"The Gift of the Magi” is a traditional re-telling of the endearing story of a husband and wife who pawn their most precious things in order to buy gifts for one another, only to discover the gifts are no longer needed. The original story was written by William Sydney Porter, who wrote under the pen-name “O. Henry.” He was famous for plot twists and surprise endings. This reader’s theater adaption originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2001 issue of Storyworks, the Dec. 2010 issue of Scope, and in the collection: Read Aloud Plays: Classic Short Stories. (Scholastic 2010). It includes parts for nine actors, and comes with two comprehension activities (which can also be downloaded for free as a Google Form on TeachersPayTeachers). Use "The Gift of the Magi" with grades 3 through 7 as reader’s theater, a radio drama/podcast, or full stage performance. Perfect for the holiday season! Be sure to check out my other holiday plays including "A Christmas Carol", "Gabriel Grub" and "Escape from the Blacking House." All my plays include public school performance rights and the license to print a full class set.
