PLAYS FOR FAMILY AUDIENCES
HANNAH & THE HOLLOW CHALLAH
HANNAH & THE HOLLOW CHALLAH performed by the Purple Crayon Players at PLAYground Festival of New Works, Northwestern University 2024
"I recently produced Hannah and the Hollow Challah for a festival of new plays for young audiences at Northwestern University. First of all, Alice was an incredible collaborator, and was very present during rehearsals for the reading, even hundreds of miles away via Zoom! The play was well-received by children, families, and college students alike, and resonated for so many reasons. It represents the Jewish identity so well, but is also accessible to people who are told they dream too big or don't fit in to boxes they're pushed into. I can't wait to see where this play goes!"
Kaley Morand
"I saw this play at Northwestern during The Purple Crayon Players New Work Festival 2024 season and I truly fell in love with the piece. I found the play to have so much joy, laughter, and thoughtfulness. Truly, a brilliant piece of theatre that I recommend to theatres across the country." Prentiss Mathews, award-winning TYA playwright
HANNAH AND THE HOLLOW CHALLAH (a play for family audiences)
A play for two to ten actors playing dozens of roles (and dozens of rolls!) 10 year old Hannah loves challah (the traditional Jewish braided bread). One day, she hollows a challah and finds herself inside the hollow (talking) challah, which flies her all the way to Breadland, where all the inhabitants are... bread. Tension (and dough) rises. Hi-carb comic mayhem ensues, in Alice Eve Cohen's funny and touching play for 2 actors and at least a baker's dozen puppets.
Winner, PLAYground Festival of Fresh Work contest; Semifinalist, 14th annual Jewish Play Contest 2025
"It was probably the funniest show I have ever seen!"
—Daniel, age 7
"I recently produced Hannah and the Hollow Challah for a festival of new plays for young audiences at Northwestern University. First of all, Alice was an incredible collaborator, and was very present during rehearsals for the reading, even hundreds of miles away via Zoom! The play was well-received by children, families, and college students alike, and resonated for so many reasons. It represents the Jewish identity so well, but is also accessible to people who are told they dream too big or don't fit in to boxes they're pushed into. I can't wait to see where this play goes!"
— Kailey Morand
"Hannah and the Hollow Challah is a delicious adventure through Bread Land. Our heroine, Hannah, uses courage, creativity and a bright, spunky spirit to overcome monumental challenges. A smart and adorable show with fabulous performances, I highly recommend it."
—Marianna Houston, Education Director, TDF (Theatre Development Fund)
"I saw this play at Northwestern during The Purple Crayon Players New Work Festival 2024 season and I truly fell in love with the piece. I found the play to have so much joy, laughter, and thoughtfulness. Truly, a brilliant piece of theatre that I recommend to theatres across the country."
Prentiss Matthews, playwright
"Hannah and the Hollow Challah is a great play for the whole family. I brought my family, and they loved it. It is filled with witty humor the adults will enjoy, and eye-catching props and wonderful acting which keeps children engaged. As a 3rd teacher, I would highly recommend this play for school groups and families."
—Chris Miller, 3rd grade teacher, PS 199, New York City
"About a girl discovering her hidden gifts. 'Hannah' [has] relevance to the world of contemporary Jewish artists, who rework Jewish themes to create new artistic styles...Even Hannah's mother...needs to bend and reshape Jewish tradition in order to be her authentic self."
- The Jewish Week
"Alice travels down a rabbit hole, Dorothy journeys in a tornado-propelled house, and Hannah—well, Hannah goes to another world in a hollowed-out loaf of challah. In this new comedy for ages 4 to 12 by Alice Eve Cohen, Hannah's trip takes her to Bread Land."
--The New York Times
Alice Eve Cohen's solo shows for family audiences have delighted audiences at theatres, schools, museums and festivals, throughout the United States and on three continents. Performances, residencies, workshops, and master classes are available. Scroll down for description of each show.
Contact us for touring information(See CONTACT page.)
PRAISE for COHEN'S SOLO SHOWS FOR KIDS:
“Spellbinding…Our audiences were enraptured.” DTW, Family Matters
“Sly humor and sharp character definition” LA Times
"Fills the stage with her dramatic power and comedic skill." The Smithsonian Institute
“The best play I ever saw in my whole life. It was so funny, I hit my head on the floor.” John, 3rd grade
"Book her as soon as you can. You won't be disappointed." Principal, Vernon Elementary School, NY
"Dazzled us with her performance...A marvelous assembly." English Chair, Garden City Schools, NY
"Rarely do we experience school programs which stimulate creativity and captivate the attention of the children... This was truly an outstanding program which I highly recommend for elementary schools." Principal, Tomaques School, Westfield, NJ
Solo Plays for children and family audiences - synopses
For info on scripts and production rights, send inquiry on contact page
THE BALINESE FROG PRINCE: Alice plays all twelve characters in this beautiful and moving Indonesian myth, using a large green scarf to transform from one part to the next. With movement, song, drama and comedy, she brings this unforgettable story of a fearless frog to life.
THE PARROT: Based on an Italian folk tale, Cohen plays a dozen wildly funny characters, with the help of puppets, masks, songs and musical instruments, including a dazzling solo for two recorders. A story within a story,the Parrot tells of a courageous girl who travels the world, saving princes and bringing joy to every kingdom she visits. The play moves fluidly between 2 fantastic stories: the story about the Parrot, and the incredible story the Parrot tells.
(In the Middle Ages, THE PARROT was wildly popular throughout Europe & the Middle East, told in Italian, English, Hebrew, Arabic and other languages. The performance embraces the story's multi-cultural background.)
THE THREE GOLDEN HAIRS is a based on a Grimm's fairy tale. Enacting the adventure-filled odyssey of a boy named Fortune's Favored, Cohen uses minimal props and a huge serving of comedy to create sixteen characters and multiple settings in this perilous and hilarious journey. Songs and blues harmonica complete the story, whose archetypal themes connect it to classic mythology.
WALL TO WALL FROG: THE BALINESE FROG PRINCE and LAGUSHKA, THE RUSSIAN FROG PRINCESS. 26 characters, 2 actors, masks, puppets, comedy and music. 2 solo plays of magic, adventure and love.
"The audience was delighted by the joyful performance of WALL TO WALL FROG, an insightful adaptation of two culturally diverse fairy tales."
—Symphony Space, NYC
LAGUSHKA, THE RUSSIAN FROG PRINCESS
Welcome to a world where anything can become a character: a corkscrew, a glove, even an umbrella. Michael Orth’s one-man musical uses masks, puppets, and a large helping of visual surprise to bring to life an evil wizard, a magical frog, hundreds of Russian nobles and the largest woman in the world.
“Riveting...She weaves a tapestry of language, music, puppetry and movement, and creates a whole which is explosive.”
Alice Eve Cohen is available for performance and residencies, including:
*Solo performances for adults or for children
*Workshops and master classes: solo theatre, playwriting, memoir writing.
*Speaking engagements
*Readings, panel discussions
Email (see contact page) for more information