"The Selfish Giant"
a full-length fantasy based on Wilde's Story
by Gillette Elvgren

This adventure tells the enchanting story of a group of city kids who discover a beautiful house and garden in the middle of their cement and broken glass environment. But they are chased off by the selfish giant, Gorgon, who places a "No Trespassing" sign on the gate. Because of his selfishness, the elements of Frost, Snow, and Hail invade his garden and transform it into a place where Spring is banished. One of the children, a crippled child named Chris, returns to the garden and treats the giant with love and understanding. This softens the giant's heart. This play, with its strong resurrection theme, is ideally suited for the Easter season. It has been produced professional by the A.D. Players in Houston and by Saltworks Theatre Company.

Cast List:
3 men; 2 women
Time: One hour; twenty minutes.
Place: The Giant's garden.

Sample:
(GORGON the giant opens gate with a horrible "creaking" noise.)
GORGON: Come out, come out, wherever you are,
Can't get out, can't get far.
Giant find and giant chomp.
Giant see and giant stomp.
(To audience.)
Ah-ha! Have any of you tinies seen anyone in Gordon's home, under a flower or beneath a stone.
(He starts to crawl around "looking" for intruder. The "stomp" however has woken the sleeping children.)
CHRIS: Wake-up! It's a. . .
TAFFETA: Oh!
GEORGE: I knew it was too good to last.
BONNER: (Using big gesture) Nobody move.
GEORGE: He's so big.
CHRIS: Maybe if we introduced ourselves . .
BONNER: Sure, as breakfast, lunch and dinner. . .
GEORGE: and bedtime snack.
TAFFETA: I don't feel very well.
GEORGE: He's coming this way.
BONNER: Quick, behind the tree.
(They hide.)
GORGON: What's that? Something moved, something stirred, it was no snake, it was no bird. Getting warm, getting hot, check this leafy, shady spot.
(Goes behind tree. Children run around. GORGON is hidden for the moment.)
TAFFETA: Tell me this is all a dream.
GEORGE: Yeah, a nightmare.
BONNER: Now everybody, just hold on to yourselves.
(Everybody grabs themselves. )
There's got to be a way out.
CHRIS: A fountain. Quick, become a fountain.
GEORGE: He's lost it. That's all we need now is a looney on
our hands.
BONNER: What can we lose. You two be the base and we'll be the statue part.
CHRIS: Here he comes.
GORGON: (enters) Fi, fie, Foe, fumy,
I smell something to fill my tummy.
What's this?
TAFFETA: A fountain.
GORGON: There wasn't a fountain in my garden before, was there?
(Fountain people all nod "yes". GORGON could also ask audience here.)
Then Gorgon think he get a drink. Let's see. . .

(He searches for spout. TAFFETA opens her lunch box, takes out thermos quickly hands it to BONNER who pours it in the giants mouth. GORGON smacks his lips and walks off.)

Hmmm, boy, that mighty good drink of milk.
(Pause)
Milk? Ptooey! Gorgon hate Christmas trees and Gorgon hate bumblebees, but most of all Gorgon hate milk. Wait a minute— something fishy going on here,
(He turns slowly)
BONNER: Don't worry. Just relax. I've got everything under control. Run for your life!

About the author:
Gillette Elvgren has been writing for over thirty years, his plays have been produced by professional theatre companies throughout the United States and Canada. He is co-founder and resident playwright for Saltworks Theatre Company in Pittsburgh, PA., as well as being resident writer for Children's Ministries, Scripture Union, Philadelphia, PA. There have been approximately 8,000 performances of Elvgren scripts.
While a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh he was head of the M.F.A. directing program and staff director for the Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival. Presently he is a Professor in Theatre Arts at Regent University, Virginia Beach.