Musical Play: “The Garden Show”

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

Flexible casting from 8-40 students. Use as many Mushrooms, Bees, etc. as desired. 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:
Gardeners
Mushrooms
At least 5 Aliens from planet Chlorophyll, including:
Kwandoo, Captain of Chlorophyll spaceship; Kwoot, Engineer of Chlorophyll spaceship; Grandfather
Bees
Garden Animals (Snail, Grasshopper, Centipede, Spider, Mole)
Tabloid Reporters
Seasons: Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall
Singing Compost Pile
Chorus (comprised of ALL students---except Aliens---who are not directly involved in the scene)

Script

This is the first one-third of the script.

(The entire CLASS enters the room from two different points, singing loudly. The first STUDENT in each line holds streamers aloft. As they sing, they march around the audience. Some may hold aloft giant paper mache fruits and vegetables.

Song 1

ENTIRE CLASS:
Here we come to the Garden Show
We want to tell you what we know.
We have planted and watered too
We want to share it all with you.

We've got plants
We've got weeds
We've got spores
And we've got seeds.
Mushroom fans that are among us...

(The CLASS stops marching and points to the kids dressed as MUSHROOMS)

Look real close--
MUSHROOMS: Yeah, we've got fungus!

Fungus, fungus, fungus, fungus
Hey-hey!

(THEY ALL resume marching)

Here we come to the Garden Show
Let's sit down here and watch it grow.
That could be just a little slow
We'll think of something---here we go!

We've got plants
We've got weeds
We've got spores
And we've got seeds.

(THEY ALL stop again and point at MUSHROOMS)

Mushroom fans that are among us
Look real close--
MUSHROOMS: Yeah, we've got fungus!
Fungus, fungus, fungus, fungus
Hey-hey!
Here we come to the Garden Show
We want to tell you what we know
We have planted and watered too
We want to share it all with you.
We want to share it all with you.
(THE CLASS stops marching and begins to clap in rhythm as they sing)

Dah dah bi dah dah
Dah bah di dah di dah.
Dah dah bi dah dah
Dah bah di dah di dah.
Dah dah bi dah dah
Dah bah di dah di dah.
Here we come to the Garden Show
We want to tell you what we know.

(GARDENERS gather on stage. Then mysterious music is heard, and after a few moments, the ALIENS emerge from their ship. THEY look around in wonderment. GARDENERS are nearby and see the ALIENS about the same time the ALIENS spot them. There is shock, finger pointing, and general confusion on both sides. Then the mysterious music fades away.)

NOTE: The "mysterious music" supplied on the accompanying recording may last longer than is needed for this scene. Just fade it out when the scene is over.

GARDENER (NOTE: The role of "GARDENER" can be played by one or many different actors): Who are you?

KWANDOO: I am Kwandoo, captain of this ship. We come from planet Chlorophyll.

KWOOT (moving a hand-held meter box around): Captain, this appears to be a carbon-based system. My calculations indicate that it is either a human being...or a lump of coal.

KWANDOO (to GARDENERS): And this is our engineer, Kwoot.

GARDENER: Hello. Welcome to our garden on planet earth. From the looks of you, I think you are going to like it here.

Song 2

CHORUS:
You're the Chlorophyll Folk from outer space
You're green from head to toe
We've got chlorophyll here on planet earth
It helps our garden grow.

It's the chlorophyll here that makes leaves green
It brightens up the place
Now our garden is yours so come on in
Green folk from outer space.

Green arm
Green hand
Green thumb as well
You're gonna be great gardeners, we can tell
We can tell!

You're the Chlorophyll Folk from outer space
You're here to have some fun
Photosynthesizing all day long
Just soaking up the sun.

It's the chlorophyll here that makes leaves green
It brightens up the place
Now our garden is yours so come on in
Green folk from outer space.

Green arm
Green hand
Green thumb as well
You're gonna be great gardeners, we can tell
We can tell!
You're gonna be great gardeners, we can tell!

GRANDFATHER (Bearded alien, very excited): Bracken snack. Mumfo goozenburger.
Whackawhacka gesneezen!

GARDENER: I'm sorry, what did you say?

KWANDOO: You'll have to excuse Grandfather. He only speaks Chlorophyll.

GARDENER: Why is he so upset?

KWANDOO: He's reminding us that we're late. We're on our way to Uncle Kweek's wedding
in the neighboring galaxy.

KWOOT: Unfortunately our reactor began to consume fuel at an accelerated rate.

GARDENER: You mean...you ran out of gas?

Song 3

ALIEN:
It isn't cool
To run out of fuel
How can we now ever fly away?
It isn't cool
To run out of fuel
Please won't you help us
Won't you help us
Won't you help us on our way.

ALL ALIENS:
It isn't cool
To run out of fuel
How can we now ever fly away?
It isn't cool
To run out of fuel
Please won't you help us
Won't you help us
Won't you help us on our way.
Our spaceship is old
The engine is worn
There's no stereo and no heater.
The muffler is shot
The mileage is bad
Just seventeen light-years per liter.

It isn't cool
CLASS: No!
To run out of fuel
CLASS: Oh!
How can we now ever fly away?
CLASS: We're gonna help
It isn't cool
CLASS: No!
To run out of fuel
CLASS: Oh!
Please won't you help us
Won't you help us
Won't you help us on our way.

Our spaceship is stuck
There's nothing to do
Despite all our efforts and labors.
We'll put it on blocks
Out in the front yard
Just to annoy all the neighbors.

It isn't cool
CLASS: No!
To run out of fuel
CLASS: Oh!
How can we now ever fly away?
CLASS: We're gonna help
It isn't cool
CLASS: No!
To run out of fuel
CLASS: Oh!
Please won't you help us
Won't you help us on our way.

GARDENER: Can't you get any fuel here on earth?

KWANDOO: I doubt it. Our fuel is very, very rare. On Planet Chlorophyll we have to import most of it from a neighboring solar system.

GARDENER: Maybe we can find something here in the garden you can use for fuel. Why don't you take a look around?

(THEY ALL walk around staring at the ground)

KWOOT: What is all this brown material on the ground? It seems very familiar.

GARDENER: This? This is soil---it's where we plant things.

KWOOT: Soil? It looks like dirt. On planet Chlorophyll we call that dirt.

GARDENER: We do too! But sometimes that word leaves the wrong impression.

Song 4

CHORUS:

Some folks call this brown stuff dirt
It gets on your pants and shirt.
But it's worth more than gold or oil
So let's agree to call it soil.

Dirt and soil might be the same
But dirt gives soil a dirty name
It feeds the plants, rewards our toil
So let's agree to call it soil.

Buh buh do dah
Buh buh do dah
Buh buh do dah buh do dah buh
Buh buh do dah
Buh buh do dah
Buh buh do dah buh buh dah.

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