Matthew Randolph

Play Builders Matthew Randolph

Welcome to Play Builders: A Grimm Adaptation! We hope you enjoy our play adaptations, written in the spirit they were originally recorded by The Brothers Grimm and adapted today by young students for the stage! Ever heard of Snow White, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Rumplestiltskin, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood? These are household stories most kids grow up hearing or watching films of, all of which are internationally recognized. Some probably think these stories started with the Disney version, but these tales have been around in various forms and adaptations for hundreds of years. The Brothers Grimm, otherwise known as Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm, were German librarians who also specialized in philology, which is the study of language in historical texts. During the early 19th century, they became interested in cultural research and began to collect and publish local folklore. The Brothers Grimm didn't actually write any of the stories their name has become synonymous with. Instead, these stories existed as part of a longstanding oral tradition in Germany and had been passed down from one generation to another for many years. The stories didn't only originate from Germany...you can find some very similar stories in Armenia, Africa, Japan, and other parts of the world! These stories must have travelled and it's hard to say who told each story first! The Brothers Grimm interviewed friends and relatives, writing down these stories to save them from extinction. Eventually, they published their collection of folklore and fairy tales as Children's and Household Tales in 1812. To date, the fables and fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm have been translated into more than 160 different languages. The stories are so timeless and popular that one language can have many versions. In the United States, for example, you can find more than 120 different editions of Grimm's Fairy Tales. We hope you enjoy our adaptations of these classic tales, made to read aloud for the stage or screen! Get your friends together, hand out parts, and bring these stories to life again!