The
School Play Package gives you the freedom to adapt the script to
your needs. Add songs, lines, characters if you like. You
also have the right to make a video/DVD of your special show!
THE
RELUCTANT DRAGON
WHY
IS THIS PLAY BEST FOR YOUR SCHOOL?
Written
especially for young people to perform.
While you may find large cast
plays from other publishers, most of those were originally written
for adults or
professional actors to
perform. They often contain difficult dialogue, unfamiliar or
complex language, and speeches too long for young children to
memorize. They may even contain jokes, innuendos and subject matter
that may not be appropriate for children.
Easy to
understand and memorize.
Dialogue is simple, fresh, quick
and humorous, keeping the action flowing without stops and starts
between scenes. This keeps young people and young audiences engaged
throughout the performance - no awkward pauses, no dead-time, no wiggles!
Everyone participates!
All children are involved
throughout the performance. This builds confidence, promotes team
spirit and eliminates rehearsal rowdiness. The audience is often
asked to join in the fun, and action often spills into the aisles!
All of our SCHOOL PLAYS give suggestions on how to divide up large
parts (such as Peter
Pan) among
several performers so that no one child is the "star".
Familiar
stories with upbeat endings.
The story line stays as close as
possible to the familiar story the kids already know. While
some authors feel the need to "improve" the story, our
SCHOOL PLAYS stay as close to the familiar narrative as possible,
making it easier for children - and your audience - to understand.
Feel free
to edit! Go ahead and tape it!
Most publishers insist that no
changes may be made to their scripts. We know that your
goal is to engage every child in the most meaningful way and that
your needs are unique. Cut, eliminate, re-assign lines, or add
as much as you like! Also, there are no restrictions on video
tapes. Parents want a tape or DVD to remember their child's big
moment. Go ahead and tape away!
(GURU GUYS move aside and hold their arms out
to gesture the way toward the MASTER GURU. MASTER GURU sits on
a rock, legs crossed yoga style. His head is bowed.)
MASTER GURU: I have been waiting for you.
HAIRYTOES: You have?
MASTER GURU: I have observed the long
history of dragons in your country. Once there were many. Now
there are none.
WIDGET: Why? Why do all dragons
have to be destroyed?
MASTER GURU: Not all. Some may live.
HAIRYTOES: What do we have to do?
MASTER GURU: You must train your
dragon, following my three easy steps. I have written a handbook.
(MASTER GURU hands the book to WIDGET.)
Many have travelled far to receive this gift.
Only you have held it in your hands. Next year, of course, it
will be available on Amazon.
(WIDGET opens the book.)
MASTER GURU and GURU GUYS: (Dramatically,
holding up one finger.) Step one.
WIDGET: (Reading, trailing his
finger along the words in the book.) Hold your dragon.
MASTER GURU and GURU GUYS: (Holding
up two fingers.) Step two.
WIDGET: (Turns page, reading.)
Protect your dragon.
MASTER GURU and GURU GUYS: (Holding
up three fingers.) Step three.
WIDGET: (Turns page, looks up.)
There's nothing there.
MASTER GURU: If you succeed with
steps one and two, you will finally learn the secret of...
(MASTER GURU and GURU GUYS each raise three
fingers and speak together.)
MASTER GURU and GURU GUYS: Step three!
MASTER GURU: Be brave, Widget.
For this is your adventure!
(OPTIONAL SOUND: Gong! This can be played
on a real gong while GURU sitar music plays.
GURU GUYS turn their backs and stand shoulder
to shoulder, hiding MASTER GURU. They exit.
SOUND CUE ENDS.
MAGNIFICENT MAGGIE enters.
OPTIONAL TRANSITION: HAIRYTOES #2
exits, HAIRYTOES #3 enters and continues to end of play.)
MAGNIFICENT MAGGIE: And so the boys
rushed back to the cave to begin Mortimer's training!
(OPTIONAL TRANSITION: MORTIMER #3 enters.
MORTIMER enters, crossing in front of WIDGET
and HAIRYTOES, in a huff.)
MORTIMER: No, no, no, no! I
won't have it! Teach me the warrior ways of the ancient
Greeks! Teach me the violence of Renaissance literature!
But you will never teach me to fight like a dog, never!
WIDGET: But there's no other way, Mortimer.
HAIRYTOES: It's for your own good!
MORTIMER: Savage medicine.
WIDGET: Now it says here. (Reading.)
Hold your dragon. This can be easily done if you can calm him
down and knock some sense into him.
MORTIMER: Crudely worded.
WIDGET: (Reading.)
Stroke his tail.
(HAIRYTOES strokes his tail etc. as it is read.)
MORTIMER: (Giggling.)
That tickles.
WIDGET: (Reading.) Pat his head.
MORTIMER: Watch the petunia.
WIDGET: (Reading.) And whisper
sweet nothings in his ear.
(HAIRYTOES whispers in his ear. MORTIMER
goes all squishy with joy, rolls around and stretches like a kitten.)
HAIRYTOES: Widget! I think he's purring!
WIDGET: It says here. (Reading.)
Purring is a good sign.
(HAIRYTOES rubs MORTIMER's tummy.
MORTIMER gurgles with delight.)
Now, you must catch him when he is off his guard.
(WIDGET gestures to HAIRYTOES to go around to
MORTIMER's tail and hold on.)
And deliver a swift and exacting insult.
(WIDGET goes to MORTIMER'S ear, lifts it and
yells into it.)
Your mother wears army boots!
(MORTIMER jumps up with a flash of anger!)
MORTIMER: I beg your pardon, sir!
WIDGET: I bet you can't breathe fire,
you wussy cupcake dragon!
MORTIMER: Why you little...
HAIRYTOES: Fire, Mortimer! You
can do it!
(MORTIMER hisses at HAIRYTOES!)
WIDGET: More!
(MORTIMER hisses harder at WIDGET. They
react to heat of fire.)
Now hurl an insult, Mortimer!
MORTIMER: (Angry.) This
is highly irregular!
WIDGET: It's got to be meaner!
MORTIMER: (Angrier.) I
find you most unpleasant!
WIDGET: Meaner! And you've got
to use poetry!
MORTIMER: (Furious.)
Roses are red, violets are cute, If you don't take it back I'll kick
your patoot!
WIDGET: Hold on Hairytoes!
(MORTIMER flails his arms around not being able
to reach WIDGET because HAIRYTOES has him by the tail.
HAIRYTOES jumps high back and forth as if the tail is hurling him
back and forth.)
Hold him!
(ALL are shouting and groaning with the
effort. WIDGET jumps this way and that as MORTIMER flails.
Finally MORTIMER is exhausted and falls. HAIRYTOES and WIDGET
fall to ground, breathless.)
HAIRYTOES: We did it!
WIDGET: (Reading.)
Congratulations. You have successfully completed step one.
You have Held Your Dragon!
(OLD FOLKS enter.
OPTIONAL TRANSITION: WIDGET #5
exits, WIDGET #6 enters.)
VENERABLE VAN: Just then, from the
distant hills, the boys could hear the kingdom erupt in excitement!
(SOUND CUE #8: Fanfare! The sounds
of a crowd shouting. [sample]
WIDGET and HAIRYTOES look out over the audience.)
HAIRYTOES: Look!
(VILLAGERS enter full of excitement. TOWN
CRIER enters ringing his bell.)
TOWN CRIER: Hear ye! Hear
ye! All hail King Fancy Pants!
(KING FANCY PANTS enters from behind the
audience, standing behind them or in aisle. VILLAGERS
cheer and encourage the audience to join them.)
VILLAGERS: All hail King Fancy Pants!
(KING FANCY PANTS raises his hand in acknowledgement.
SOUND CUE ENDS.)
KING FANCY PANTS: Behold my loyal
subjects. The moment of glory is at hand! The Great Saint
George has arrived!
(SAINT GEORGE enters. VILLAGERS erupt in
joy and cheer!
SOUND CUE #9: Fanfare 2!
SAINT GEORGE music. Cavalry charge horns - a war call! SOUND
CUE ENDS.) [sample]
SAINT GEORGE: I rise like a Zeus to
your call!
Only I can make the beast fall!
I'll stick my spear thru him
Then I'll barbeque him
I'm simply the greatest of all!
Note: This is a
sample from the actual script. To review the entire play, order
the PERUSAL SCRIPT (online instant download). Or to save 20%
on the full production kit and royalty for one performance, order the SCHOOL
PLAY PACKAGE (below) and start rehearsals today!