The Bookstore

FULL LENGTH: PUBLISHED ! (One Act version also available) A whimsical almost magical bookstore where people fall in and out of love. Flexible casting. Ida, the idiosyncratic store owner has died and has left it to her niece, Rachel, a harried and poor assistant book editor. The customers and employees are desperate to keep the fantastical haven as it is, but real estate magnate, Max Brewer is offering more...

FULL LENGTH: PUBLISHED ! (One Act version also available) A whimsical almost magical bookstore where people fall in and out of love. Flexible casting. Ida, the idiosyncratic store owner has died and has left it to her niece, Rachel, a harried and poor assistant book editor. The customers and employees are desperate to keep the fantastical haven as it is, but real estate magnate, Max Brewer is offering more and more money to turn the building into luxury apartments. Rachel must decide if she can say no to more money than she ever thought possible and also what to do about her fiance and if she has any patience for whimsy and for this sappy kind of love that's all around

https://www.playscripts.com/play/5101

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The Bookstore

Recommended by

  • John Bavoso: The Bookstore

    I want to crawl into this play and live there forever! Adam Szymkowicz has created a delightful, escapist fantasy that I imagine would be a joy to bring to life for everyone from designers to actors to audience members. He’s managed to write into being a world that feels as warm, funny, and inviting as curling up with a big mug of tea under a soft blanket and reading a beloved book. If you need a heartwarming smile and good-natured chuckle, give this script a try!

    I want to crawl into this play and live there forever! Adam Szymkowicz has created a delightful, escapist fantasy that I imagine would be a joy to bring to life for everyone from designers to actors to audience members. He’s managed to write into being a world that feels as warm, funny, and inviting as curling up with a big mug of tea under a soft blanket and reading a beloved book. If you need a heartwarming smile and good-natured chuckle, give this script a try!

  • Cheryl Bear: The Bookstore

    A wonderful delight into the most magical place there is. Where worlds await in a tiny shop whose value knows no bounds. Entertaining and sure to be adored by all. Marvelous!

    A wonderful delight into the most magical place there is. Where worlds await in a tiny shop whose value knows no bounds. Entertaining and sure to be adored by all. Marvelous!

  • Vince Gatton: The Bookstore

    If you usually find whimsy cloying and hard to swallow, I strongly suggest you try the Adam Szymkowicz version. The Book Store is magical, yes, but it knows how you feel, it gets it, it’s been there...and it finds a million little ways to coax you in anyway. Delightful, witty, moving, and satisfying as a good novel — the one you didn’t know you needed, right when you needed it.

    If you usually find whimsy cloying and hard to swallow, I strongly suggest you try the Adam Szymkowicz version. The Book Store is magical, yes, but it knows how you feel, it gets it, it’s been there...and it finds a million little ways to coax you in anyway. Delightful, witty, moving, and satisfying as a good novel — the one you didn’t know you needed, right when you needed it.

View all 6 recommendations

Character Information

(6-28 actors. Minimum 3F, 3M, Maximum 11F, 12M, 5 Any Gender.) All characters can be any race. Please try very hard for a diverse cast in every sense of the word “diverse.” All parts can be doubled except Candace and Rachel. Jamie and Also Jamie are probably of the same gender.
  • Candace
    Character Age
    20s to 40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Woman in a gas mask
    Character Age
    Any Adult
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Machina (Mac) Rogers
    Character Age
    Around the same age as Rachel
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Max Brewer
    Character Age
    30s to 60s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Anthony
    wears a suit, kind of a bro
    Character Age
    Around the same age as Rachel
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Married Friend
    Character Age
    Any Adult
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • Greg
    Bearded
    Character Age
    around the same age as Miss Whitherly
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Byron
    Character Age
    Around the age of Turtledove
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • Turtledove
    Character Age
    around the age of Byron
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • Josh
    Character Age
    around Sadie's age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Sadie
    Character Age
    around Josh's age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Miss Whitherly
    Character Age
    around the same age as Greg
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Dr. Hern
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • Sue
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Rachel
    Character Age
    late 20s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Miles
    Character Age
    Any Adult
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Ted
    Character Age
    around Ellen's age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • A MAN IN ELIZABETHAN GARB
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Ryan
    Character Age
    30s to 40s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Jane Dricken
    Character Age
    40s or older
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Neil
    Character Age
    Younger than Jane
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Alexis
    Character Age
    Any age
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Also Jamie
    Character Age
    Any Adult --Around the age of Jamie
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • Jamie
    Character Age
    Any Adult -- Around the Age of Also Jamie
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • Kim
    Character Age
    Any Adult
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Any
  • Sven
    Character Age
    any age-- adult male
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Ellen
    Character Age
    any-- adult female
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Marie
    Character Age
    any-- adult female
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Female

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization The Juilliard School, Year 2019
  • Type Reading, Organization Flux Theatre Ensemble Retreat, Year 2018