| NURSE GREENBLATT An unflappable ex-army nurse. Nothing surprises her anymore. |
| MARGE Boisterous volunteer mom in an orange vest at the hug-and-go. |
| PRINCIPAL CRABTREE Over the microphone in his office, he seems to be controlled and smooth. Off microphone, he is impatient with everyone. |
+ 27 more characters
Publication
The Best School Year Ever (Expanded Cast) is a comedy play written by Barbara Robinson and published by Samuel French .
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Performance Rights
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