Miranda meets the mysterious peddler who sings of the castle.

This Americanized version of a Norwegian folk tale has a little bit of everything: a plucky heroine, a magic spell, the Four Winds, and their attendant Breezes, and a price who needs rescuing from a band of Trolls and their spoiled Princess. It's based on a 19th century English translation of the tale beautifully illustrated by P.J. Lynch and published by Candlewick press in 1991.

In addition to 15 speaking parts, opportunities abound for large group participation as the Breezes, which attend each of the Four Winds, and as the Trolls, who inhabit the Castle that lies east of the Sun and west of the Moon.

Eight original and lively songs add to the story, as do the production numbers - one with each of the Four Winds and the other, the "Troll hoedown" at the Castle.

As with The Second Princess, this play is meant both for yongsters in grades 3 through 6 and for middle- and high-school drama students to perform as a children's theater piece.

East of the Sun and West of the Moon can be performed simply within the classroom, on a cafeteria or gym floor, or on a real stage. The play packet provides directions for creating scenery from low-cost materials found around most schools. Props can be made from everyday household items.

See what a Dominican Arts Project play packet contains.

Learn about the other Dominican Arts Projects plays...

• The Second Princess