The Silly Tricks of the Mischievous Elf
By Luc Boulanger
Summary
At Santa’s workshop, the Builder Elves make the toys, the Painter Elves color them, and the Wrapper Elves tie them up beautifully.
When the Mischievous Elf joins the team as an apprentice, his jokes quickly cause chaos! But the real trouble begins when the Head Elf asks him to watch over the precious Wish Distributor Machine — the one that keeps track of all the children’s Christmas wishes. If that machine ever shuts down, every wish in the world would be lost!
A play written especially for young beginners. The narration can be read by an adult or an older child. It guides the performers throughout the story, telling them when to speak their lines and perform their actions.
Production details
- Style/Theme : Story to perform
- Setting : Santa’s workshop
- Number of actors : 12 to 24
- Duration : 15 min. (9 pages)
- Age : Ages 5 to 8
- Level : Beginner
Purchase the play script
- I work for a school in Quebec
- I want to understand copyright
- Otherwise, I will continue the process
Useful information
The play script can be downloaded immediately after purchase (PDF format)
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General information
- What is copyright?
- Once I have purchased a script, can I use it as I wish?
- Do I need to purchase performance rights immediately?
- Do schools have to pay performance rights?
- Are Luc Boulanger’s scripts covered by the Copibec agreement?
- Do amateur theatre groups have to pay performance rights?
- Does copyright apply if we only perform an excerpt?
- Can a script be modified?
- Can we keep the script in our archives?
- Can I publish the script or an excerpt?
- Can the scripts be found in bookstores?
-
What is copyright?
- Copyright guarantees the protection of literary, dramatic, artistic, and musical works, sound recordings, public performances of a work, and telecommunications. Copyright grants creators the legal right to be remunerated for their works and to control their use.
Once I have purchased a script, can I use it as I wish?
- Purchasing a script from the Animagination website grants you access to the complete work, which you may read individually, in a group, or use for classroom or workshop activities. However, the mere purchase of the script does not authorize public performance. For this, performance rights must be paid.
Do I need to purchase performance rights immediately?
- You may return to the Animagination website at any time to pay for performance rights. It is advisable to do so before the activity takes place; the invoice serves as proof that you hold the performance rights. That said, it is never too late to pay the rights and thus regularize your situation.
Do schools have to pay performance rights?
- If the script is performed in class or before an audience consisting exclusively of students, schools are not required to pay performance rights. However, for performances where parents and friends are invited, performance rights apply.
- Please note that schools in Quebec benefit from an agreement between the AQAD (Association québécoise des auteurs et autrices dramatiques) and the MEQ (Ministry of Education) which covers performance rights for an audience of parents and friends. A form must then be completed on the AQAD website.
Are Luc Boulanger’s scripts covered by the Copibec agreement?
- Since 2022, theatre scripts written by Luc Boulanger have been covered by the Copibec agreement. This means that only primary and secondary schools in Quebec can order the scripts and receive them free of charge. To do so, you must write directly by email to the author and complete a few simple formalities. Please note that amateur theatre groups are not included in this agreement with the Ministry of Education, nor are schools outside the province. The teacher wishing to make this request must have an official email address from a school service center, for example: tremblay.ginette@csdrt.qc.ca.
Do amateur theatre groups have to pay performance rights?
- Everyone must pay copyright fees. Amateur theatre groups are not exempt, nor are non-profit organizations. Even if the performance is presented free of charge, performance rights must be paid.
Does copyright apply if we only perform an excerpt?
- Plays must be presented in their entirety. Authorization from the author is required to present an excerpt, and copyright definitely applies.
Can a script be modified?
- You must respect the integrity of the script. However, you do not need authorization for the following modifications: changing a place name, transforming a female character into a male (or vice versa), changing an expression that is not common in the location where the play is presented. As soon as you completely alter a line, you must contact the author.
Can we keep the script in our archives?
- There is no problem keeping the script in your archives. However, if it is presented again, performance rights must be paid.
Can I publish the script or an excerpt?
- For all publications, in any form whatsoever, the author or their representatives must be contacted.
Can the scripts be found in bookstores?
- The scripts are only available on the Animagination website.
Luc Boulanger
With a graduate certificate in journalism, Luc Boulanger first distinguished himself through his writing. A prolific author, he has written about sixty plays published online and performed worldwide, from Fermont to Kyrgyzstan, via Singapore and Geneva.
He is the co-founder of the Animagination theatre troupe, which has been presenting shows for young audiences for over 35 years. In addition to conceiving the plays, he has also been an actor. The troupe performs between 50 and 100 times a year in Quebec and French-speaking Canada. Animagination had the privilege of working with author Dominique Demers on the creation and presentation of a play featuring the character of Mademoiselle Charlotte.
In 1996, he participated in the creation of La Chapelle Spectacles, the performance venue in his neighborhood, where he served as the first coordinator for three years. He has remained an active collaborator of this venue, and several of his theatrical productions premiered there.
Luc Boulanger has also dedicated a significant part of his career to leading activities for young people and adults. He has accompanied several groups of travelers, visiting over 25 countries. Today, he primarily acts as a trainer in theater, improvisation, and cinema. He is part of the resource list for the “
A great film enthusiast, Luc has been making films and short video productions since he was ten years old. For the organization Entr’Actes, which offers training to people with disabilities, he directed L’invasion des fraises galactiques, a science-fiction pastiche rich in special effects. Furthermore, he is passionate about computers, proficient in HTML, and constantly explores Photoshop software. He designs most of his show posters and loves outdoor photography. Occasionally, he accepts photography contracts.
A member of the Union des Artistes (UDA) and, for six years, president of the board of directors of the Association québécoise des auteurs et autrices dramatiques (AQAD), Luc Boulanger is concerned by the socio-economic conditions of his peers. He thus contributed to the establishment of a collective agreement for self-producing artists.
In September 2013, Luc Boulanger received a medal from the National Assembly for the dissemination of his works and his commitment to his community.
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