The Spider and the Bee
by Stephen M. Press

This delightful play for a wide age group is based on Jonathan Swift's story "Battle of the Books".

It won the National Children's Theatre Playwrighting Competition, and has had many successful productions nationwide.

The story is about a "battle" between a spider, who believes "we were born to think and the sciences and math are what make us think," and a bee, who has "soared toward the sun, sung with the meadowlark and heard the thousand tongues of man and insects.'.

The bee believes only in the glory, and power, of poetry.

Other characters include a Termite, a Butterfly and a Ladybug.

A "trial" is held, during which the spider and the bee argue their points of view-- and the other characters must decide who is the "winner" of this debate.

The play is loaded with broad humor and fun, as well as food for thought.