Sarah, Plain and Tall
Encyclopedia
Sarah, Plain and Tall is a children's book written by Patricia MacLachlan
, and the winner of the 1986 Newbery Medal
and the 1986 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
. It explores themes of loneliness, abandonment, and coping with change.
The novel is set in the western United States
during the late 19th century. Jacob Witting, a widowed farmer who is still saddened by the death of his wife during childbirth several years earlier finds that the task of taking care of his farm and two children, Anna and Caleb, is too difficult to handle alone. He writes an ad in the newspaper for a mail-order bride
. Sarah, from Maine
, answers his ad and travels out to become his wife. There are five books in this series about the Witting family. The titles in order are Sarah, Plain and Tall; Skylark
; Caleb's Story; More Perfect Than the Moon; and Grandfather's Dance.
The first three books — Sarah, Plain and Tall; Skylark; and Caleb's Story — were the basis for three television movie
s. These movies are titled Sarah, Plain and Tall
; Skylark
; and Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End
. The screenplay for each movie was written by MacLachlan. All three movies, starring Glenn Close
and Christopher Walken
, have the same actors playing the roles of Sarah, Jacob, Anna, and Caleb.
and Nell Benjamin. It ran Off-Broadway
at the Lucille Lortel Theatre
during the summer of 2002, with a cast that included Becca Ayers as Sarah, and John Lloyd Young
as Caleb. It was brought back to New York in 2004, with a sold-out three-week run off-Broadway. It also ran at the O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, Connecticut, in August 2003, with direction by Joe Calarco and featuring Kaitlin Hopkins.
Patricia MacLachlan
Patricia MacLachlan is a bestselling U.S. children's author, best known for winning the 1986 Newbery Medal for her book Sarah, Plain and Tall. The book was later turned into a TV movie starring Glenn Close and Christopher Walken.MacLachlan was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She lived in Wyoming and...
, and the winner of the 1986 Newbery Medal
Newbery Medal
The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
and the 1986 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
The Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction is an American award established in 1982 to encourage authors to focus on historical fiction. The award was created by Scott O’Dell, author of Island of the Blue Dolphins and 25 other children's books, in hopes of increasing young readers' interest in...
. It explores themes of loneliness, abandonment, and coping with change.
The novel is set in the western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
during the late 19th century. Jacob Witting, a widowed farmer who is still saddened by the death of his wife during childbirth several years earlier finds that the task of taking care of his farm and two children, Anna and Caleb, is too difficult to handle alone. He writes an ad in the newspaper for a mail-order bride
Mail-order bride
Mail-order bride is a label applied to a woman who publishes her intent to marry someone from another country. This term is considered offensive by some people. The mail-order bride industry is the economic trade of contracted domestic partnerships, often between citizens of different countries or...
. Sarah, from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, answers his ad and travels out to become his wife. There are five books in this series about the Witting family. The titles in order are Sarah, Plain and Tall; Skylark
Skylark (book)
Skylark is a 1994 book by Patricia MacLachlan, the sequel to Sarah, Plain and Tall, which won the Newbery Medal. In it a severe drought forces Sarah to take Anna and Caleb back to Maine while Jacob stays behind on the farm. There are five books in this series...
; Caleb's Story; More Perfect Than the Moon; and Grandfather's Dance.
The first three books — Sarah, Plain and Tall; Skylark; and Caleb's Story — were the basis for three television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
s. These movies are titled Sarah, Plain and Tall
Sarah, Plain and Tall (film)
Sarah, Plain and Tall is a television film in the Hallmark Hall of Fame anthology series that was released in 1991. It is the first of three installments in the film adaptation of Patricia MacLachlan's novel of the same name.-Plot summary:...
; Skylark
Skylark (1993 film)
Skylark is a sequel to the film Sarah, Plain and Tall. It was followed by another sequel, Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End. It aired in 1993 on CBS as a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, and now is regularly shown on Hallmark Channel...
; and Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End
Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End
Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End is the third of three television films based on the trilogy of children's books by Patricia MacLachlan. The first was Sarah, Plain and Tall and its sequel was Skylark...
. The screenplay for each movie was written by MacLachlan. All three movies, starring Glenn Close
Glenn Close
Glenn Close is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and...
and Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
, have the same actors playing the roles of Sarah, Jacob, Anna, and Caleb.
Stage adaption
The story was turned into a one-act children's musical and produced by TheatreWorks USA. The score is by Laurence O'KeefeLaurence O'Keefe
Laurence O'Keefe is an English bassist, and has previously played in a number of bands, most notably Jazz Butcher, Levitation, Dark Star, and The Hope Blister. Since Dark Star split up, O'Keefe has toured with Sophia and Martina Topley-Bird.-External links:* *...
and Nell Benjamin. It ran Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
at the Lucille Lortel Theatre
Lucille Lortel Theatre
The Lucille Lortel Theatre is an off-Broadway playhouse located at 121 Christopher Street in New York City's Greenwich Village.The venue was built in 1926 as a 590-seat movie theater called the New Hudson, later known as Hudson Playhouse...
during the summer of 2002, with a cast that included Becca Ayers as Sarah, and John Lloyd Young
John Lloyd Young
John Lloyd Mills Young is an American actor and singer. In 2006, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his role as Frankie Valli in Broadway's Jersey Boys. He is the only American actor to date to have received a Lead Actor in a Musical Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics...
as Caleb. It was brought back to New York in 2004, with a sold-out three-week run off-Broadway. It also ran at the O’Neill Theater Center, Waterford, Connecticut, in August 2003, with direction by Joe Calarco and featuring Kaitlin Hopkins.