A new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's

Abstract

This paper documents the author’s development of a new play for young audiences based upon Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” Beginning with an examination of the history and criticism of fairy tales, it details the writing process through alternative lenses of criticism and creativity and ends with a look at the unique challenges of adapting a fairy tale into a play for children. This paper proposes a model of creative and intellectual exploration for writers adapting fairy tales for the stage