Based on a Russian folk tale ("Go I Know Not Where to Fetch I Know Not What"). This happy/scary play tells the story of Andrei the archer, whose wife Maria is so lovely the Tsar wants to marry her. Before he can do that, however, he must get rid of Andrei. The Tsar sends Andrei on three seemingly impossible errands including one to the witch Baba Yaga and to the beautiful but treacherous Croon Cat. Andrei foils the greedy Tsar and succeeds all three times. Each character is a choice role, including the clumsy counselor, the bungling wizard, and the Tsar who tries to prolong his life with a Methuselah diet which eventually turns him into a giant chicken. There is a Croon Cat who enchants his/her victims with a funny song (sung a cappella in the premiere; notes provided in the playbook) and an ugly witch who offers to turn the chicken-Tsar back into a human if he will marry her.

A unit set simplifies set changes. The action takes place in Russia once upon a time, long ago. Imaginative costumes suggesting the Russia of long ago were used in the premiere. Russian costumes of any pre-Lenin period would be appropriate. Performers may be children or adults. Easily toured.

"Your show was a tremendous success."—D. L. Mollise, Pixie Players, Mobile, Ala. "My students played to over 2,000 school children from K through 8th grade and received a terrific response with each performance."—Kerry Lockwood, Arkansas Teacher of the Year, Hot Springs H. S. "Excellent adaptation of this unusual Russian folktale...I recommend THE ARCHER AND THE PRINCESS as a solid show for Young Audiences."—Rebecca Udden, Main Street Theater, Houston.

See also: Plays with a Foreign Flavor