Musical Play: “Patterns in the Sky”

The Show

We want you to know what you're getting, so the cast list and first third of the script are available here! Bad Wolf shows are written for flexibility and can be edited however you like to meet the needs of your actors, school, curriculum, parents, astrological chart, latest whim, etc. If you have questions about the portions of the script not shown, please contact us.

Casting

From 8-40 students. All songs are sung by the entire cast. There are 20 parts for Students, each with a few lines, but these parts/lines can be distributed any way you like. Actors can easily play several roles, or a single role can be divided between multiple actors. All parts can be played by any gender.

CHARACTERS:

Students (20)
Detectives (2)
Wolves (2)

Script

This is the first one-third of the script.

(CLASS enters and sings:)

Song 1

There're patterns everywhere you look
On carpets, flags, in every nook
My socks have patterns that repeat
To give me cool designer feet.

Some actions can be patterns too
If they're predictable to you
"I don't like this pattern," Mom has said
Each night when I won't go to bed.

But my favorite regularities, it must be said
Are right overhead...

Patterns in the sky
The stars and moon and sun
Patterns in the sky
Their race is never done.
Regular as clockwork
Can't help but wonder why
Patterns in the sky.

Today the sun will rise and set
The same tomorrow, I will bet
The moon looks awfully full these days
But we all know that's just a phase.

Patterns in the sky
The stars and moon and sun
Patterns in the sky
Their race is never done.
Regular as clockwork
Can't help but wonder why
Patterns in the sky.
Patterns in the sky.

(STUDENTS #1 and 2 enter. THEY are looking at each other, around the room, and up at the "sky," scratching their heads. STUDENTS #3 and 4, enter a moment later, holding notebooks.)

STUDENT #3: Hey, what's wrong?

STUDENT #1: We don't understand the assignment.

STUDENT #2: Yeah, we're supposed to find patterns in the sky -- but every time we look, the sun and moon are in different places.

STUDENT #1 (points at different places around the room): There, there, there, there, there!

STUDENT #4: Where's your notebook?

STUDENT #2: Uh, notebook?

STUDENT #3: Yeah! You have to write down what you see and when. Then you can find the pattern.

STUDENTS #1 and 2 (looking at each other): OHHHHHH.

STUDENT #4: Taking careful notes is an important part of scientific observation.

STUDENT #3 (holding up notebook): I've got that part down, but I can't figure out how the solar system actually works.

STUDENT #1: Now that's a doozy.

STUDENT #2: I hope you like spinny rides, because we're on one right now!

(CLASS is divided into three groups -- SUN, EARTH, and MOON. THEY sing:)

Song 2

SUN:
Who's in the middle of the solar system?
Me, the sun!
OTHERS: You, the sun!
Who brings the light that you are missin'?
Me, the sun!
OTHERS: You, the sun!

CLASS:
So raise your voices loud, my friends
For all the warmth that it expends
Yes raise your voices loud, my friends
And spin spin spin around.

EARTH:
Who orbits all the way around the sun?
Me, the earth!
OTHERS: You, the earth!
Who gives a place to live to everyone?
Me, the earth!
OTHERS: You, the earth!

CLASS:
So raise your voices loud, my friends
For all those earthly dividends
Yes raise your voices loud, my friends
And spin spin spin around.

Sun, Earth, and Moon have gravity
That keeps them all in place
Whirlin' in the universe
With patterns we can trace

MOON:
Who orbits all the way around the earth?
Me, the moon!
OTHERS: You, the moon!
Who's got the phases and creates the surf?
Me, the moon!
OTHERS: You, the moon!

CLASS:
So raise your voices loud, my friends
Its moonbeams aren't just passing trends
Yes raise your voices loud, my friends
And spin spin spin around.
And spin spin spin around.

(STUDENTS #5 and 6 enter.)

STUDENT #5 (holding head): All that spinning around makes me dizzy!

STUDENT #6: Really?

STUDENT #5: Well, actually...no. That's weird. If the earth is always spinning, why don't we feel dizzy?

STUDENT #6: Because we're spinning right along with it...at almost a thousand miles per hour!

STUDENT #5: Yikes! I hope we don't get a ticket.

(2 DETECTIVES enter, holding up magnifying glasses in front of their noses. THEY don't see the STUDENTS.)

STUDENT #6: Who are you?

(DETECTIVES jump, startled)

DETECTIVE #1: Oh! Shhhh -- we're undercover. Working on an important case.

STUDENT #6: You're detectives?

DETECTIVE #2: Not just any detectives.

DETECTIVES (in unison): Solar detectives.

DETECTIVE #1: It's serious work, snooping on the sun.

DETECTIVE #2: We've been hired to find out where it goes at night.

(This concludes the first one-third of the script.)