Publishers: Samuel French, Inc.

About this publisher’s catalog

This catalog primarily features works crafted for the stage, with a strong emphasis on dramatic storytelling and musical performances. Readers can expect a mix of original plays, adaptations, and musical theater pieces that explore a range of human experiences through dialogue and performance. The collection invites exploration of theatrical forms from intimate dramas to lively mysteries and comedies.

What you’ll often find

  • Character-driven narratives centered on personal and relational conflicts
  • Musical theater works combining storytelling with song and performance
  • Explorations of romantic and comedic themes within dramatic frameworks
  • Plays that engage with mystery and detective story elements
  • Adaptations and pastiches that reimagine classic or mythological material
  • Scripts reflecting American settings and sensibilities, with occasional European influences
  • Works that highlight the dynamics of performance and theatrical craft

How to browse this shelf

  • Start by distinguishing between musicals and straight plays to match your interest in music integration
  • Look for themes such as romance, mystery, or fantasy to guide your selection
  • Explore adaptations separately if you prefer reinterpretations of known stories
  • Consider the tone—ranging from comedic to serious drama—to find the right mood
  • Focus on works with a theatrical or performance arts emphasis for a meta-theatrical experience
  • Filter by setting or cultural background to explore American versus European influences
  • Use the presence of mystery or detective elements to find suspenseful narratives

Good fit if you like

  • Engaging dialogue and tightly crafted scenes that reveal character through interaction
  • The blend of music and story to enhance emotional and narrative depth
  • Exploring human relationships with nuance and occasional humor
  • Stories that unfold in confined settings, emphasizing atmosphere and tension
  • Works that invite reflection on the nature of theater and performance itself
  • A mix of lighthearted and thought-provoking storytelling
  • Reading plays that can also be experienced as scripts for production

Generated from the books currently available in this catalog.

  • Sunday Costs Five Pesos — Josephina Niggli

    Sunday Costs Five Pesos — Josephina Niggli

  • How Can You Tell the Good Guys from the Bad Guys? — Warren Kliewer

    How Can You Tell the Good Guys from the Bad Guys? — Warren Kliewer

  • Fallen Angels A Comedy in Three Acts — Noel Coward

    Fallen Angels A Comedy in Three Acts — Noel Coward

  • The Crazy Time : a Comedy — Sam Bobrick

    The Crazy Time : a Comedy — Sam Bobrick

  • The Man in the Gray Suit and Other Short Plays — Lisa Soland

    The Man in the Gray Suit and Other Short Plays — Lisa Soland

  • Happy Days A New Musical — Paul Williams

    Happy Days A New Musical — Paul Williams

  • Native Son, Full length play, Drama — Richard Wright

    Native Son, Full length play, Drama — Richard Wright

  • It Runs in the Family A New Comedy — Ray Cooney

    It Runs in the Family A New Comedy — Ray Cooney

  • The Workroom — Jean-Claude Grumberg

    The Workroom — Jean-Claude Grumberg

  • Flamingo Court Life in Three Condos — Luigi Creatore

    Flamingo Court Life in Three Condos — Luigi Creatore

  • Golden Boy Play in 3 Acts — Clifford Odets

    Golden Boy Play in 3 Acts — Clifford Odets

  • The 13 Clocks (A Play) Adapted for the stage from James Thurber’s book — Frank Lowe

    The 13 Clocks (A Play) Adapted for the stage from James Thurber’s book — Frank Lowe

  • Me, Myself and I — Paul Todd

    Me, Myself and I — Paul Todd

  • Open Admissions — Shirley Lauro

    Open Admissions — Shirley Lauro

  • Heaven Help Me — Joe Simonelli

    Heaven Help Me — Joe Simonelli

  • Up (The Man in the Flying Chair) — Bridget Carpenter

    Up (The Man in the Flying Chair) — Bridget Carpenter

  • Brave Smiles –another Lesbian Tragedy — Five Lesbian Brothers (Theater troupe)

    Brave Smiles –another Lesbian Tragedy — Five Lesbian Brothers (Theater troupe)

  • Something’s Afoot A New Murder Mystery Musical — James McDonald

    Something’s Afoot A New Murder Mystery Musical — James McDonald

  • Peter Pan A Fantasy in Five Acts — James Matthew Barrie

    Peter Pan A Fantasy in Five Acts — James Matthew Barrie

  • Beauty and the Beast A Musical for Children — Peter Del Valle

    Beauty and the Beast A Musical for Children — Peter Del Valle