CHEM MYS TERY A chil dren s play by CALEEN SINNETTE JENNINGS Dra matic Pub lishing Woodstock, Il li nois Eng land Aus tra lia New Zea land
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Chem Mys tery pre miered at Stu dio Thea tre, Katzen Arts Center, Amer i can Uni ver sity, Wash ing ton, D.C., di rected by Caleen Sin - nette Jennings with the fol low ing: CAST Leon ard Lion, Simba, Mr. Rivera, Ojiisan...Aus tin Byrd Readin Rab bit....alex Cohill Sa rah Spi der, Ananse, Ao...Alysa J. Gillis Om i nous Oc to pus, Carmen....Vic to ria Golden Char lotte Chee tah, Aka, Duma... Erika Hall Storytelling Snake...Cas san dra Hannan Polly Puppy, Bonita, Kin...Maeve Koch Cu ri ous Cat...Ezree Mualem Panda Petrie, Mami Chiguapa...Amanda Rollins Muskular Musk rat...hope Rollins Om i nous Oc to pus, Melinda Mon key..frankie Ga bri elle Sol o mon Bees...Katie Brobst, Vishal Vaidya PRO DUC TION STAFF & CREW Com poser... Alex M. Tem ple Pi a nist...tay lor J. Wil liams Lighting De sign/technician...erin L. Sullivan Stu dio Thea tre Tech ni cal Man ager...joshua Dick Stage Man ager...cee Cee Swalling As sis tant Stage Man agers....katie Brobst, Vishal Vaidya Spe cial thanks: Dr. Monika Konaklieva, Barbara Tucker Parker, Alex Tem ple, Fernando Benadon, The fall 2008 class of PERF 450 Children s Thea tre, the fac ulty and staff of the De part ment of Per forming Arts, Amer i can Uni ver sity, Janney El e men tary School, Wash ing ton, D.C. 4
CHEM MYS TERY CHAR AC TERS STO RY TELL ING SNAKE...scaly, slinky and cool MUSKULAR MUSK RAT...buff, car ries handweights READIN RABBIT... glasses, al ways has a book CU RI OUS CAT...cud dly, car ries a big ques tion mark PANDA PETRIE...wears a white lab coat, car ries the pe ri odic ta ble and a test tube OM I NOUS OC TO PUS...has bags and sacks in each of her eight ten ta cles SA RAH SPI DER...math CHAR LOTTE CHEE TAH...dance LEON ARD LION...his tory MELINDA MON KEY...mu sic POLLY PUPPY...po etry AKA KIN AO OJIISAN SIMBA DUMA KIMA ANANSE BONITA MAMI CHIGUAPA CARMEN MR. RIVERA BEE #1 (op tional)....set changer BEE #2 (op tional)....set changer 5
SCEN ERY: Light weight, hand-painted flats or butcher pa per that is un rolled to show set tings. Scarves cre ate the sea, the wind, fish, etc. COS TUMES: Char ac ter hats. Ba sic black cos tumes adorned with pa per plates and pipecleaner ver sions of an i mal bod ies. Move ment and ges tures to in di cate an i mals. MU SIC: The lyr ics in this play may be sung to mu sic you cre ate, or spo ken with move ment and mu si cal back ground, or spo ken rhyth mi cally like a rap. In fact, Muskular Musk - rat s pieces about Mus cles was meant to be chanted. What ever de ci sions you make about mu sic, I en cour age you to be cre ative to sat isfy the de mands of your bud get and your au di ences. 6
CHEM MYS TERY STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. SSSo happy to be here SSSurprising but it s true I m SSStorytelling SSSnake With a sssstory for you Re lax, I m not scary I m here to cel e brate To solve the Chem Mys tery You know what? I can t wait. (Sings ex cerpt from SONG: CHEM MYS TERY.) IN THE AIR, ON LAND AND SEA ALL AROUND IS CHEMISTRY MY TWO HELPERS THESE TWO BEES LIVE AND THRIVE THROUGH CHEMISTRY COME ALONG, PLEASE COME WITH ME HELP SOLVE THE CHEM MYSTERY I want to in tro duce you to a friend of mine. But you ll have to travel with me to a spe cial cor ner of the Loony Verse, a place called Imag ine Na tion, a spot on the shores of the Whim Sea called Zooville. We re at Zoo - ville School where stu dents take only one class their very, very fa vor ite! (School bell rings.) Sa rah Spi der loves math. 7
8 CHEM MYSTERY SA RAH SPI DER (count ing her eight legs). 5-6-7-8! I love it! STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Leon ard Lion loves his tory. LEON ARD LION. Zooville was first founded in Imag ine Na tion over 1,000 years ago. Yes! STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Char lotte Chee tah spends her whole day danc ing (CHAR LOTTE dances across the room) CHAR LOTTE CHEE TAH. And one, and two, and three, and bow! STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Polly Puppy is crazy for po - etry. POLLY PUPPY (writ ing in her jour nal). I slipped on a peel And I have the proof It fell on the ground From the roof-roof-roof STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. And Melinda Mon key just can t play enough mu sic (MELINDA plays some thing halt ingly on her re corder.) MELINDA MON KEY. I m get ting better ev ery day! READIN RABBIT (with his nose in a book). Can you please keep it down! STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Hey, Readin Rab bit, in tro duce your self.
CHEM MYS TERY 9 (SONG: READING) READIN RABBIT (sing ing). EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT AND EVERY TIME YOU LOOK YOU WILL FIND ME READING FROM A STORY IN A BOOK STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD THEY SUIT MY TASTE JUST FINE EARLY MORNING, THROUGH THE DAY AND SPECIALLY AT BEDTIME. READING IS MY PASSION READING IS MY JOY A STORYBOOK FROM ANY SHELF BECOMES MY FAVORITE TOY READING IS DELICIOUS READING IS SUCH FUN IF YOU RE LOOKING FOR A READER READIN RABBIT S NUMBER ONE. MUSKULAR MUSK RAT (do ing push ups). Hey, hey, never mind that silly old book. Look what I can do. Watch me. Betcha can t do this! STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. In and out of gym class, Muskular Musk rat al ways shows off. MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. GIMME AN M! ALL. M MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. GIMME A U! ALL. U MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. GIMME AN S!
10 CHEM MYSTERY ALL. S MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. GIMME A CLE! ALL. CLE! MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. WHAT VE YOU GOT? ALL (puz zled). Moosl? Mewsclee? MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. NO! M-U-S-C-L-E SPELLS MUS CLE! (SONG: MUS CLES) (Rapped by Muskular Musk rat) MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. I M MUSKULAR MUSKRAT WITH MUSCLES GALORE I M ALWAYS TRAINING TO GET THE BEST SCORE RUNNING AND JUMPING RACING AND RIDING HOPPING AND THUMPING SWIMMING AND GLIDING MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. What s this on my arm? ALL. A lump? MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. It s a mus cle! MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. What s this on my leg? ALL. A bump? MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. It s a mus cle! MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. I M MUSKULAR MUSKRAT THE STRONGEST IN THIS SCHOOL I M PUMPED, I M STOKED AND 100% COOL.
I M MUSKULAR MUSKRAT THE STRONGEST IN TOWN ALL. HEY, MUSKULAR MUSK RAT MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. YO! ALL. PLEASE SIT DOWN! CHEM MYS TERY 11 STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. All the stu dents at Zooville School work very hard. CU RI OUS CAT (from off stage). Why?!!! STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Did you hear some thing? (She lis tens, then shrugs.) As I was say ing, all of the stu dents at Zooville School CU RI OUS CAT (from off stage). Why?!!! STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Okay, that time I def i nitely heard some thing. CU RI OUS CAT (from off stage). Why, oh why? STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Ah yesssssss. Here co mes some one who does not go to Zooville School. CU RI OUS CAT (from off stage). Why, oh why, oh why??? STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Be cause she does n t have a fa - vor ite class, and be cause she s too busy ask ing (CU RI OUS CAT en ters and in ter rupts with a song.) (SONG: WHY?) CU RI OUS CAT (sing ing). WHY IS THE SUN SO BRIGHT? WHY IS THE GRASS SO GREEN? WHAT MAKES OUR MILK LOOK WHITE? WHAT TURNS THE WATER TO STEAM?
12 CHEM MYSTERY WHY, OH WHY? WHY, OH WHY? WHY DO I HAVE THESE QUESTIONS? WHY, OH WHY? STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. This is the spe cial friend I told you about. This is Cu ri ous Cat. CU RI OUS CAT (sing ing). WHY DOES THE SKY MAKE RAIN? WHAT MAKES A FLOWER GROW? WHAT WORKS INSIDE MY BRAIN? HOW WILL I EVER KNOW! WHY, OH WHY WHY, OH WHY WHY DO I HAVE THESE QUESTIONS? WHY, OH, WHY? STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Cu ri ous Cat, have you picked a fa vor ite class yet? CU RI OUS CAT. I wish I knew what I want to study. READIN RABBIT. You can share my book. (SONG: READING re prise) READIN RABBIT (sing ing). EVERY DAY AND EVERY NIGHT AND EVERY TIME YOU LOOK YOU WILL FIND ME READING FROM A STORY IN A BOOK
CU RI OUS CAT (in ter rupt ing the song). But what is your book made of? Why are the pages smooth? What would hap pen if I? READIN RABBIT. Don t tear the pages! CU RI OUS CAT. Don t you want to know what the pages are made of? READIN RABBIT. NO! I just want to read the sto ries on them. Like the Af ri can story Ananse and Her Mag i cal Thread CU RI OUS CAT (in ter rupt ing). What s a spi der web made from? READIN RABBIT. Or the Mex i can story The Chiguapas Who Live Un der wa ter CU RI OUS CAT (in ter rupt ing). How do peo ple breathe un - der wa ter? READIN RABBIT. Or the Jap a nese story Aka and the Magic Color CU RI OUS CAT (in ter rupt ing). Why are there so many dif - fer ent col ors? READIN RABBIT. Oh, Cu ri ous Cat, you never pay at ten - tion to my sto ries! CU RI OUS CAT. I m sorry, Readin Rab bit. Come back! READIN RABBIT. Can t. I m go ing to Read ing Class! (He ex its.) MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. Psssst! Cu ri ous Cat, why don t you work out with me? (SONG: MUS CLES re prise) MUSKULAR MUSK RAT (rap ping). RUNNING AND JUMPING RACING AND RIDING CHEM MYS TERY 13
14 CHEM MYSTERY HOPPING AND THUMPING SWIMMING AND GLIDING MUSKLAR MUSK RAT. Watch me lift these weights. CU RI OUS CAT. Why are they so heavy? MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. Who cares? I can lift these twenty times. (Counting.) 1-2-3- CU RI OUS CAT. Why do you sweat? MUSKULAR MUSK RAT (still lift ing and count ing). 7-8-9-10! CU RI OUS CAT. What s sweat made of? MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. Cu ri ous Cat, you and your ques tions are driv ing us crazy! CU RI OUS CAT. I don t mean to! Come back, Muskular Musk rat! MUSKULAR MUSK RAT. Gotta go to gym. See ya! (She ex its jog ging.) STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. And Sa rah Spi der scur ries off to math. SA RAH SPI DER (as she scur ries off). Frac tions, ad di tion, di vi sion, MUL TI PLI CA TION! STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. And Leon ard Lion can t wait to mem o rize more dates. LEON ARD LION (show ing off as he ex its). The first pres i - dent of Zooville was Har old Hippo. He was fol lowed by Ab i gail Al li ga tor and (He ex its.) STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Char lotte Chee tah s off to dance class. CHAR LOTTE CHEE TAH. Turn, walk, walk, leap, leap! (Exits.) STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Polly Puppy can t wait to share her lat est poem
CHEM MYS TERY 15 POLLY PUPPY (writ ing in her jour nal as she ex its). Give me words I want them now Roof-roof-roof And bow-wow-wow STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. And Melinda Mon key marches to her merry mel ody (MELINDA MON KEY ex its play ing joy fully.) CU RI OUS CAT. Ev ery one has a class to go to ex cept me. STO RY TELL ING SNAKE (to the au di ence). Don t you think that s ssssad? (Au di ence re sponse.) Ev ery day, when her friends leave for their fa vor ite classes, Cu ri ous Cat just wipes away her tears. Then she goes look ing for an swers to her many ques tions. She walks up the moun - tains of Imag ine Na tion. The view is al ways spec tac u lar. But in stead of find ing an swers to her ques tions, Cu ri ous Cat just thinks up more. (SONG: WHY? re prise) CU RI OUS CAT (sing ing). WHY ARE THE MOUNTAINS HIGH? WHY ARE THE VALLEYS LOW? WHY IS THERE BLUE IN THE SKY? WHY S IT SO HARD TO KNOW? STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. And the moun tains are not help ful at all. Be cause they echo her ques tion MOUN TAINS (echo ing). Why-y-y-y-y.
16 CHEM MYSTERY STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Then Cu ri ous Cat walks through the for ests of Imag ine Na tion. The birds soar, and the tall trees wear bril liant green leaves. The sur - round ings are spec tac u lar. But in stead of find ing an - swers to her ques tions, Cu ri ous Cat just thinks up more. CU RI OUS CAT (sing ing). WHY DO THE BIRDS HAVE WINGS? WHY DO THE TREES GROW TALL? WHY DON T I KNOW THESE THINGS? WHY DO I KNOW NOTHING AT ALL? STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. And the tall trees and the soar - ing birds are not help ful at all. Be cause they sing out on the wind BIRDS & TREES. Why-y-y-y-y! STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Finally, Cu ri ous Cat ar rives at her fa vor ite place in all of Imag ine Na tion. The Whim Sea al ways wel comes her. Al though she does not like the wa ter (cats never do), she loves to stand on the beach and watch the waves roll in and out. The sur - round ings are spec tac u lar. But in stead of find ing an - swers to her ques tions, Cu ri ous Cat just thinks up more. CU RI OUS CAT (sing ing). WHY IS THE SEA SO WIDE? WHY IS THE WATER DEEP? WHY DOES THE SEAWEED HIDE? WHY DON T FISH GO TO SLEEP? STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. And the fish are not help ful at all. Be cause they sing up through the wa ter.
CHEM MYS TERY 17 SEA WEED & FISH (gur gling). Glub-glub-why-glubglub-why? STO RY TELL ING SNAKE. Usually Curious Cat just turns around and goes home. But sud denly, she sees some one walking towards her, ssssssinging an amaz ing sssssong! (PANDA PETRIE en ters. She s in a white lab coat. She car ries test tubes and a large poster folded un der her arm. She starts singing softly but as she gets closer, she gets louder.)