Changelings by Reina Hardy

FULL LENGTH: "Hardy has imagined a uniquely compelling tale... Changelings... thrust(s) its onlookers into a twisted, fantastical world of fairies and spells where the stakes are high and the unbelievable has become the everyday. Keep your babies close, turn your shirt inside out, and dive headfirst into this realm where up is down and reality has been kicked to the curb." -Austin Chronicle
...
FULL LENGTH: "Hardy has imagined a uniquely compelling tale... Changelings... thrust(s) its onlookers into a twisted, fantastical world of fairies and spells where the stakes are high and the unbelievable has become the everyday. Keep your babies close, turn your shirt inside out, and dive headfirst into this realm where up is down and reality has been kicked to the curb." -Austin Chronicle

The Powers are a family suffering from a rare inherited condition-their children are extremely likely to be stolen away by a fairy. Megan Powers wants to defy the odds, but her brother, Luther, has to stop her wedding at any cost, even if it means revealing the secret, magical world beneath the city of Austin to an outsider. When he teams up with a lovestruck magician to defeat the Wicked Child, the centuries-old villain that has stalked him his entire life, Luther discovers a startling truth about his own history- and unleashes a danger that no-one can control. A spectacle, a fantasy, a buddy comedy and a family tragedy, "Changelings" asks frightening questions about the making of children and the making of monsters.

Interested in producing this play? Fill out the rights request form: http://gurmanagency.com/rights-request-forms/rights/
  • Recommend
  • Download
  • Save to Reading List

Changelings

Recommended by

  • Cheryl Bear:
    12 Oct. 2021
    “ A moving story written from the heart of magic, children and monsters. Well done! ”
  • Molly Wagner:
    20 May. 2020
    “ A fun and surprising fairy tale filled with strange and magical creatures, comedic dialogue, and high stakes! ”
  • Chelsea Frandsen:
    7 Apr. 2018
    “ A beautiful modern fairy tale complete with magic, wizards, and fairies. Delightful, surprising, and tragic, with both male and female characters that are a joy to root for, this is a story that stays with you long after you reach the end. ”
View all 6 recommendations

Character Information

With doubling, the speaking roles can be covered by ten actors. In the original Austin production, we used ten speaking actors, plus a movement chorus of four silent performers.

A high school version with 19 speaking roles is also available from NPX.

  • Luther Powers
    About 30,
    Male
    Has a habit of holding eye contact with others for entirely too long.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Megan Powers
    20s,
    Female
    Luther's sister. Knows she is pretty.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Timothy Stamp
    20s,
    Male
    Megan's fiance. Eager if not dashing.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Magus Kemp
    30s-60s,
    Any
    A grandiose and talkative wizard.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • The Wicked Child/Elizabeth
    Appears to be 13, but actually much older.,
    Female
    A whimsical, dangerous fairy princess with a habit of stealing babies.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • The Whiteling
    Young
    Sort of a mother of pearl gargoyle thing. Very physical role.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Teens, 20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • The Luck Angel
    Ageless,
    High Femme
    A very kind and pretty fairy. Can be combined with other roles
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Luwis
    Old and tired
    A fairy janitor. Grunts. Can be combined with other roles.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Bantam Beth
    11, but actually older,
    Girl
    A little girl who is also a fierce fighter.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Child, Teens, 20s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Bantam
    Appears to be 20s-40s., Array
    The same person as Bantam Beth, but a large burly dude. It's fairyland, so they rapidly fluctuate between the two forms. (Note- in the original Austin production, the same actor played both forms, but it does take the right actor.)
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • The Mysterious Figure/Pandora
    Ageless,
    Female
    An immensely powerful and scary fairy queen. Can be combined with other roles.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender
  • Angus Powers
    30s-40s,
    Male
    A less than ideal father from theElizabethan era. Can be combined with other roles.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • The Mother
    20s-30s,
    Female
    A mother of an infant. Can be combined with other roles.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female
  • Movement Chorus
    Ambient magical creatures. This chorus can be double cast with the smaller roles, and can be used to create magical effects with mime, dance and spectacle.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Any age
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Any gender

Production History

  • Professional
    ,
    The Vortex
    ,
    2015