Roseneath Theatre. Costume Design by Lori Hickling

The Neverending Story

Adapted by David S. Craig, based on the novel by Michael Ende.

Hiding in the attic of his school, Bastian begins to read and, unseen to him, the story is enacted below.  Fantastica, a land of stories, is in danger; The Nothing engulfs everything in its path. The Childlike Empress chooses an unlikely hero, Atreyu, a boy of Bastian’s age, to go on a quest to save their world. Atreyu’s adventure takes him through the Swamps of Sadness, to Morla the Turtle, Ygramul, the Many, and the maze of the Southern Oracle.  He loses his horse, Artax, but gains the friendship of Falkor, the Luck Dragon, until he faces the werewolf  Gmork who is bent on the destruction, not only of Fantastica, but of imagination itself.  But in the end, it is not Atreyu who is the hero.  At the climax of the story, it is Bastian’s belief in a story, which takes the audience to the surprising and emotional conclusion.

This adaptation of The Neverending Story has been authorized by Verlag fur Kindertheater Weitrndorf, Hamburg.

★★★★ ½ out of 5 stars
“Neverending Thrills… Considering the high calibre of the adaptation, it should come as no surprise to learn that it is the handiwork of David S. Craig.”

Toronto SunJohn Coulburn

"A gripping adventure, full of weird and wondrous creatures … In pursuit of a goal, a boy becomes a man."

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"A magical tale that will enthrall young viewers."

The Seattle Times

"Beguiling … The Neverending Story is as much about the power of imagination and friendship as it is about colorful demons and otherworldly locales."

The Seattle Times

"Craig's adaptation...captures the adventure and magic of the story, creating the theatrical equivalent of a real page turner."

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Production Details

6 Male

3 Female

May be expanded to a cast of 18 +

Family (all ages)

85 minutes

By David S. Craig

Purchase Play Script

June 17, 2011

PAST EVENT: The Neverending Story – National Arts Centre (ON) January 29 – February 15, 2020

May 2, 2011

PAST EVENT: The Neverending Story – Stratford Festival (ON) May 16 – November 3, 2019

Production History

The Neverending Story  was commissioned in 2006 by the Imagination Stage (Janet Stanford, Artistic Director) and the Seattle Children’s Theatre (Linda Hartzell, Artistic Director).  It was subsequently produced in the 2007/2008 season as follows:

West Coast Premiere:  Seattle Children’s Theatre – December 7, 2007

East Coast Premiere:  Imagination Stage – June 28, 2008

The play was subsequently performed by the following professional theatres:

The Orlando Repertory Theatre,  Orlando, Florida – September 2008

The First Stage Theatre Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin – March 2009

The Growing Stage Theatre for Young Audiences, Netcong, New Jersey – April 2009

The Childsplay Theatre, Tempe, Arizona – April 2009

The Dallas Children’s Theatre, Dallas, Texas – June 2009

Roseneath Theatre, Toronto, Ontario  (directed by the playwright) — February 2012

Kaleidoscope Theatre, Victoria, British Columbia — December 2013

Adamo Ruggiero. Photo: Mark Seow

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