The Nose
Genre: Musical Comedy Farce
Keywords: absurdist comedy, physical comedy/slapstick, classic literature adaptation, satire/farce, mistaken identity, corrupt authority, social climbing, ensemble cast, strong female roles, underdog story, heartfelt ending
Cast Size: 5 actors (2F / 3M, doubling) → up to 12 (3F / 9M)
Duration: Approximately 70 minutes
Time Period: 1830s, St. Petersburg, Russia
Cautions: None
Listen to Sample Tracks
Excerpts provided for perusal purposes only.
It's 1830s St. Petersburg, and minor bureaucrat Kovalyov has always prided himself on his good looks — so when he wakes up one morning to find his nose has gone missing, it's completely, utterly, unmitigatedly unacceptable. Worse still, his nose has disguised itself as a high-ranking official, is courting a wealthy socialite, and has absolutely no interest in coming home.
What follows is a madcap chase through imperial Russia, as Kovalyov pleads his case to a cucumber-obsessed newspaper clerk, a turpentine-happy doctor, and a cheerfully corrupt Chief of Police who won't lift a finger without a bribe.
But the real heart of the story belongs to Matroyshka, Kovalyov's sharp-witted servant who has endured her employer's vanity for long enough. When Kovalyov finally stops laughing at others and starts listening to her, he might just find something worth more than a promotion.
The Nose is a riotously funny, surprisingly tender one-act musical about ambition, pride, and what it means to find your dignity — even when you're missing a few pieces.
How We Price
Our pricing is simple and transparent. Each play includes two parts: a one-time script fee of $150, which grants you immediate access to the play and permission to copy and share it within your program; and a performance license of $150 per performance, which covers your live productions for the selected license duration.
How You License
At checkout, select your license duration (for example, the current or next school year) and the number of performances you plan to give. Each license covers live, in-person performances.
What You Get
You’ll receive an instant download of the following:
- the book (script)
- piano and vocal scores
- rehearsal tracks
- performance tracks
- demo tracks
- doubling guide
- Author Insights article
- free classroom lesson plans
During your license period, you’re free to copy, print, and share the script within your school or theatre program for rehearsal and performance use—no per-script fees or copy limits.
Licensing Restriction
This play is licensed exclusively for amateur (non-AEA) productions. Professional productions governed by Actors’ Equity Association (AEA) agreements are expressly prohibited under this license.
Contact us at info@gitelmangoodpublishers.com for all inquiries regarding AEA productions; we will direct you to the author.
Praise for This Musical
“Every once in a while, you may feel that a part of your body has a mind of its own. That’s literally true for Kovalyov,
the minor bureaucrat at the center of Nikolai Gogol’s 1836 short story “The Nose,” who discovers to his dismay that that feature of his face has taken off, donned a fancy uniform and is now pretending to be an official more powerful than he is..." - The New York Times
“A very enjoyable experience filled with lots of good laughs for everyone in the audience ... A hilarious musical... With a strong Russian flavor to it, the music of this show proves to be effective at setting the whimsical tone throughout the show... Visually impressive, and nearly impossible to take your eyes off of... Made me – as well as the many others packed into the theater – laugh on many occasions, making this a musical that I would absolutely recommend for all ages.... I assure you it will be a good time." - On Stage
"A catchy soundtrack, an in-your-face stage presence, and an increasingly silly tale but with a number of life lessons beneath it. ... Catches your attention from its lively opening number. ... A series of bizarre happenings that become more and more ridiculous to the point that you're enwrapped in childlike wonder at the action being played out before you. ... This family musical makes for a great 70 minutes. ... Light-hearted lyrical fun...that will have you laughing out loud, grinning from ear to ear, and mesmerized by the sheer absurdity of watching a massive nose being chased around a stage." - Broadway World
“The Nose is family fare and...full of witty foot-tapping music.” - Cue
“A satirical comment on people’s obsession with status at the expense of human connection, of shallow relationships and empty achievements. ... While we may have different ambitions to the Russians of 1836, status anxiety remains a common affliction. … It’s definitely something for music lovers. … Children enjoy the fun of seeing a nose being chased around the stage, while adults get a lot more out of it. … There’s a lot of word play, it’s very witty. Some of it is hysterical. … Everyone who has seen it says they’ve never seen anything like it.” - The Critter
"The work teaches us not to judge a person by appearances...to understand people: who to trust, and who to not. Teaches that social status is not as important as we think...to maintain human dignity in this unjust world.” - Afisha