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Treasure Island

Treasure Island

adapted by Todd Espeland from Robert Louis Stevenson

Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest… Pirates sponging for rum, treasure maps filled with pieces of eight!

Join Jim, Long John Silver and the rest of his scurvy crew for this classic pirate adventure. Easy staging (including Silver’s peg leg) gender flexible options, and a thrilling journey to Skeleton Island.

Yo, ho, ho!

Drama Classical Adaptation

Average Producer Rating:

Also available in a one-act version here.

Recommended for High Schools and Middle Schools

Running Time
About 70 minutes
Approximate; excludes intermissions and scene changes
Cast
20 Characters
12 M8 F, Plus patrons & pirates, gender flexible
Set
Simple set
Length
50 pages
Production Tips
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Free Excerpt
Classroom Study Guide
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Performance Royalty Fees

Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.

Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.

20 Characters
12 M, 8 F, Plus patrons & pirates, gender flexible

Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

Older Jim Hawkins [M] 38 lines
Male, adult Jim who recounts the tale
Jim Hawkins [M] 78 lines
Male, young and unsure of himself
Billie Bones [F] 16 lines
Female, bold, brash and hiding a secret
Mrs. Hawkins [F] 23 lines
Female, Jim’s mother, a tough no-nonsense woman who runs the Bennbow Inn
Dr. Livesey [M] 40 lines
Male, honorable and honest
Squire Trelawney [M] 33 lines
Male, impulsive side kick to Dr. Livesey
Blind Pew [F] 15 lines
Female, bitter and angry
Long John Silver [M] 80 lines
Male, friendly and warm but with a harsh dark side
Captain Smollett [F] 26 lines
Female, Captain of the Hispaniola, sharp and dry personality.
Benn Gunn [F] 19 lines
Female, marooned on Skeleton Island for 3 years, a little crazy from all the time alone
Johnny [F] 10 lines
Female pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Black Dog [M] 16 lines
Male pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Dirk [F] 8 lines
Female pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Bilge [F] 10 lines
Female pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Dungbee [M] 9 lines
Male pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Scuttle [M] 11 lines
Male pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Israel Hands [M] 14 lines
Male pirate in Long John Silver’s crew
Dick [M] 7 lines
Male crew member of the Hispaniola who is convinced to join Silver’s crew
Tom [M] 3 lines
Male crew member of the Hispaniola
Hunter [M] 1 line
Male crew member of the Hispaniola
Various Inn Patrons and Sailors [A]

Praise for Treasure Island

Ben Cole
Theatre School @ North Coast Rep
Skillfully adapted script that excites and delights both student actors and audiences in performance.
Daniel Pacheco
St. Margaret's Episcopal School
A great challenge for our middle school. The show also drew the interest of both students and audiences.
Jeanne Harrison
Traveling Players Ensemble
We just did this play with 4th - 7th grade actors and it was a great fit. Enough big/challenging parts to give to my more advanced students and enough smaller parts to not overwhelm my newer actors. Really adjustable as far as physical challenges.

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