Elephant's Graveyard (One-Act Version)
by George Brant

Name: Elephant's Graveyard (One-Act Version)
Brand: George Brant
SKU: 9780573698378
Rating: 4.55 (10 reviews)

Elephant's Graveyard (One-Act Version) Cover

Elephant's Graveyard (One-Act Version) Book Cover — Elephant's Graveyard (One-Act Version) Cover

Highlights

Female

Male

One Act 40 mins 1910s/WWI Ensemble Cast Unit Set/Multiple Settings Period Costumes

Synopsis

Elephant's Graveyard is the true tale of the tragic collision of a struggling circus and a tiny town in Tennessee, which resulted in the only known lynching of an elephant.

Set in September of 1916, the play combines historical fact and legend, exploring the deep-seated American craving for spectacle, violence, and revenge.

This abridged version, which runs about 40 minutes in length, is perfect for high schools looking to perform the play at theatre competitions, or for producers looking for a shorter version of the original script.

Adapted by the author, it maintains the haunting drama of the award-winning full-length play.

Press Reviews

"A theatrical masterpiece."
— Columbia City Paper

"The most striking production in the (NSDF) festival."
— Times of London

"Deeply moving...has the audience in stitches at the open and tears at the close."
— TheSunCoast.com

"The script is, like the best art, microscopically specific with echoes that radiate outward across time. Elephant's Graveyard buzzes with truth about the consequences of misunderstanding, the invisible but enormous gap between artists and their audiences, and the infernal beauty of vaudeville."
— The Stranger, Seattle

Characters

Character	Gender	Age	Description
RINGMASTER obsessed with the bottom line	—	—	obsessed with the bottom line
TRAINER loves his work	male	—	loves his work
BALLET GIRL a showgirl in control	—	—	a showgirl in control
TOUR MANAGER bit of a bully	—	—	bit of a bully
STRONGMAN a proud muscleman from Europe’s far-off shores	—	—	a proud muscleman from Europe’s far-off shores
CLOWN a comedian with an inferiority complex	—	—	a comedian with an inferiority complex
DRUMMER keeps the beat	—	—	keeps the beat
HUNGRY TOWNSPERSON African-American, a steel-trap memory	—	—	African-American, a steel-trap memory
MARSHAL keeps the peace	—	—	keeps the peace
MUDDY TOWNSPERSON a haunted widow	—	—	a haunted widow
PREACHER doggedly hopeful	—	—	doggedly hopeful
STEAM SHOVEL OPERATOR looking for escape	—	—	looking for escape
YOUNG TOWNSPERSON excitable dreamer	—	—	excitable dreamer
GUITARIST/HARMONICA PLAYER sets the rhythm	—	—	sets the rhythm
ENGINEER confident Time is on his side	male	—	confident Time is on his side