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Table of COl1tents<br />

<strong>13</strong> <strong>Colonies</strong>: <strong>Script</strong><br />

Teacher's Guide<br />

Introduction for the Teacher<br />

Getting Started<br />

Music<br />

Casting<br />

Costumes<br />

The Set<br />

Staging<br />

Rehearsals and Assessment<br />

Emphasis: Making the Words Come Alive<br />

Final Performance<br />

A Last Bit ofAdvice<br />

Ordering Information<br />

pages 4-27<br />

28-40<br />

28<br />

29-30<br />

30-31<br />

32<br />

33-34<br />

35<br />

35-36<br />

37<br />

38<br />

39<br />

40<br />

41-42<br />

Song List<br />

1. ([The Europeans Are Moving In"<br />

2. "1 Drink from Every Fountain l ]<br />

3. "Sunrise to Sunset"<br />

4. "Name That Colony Theme l ]<br />

5. "A Million Things to Dd'<br />

6. "The French Have Got To Gd'<br />

7. "One Lump or Two?"<br />

8. "Sibyl Ludington!"<br />

9. c'Ifs Our Revolutionary War"<br />

1O. "Boogie with the Bill of Rights])<br />

Iroquois, Chorus pp. 6-7<br />

Ponce de Leon, Soldiers, Chorus 8-9<br />

Colonial Boy and Girl, Chorus 10-11<br />

Chorus<br />

11J3<br />

Ben Franldin,Chorus 16<br />

British Soldiers, Chorus 18<br />

Adams Family, Chorus 20-21<br />

Sibyl Ludington, Chorus 24<br />

Colonists, Chorus 25<br />

Entire Class 27<br />

3


<strong>13</strong> <strong>Colonies</strong><br />

by Ron Fink and John Heath<br />

CHARACTERS:<br />

The duration ofthe show is about 30 minutes<br />

George Washington<br />

Martha Washington<br />

Leif Erickson (and Vikings)<br />

Iroquois<br />

Seminole<br />

Ponce de Leon (and Soldiers)<br />

Colonial Boy and Girl<br />

Game Show Host<br />

Contestant (Betsy Smith)<br />

Benjamin Franklin<br />

British Soldiers<br />

Samuel Adams, John Adams, Abigail<br />

Adams<br />

Salesman<br />

HenryWadsworth Longfellow<br />

Sibyl Ludington<br />

Colonists<br />

James Madison<br />

History Police (A and B)<br />

FLEXIBLE CASTING:<br />

From 11-40 students.<br />

Use as manyVikings,<br />

Soldiers, Colonists, etc. as<br />

desired; one student can<br />

also play more than one<br />

role. Note that roles are<br />

not gender-specific:<br />

George Washington can<br />

easily be played by a girl,<br />

for example, and we<br />

recommend that the part<br />

ofthe Game Show Host be<br />

played by a girl as well; see<br />

our comments on page 32<br />

ofthe Teacher's Guide.<br />

and a Chorus made up ofall students who are not playing<br />

roles at the time.<br />

4


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(GEORGE and MARTHA WASHINGTON enter)<br />

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Hello, my name is George Washington.<br />

MARTHA: And I'm Martha Washington. George and I are here to<br />

tell you the marvelous story ofhow our country began. It's a story<br />

filled with excitement and drama...<br />

GEORGE (interrupts): ...dreams ofgold, the clash ofnations...<br />

MARTHA: ...and best ofall, we get to play the staring roles. Oh<br />

George, I never get tired ofthis. The bright lights! The<br />

photographers! It just makes me want to salute something!<br />

(LEIF ERICKSON enters loudly. He's accompanied by two<br />

other Vikings, carrying footballs)<br />

LEIF: t Leif Erickson, claim this land for me and all the Vikings.<br />

GEORGE: Excuse me, but we're starting a show here.<br />

LEIF: I know. I visited America nearly 1000 years ago. I want some<br />

credit for being part ofthe thirteen colonies. I was here first.<br />

GEORGE: No you weren't.<br />

LEIF: I wasn't?<br />

MARTHA: Not at all. Native Americans were here hundreds of<br />

years before you arrived. Isn't that right, George?<br />

(GEORGE nods)<br />

LEIF: Oh. Sorry. Come on, men. Back to Minnesota.<br />

(THEY exit)<br />

GEORGE: In fact, let's take a visit to the eastern seaboard in the<br />

16th century and see what's going on with the local tribes.<br />

(IROQUOIS enter)<br />

MARTHA: Here come some Iroquois-and George, they don't<br />

look happy.<br />

5 .


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IROQUOIS:<br />

We've lived on this land<br />

For hundreds ofyears ~<br />

There's no place that we haven't been<br />

But something is <strong>new</strong><br />

The neighborhood's changed<br />

The Europeans are moving in.<br />

They unload their ships<br />

They back in their vans<br />

They're putting our lives in a spin<br />

We give them some corn<br />

They give us the mumps<br />

The Europeans are moving in.<br />

The isle ofManhattan we sold to the Dutch<br />

And people say it was a steal<br />

But have you all seen what they've done to the place?<br />

We got us a heck ofa deal!<br />

They're shaking our hands<br />

And taking our lands<br />

Our patience is now wearing thin<br />

You never can tell<br />

But it doesn't bode well<br />

The Europeans are moving in.<br />

The Spanish are searching the South for some gold<br />

We don't think that they're gonna stop<br />

The French in the North want the timber and furs<br />

The New World's a great place to shop!<br />

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IROQUOIS and CHORUS:<br />

We've lived on tills land<br />

For hundreds ofyears<br />

There's no place that we haven't been<br />

But something is <strong>new</strong><br />

The neighborhood's changed<br />

The Europeans are moving in.<br />

The Europeans are moving in and in and in and in.<br />

(THEY exit)<br />

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Let's move south to Florida to get a<br />

closer look at some ofthose <strong>new</strong> European explorers.<br />

MARTHA: I see a Seminole coming our way. Isn't it exciting?<br />

SEMINOLE (enters through audience with a tray filled with maps<br />

slung around his neck. Shouting): Programs, get your programs<br />

here! Charts ofhidden treasures! Guides to the Everglades, right<br />

here! Directions to cities built of gold, maps to the houses ofthe<br />

stars! Programs, get your programs!<br />

(PONCE DE LEON enters with SOLDIERS. THEY ALL<br />

carry cups and jugs ofwater)<br />

PONCE DE LEON (to Chart-seller): Hey,<br />

you! Wait! I am Ponce de Leon, famous<br />

Spanish explorer.<br />

SEMINOLE: Welcome. Wanna buy a map to<br />

a city paved with diamonds and rubies?<br />

PONCE DE LEON: Do you think I'm some<br />

dumb tourist? Get reaL (pause) Though, I<br />

was wondering-you don't happen to have<br />

any maps to the fountain ofyouth, do you?<br />

SEMINOLE: Those are very hard to come by.<br />

Let me look.<br />

(rummages through maps)<br />

Ah, you're in luck! I have one left.<br />

7 .


PONCE DE LEON: You do?! I'll take it!<br />

SEMINOLE: That'll be a pound of gold.<br />

PONCE DE LEON (to his SOLDIERS):<br />

Well, don't just stand there, pay the man.<br />

(THEY do, as HE unfolds map)<br />

At last! This has been a very difficult journey.<br />

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PONCE DE LEON:<br />

Some people want adventure<br />

While others look for gold<br />

But me-I want some water<br />

To make me young once more.<br />

(SOLDIER offers him a cup afwater)<br />

I drink from every fountain<br />

Though I don't have a thirst<br />

And ev'ry stream and river<br />

I think I'm gonna burst.<br />

(He grabs cup from SOLDIER)<br />

Is that something from a swamp?<br />

I'll try it!<br />

(lifts up cup)<br />

Here's to my <strong>new</strong> liquid diet!<br />

(takes a drink)<br />

Are my wrinldes disappearing?<br />

Is my grey beard turning black?<br />

Tell me boys, I must lmow the truth<br />

Am I younger? Am I taller?<br />

Has my bald spot gone away?<br />

Have we found the fountain ofyouth?<br />

(THEY examine PONCE closely)<br />

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PONCE and SOLDIERS:<br />

I drink from every fountain<br />

Though I don't have a thirst<br />

And ev'ry stream and river<br />

I think I'm gonna burst.<br />

(THEY ALL grab cups)<br />

Is that something from a swamp?<br />

I'll try it!<br />

(lift up cups)<br />

Here's to our <strong>new</strong> liquid diet!<br />

(take a drink)<br />

PONCE, SOLDIERS, and CHORUS:<br />

Are my wrinkles disappearing?<br />

Is my grey beard turning black?<br />

Tell me boys, I must know the truth<br />

Am I younger? Am I taller?<br />

Has my bald spot gone away?<br />

Have we found the fountain ofyouth<br />

The fountain ofyouth<br />

The fountain ofyouth?<br />

(PONCE, SOLDIERS, and GEORGE WASHINGTON exit)<br />

MARTHA WASHINGTON: Good evening, again. My husband<br />

George got a splinter from his wooden dentures and he's having his<br />

gums massaged. Isn't that remarkable? Now, where are we? Oh<br />

yes...The 1600s brought the British to America. You know what<br />

that means: Jamestown. John Smith. Pocohantas. You Imow the<br />

story. You've seen the movie. You've bought the product tie-ins.<br />

(pause)<br />

Life was tough on the first pioneers as they pushed out on the<br />

frontiers. Let's get up-close-and-personal with a young boy and<br />

girl.<br />

(BOY and GIRL enter)<br />

Welcome, pioneer boy and girL Tell me, what's your life like?<br />

(MARTHA sits down and watches them during their song)<br />

9 .


Out ofbed but I'm still asleep<br />

Cut potatoes to feed the sheep<br />

Got no shoes but I'm out the door<br />

Bring in wood then I'm gone once more.<br />

Sunrise to sunset<br />

Gatta work all day<br />

Sunrise to sunset<br />

Not much time for play.<br />

GIRL:<br />

Lots to do, there's no time for school<br />

Picking berries and spinning wooL<br />

Feed the hens and learn how to sew<br />

Weed the garden so our veggies grow.<br />

Sunrise to sunset<br />

Gatta work all day<br />

Sunrise to sunset<br />

Not much time for play.<br />

BOY:<br />

(-during musical pause, BOY and GIRL take up <strong>new</strong> tasks)<br />

Gone all day as I tend the herds<br />

I just tallc to the trees and birds.<br />

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GIRL:<br />

Help my mom to make all the bread<br />

Ev'ning comes and the ground's our bed.<br />

BOY, GIRL, CHORUS:<br />

Sunrise to sunset<br />

Gatta work all day<br />

Sunrise to sunset<br />

Not much time for play.<br />

Sunrise to sunset, Sunrise to sunset, Sunrise to sunset<br />

Gotta work all day<br />

Sunrise to sunset<br />

Not much time for play.<br />

(BO~ GIRL, and MARTHA WASHINGTON exit. GAME<br />

SHOW HOST, holding note cards, and BETSY SMITH, the<br />

CONTESTANT, enter.)<br />

HOST: Welcome to Name That Colony, the quiz show that tests<br />

your Imowledge of colonial trivia. Time for our theme song from<br />

the Name That Colony Singers:<br />

CHORUS: (during theme song, the HOST points<br />

out the colonies as they are named on<br />

a large map ofthe eastern seaboard)<br />

The colonies ofHampshire, York, and Jersey are quite <strong>new</strong><br />

We're all aware that Delaware is something special too.<br />

Maryland's the very land I'd never leave behind<br />

Connecticut is cool and Georgia's always on my mind.<br />

Jamestown, Virginia, ifs where it all began<br />

The Carolinas, so warm we got a tan.<br />

(CHORUS puts on sunglasses)<br />

Rhode Island now is myland it's so tiny and so cute<br />

Pennsylvania's perfect, Massachusetts is a beaut.<br />

These <strong>13</strong> colonies are all we need for pioneers<br />

I doubt we'll need another one for sev'ral hundred years.<br />

11


HOST: Tonight's contestant is Betsy Smith. Ready, Betsy? Here we<br />

go.<br />

(Reads questions from cards)<br />

The <strong>13</strong>th colony was established in 1732-which one was it?<br />

BETSY (buzzing): Idaho.<br />

HOST: No, I'm sorry, Idaho was not one ofthe <strong>13</strong> colonies. The<br />

name ofthe <strong>13</strong>th colony established in 1732 is ...Georgia.<br />

BETSY: I really like potatoes.<br />

HOST: I'm sure you do. But you have only two questions left, so try<br />

to concentrate. The first colony to decree religious toleration was...<br />

BETSY (buzzing): Idaho!<br />

HOST: No, Betsy, Idaho was not one ofthe original colonies. Are<br />

you sure you understand the premise of our game? Name That<br />

Colony. Get it? Think ofsome place near the east coast.<br />

BETSY: You can't go wrong with a good Idaho potato. You can<br />

mash 'em, or bake 'em, smear 'em with a little chocolate and<br />

whipped cream and...<br />

HOST: Dh, thank you Betsy. The correct answer to our questionthe<br />

first colony to decree religious toleration-is Maryland. Okay,<br />

time for our last question. r d really like to see yo u get this one.<br />

Okay...<br />

CHE flips through cards, trying to find one that BETSY could<br />

get right)<br />

Okay, here we go. Ready) Betsy? Name the colony founded as a<br />

refuge for Quakers, led byWilliam Penn, in Philadelphia, chartered<br />

in 1682 between NewYork and Maryland...and Betsy, it's not<br />

Idaho. Got the answer?<br />

BETSY: (thinks for minute, then buzzes): Idaho!<br />

HOST: No!<br />

BETSY: I really love those potatoes.<br />

12


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l-IOST: Forget it! Start the lllusic, start the 111usic!<br />

CI-iORUS:<br />

The colonies of Hanlpshire, York, and Jersey are quite <strong>new</strong><br />

We're all aware that Dehnvare is sOlnething special too.<br />

Maryland's the very land I'd never leave behind<br />

Connecticut is cool.and Georgia's always on Iny nlind.<br />

Jal1lestowl1, Virginia, it's where it all began<br />

The Carolinas, so warm we got a tan.<br />

Rhode Island now is Illy land it's so tiny and so cute<br />

Pennsylvania's perfect, Massachusetts is a beaut.<br />

These <strong>13</strong> colonies are all we need for pioneers<br />

I doubt we'll need another one for sev'ral hundred years.<br />

(TI-IEY ALL exit; GEORGE and MARTHA WASHINGTON<br />

enter)<br />

GEORGE WASHINGTON (sllliling broadly to audience): Thank<br />

you, thank you, it's great to be back! What a super audience. You<br />

know, Martha, I always say that" " (put in your city's na171e)<br />

audiences are the best in the world.<br />

<strong>13</strong>


MARTHA: Oh, absolutely.<br />

(SHE looks at GEORGE and he smiles for her)<br />

Your smile looks wonderful, George. It's amazing what they can do<br />

with mahogany these days.<br />

GEORGE: I thought I'd introduce you to one ofour most famous<br />

men ofthe 18th century. Benjamin Franldin is perhaps...<br />

(HISTORY POLICE enter, interrupting) blowing whistles)<br />

POLICE A: Hold it, hold it right there, Mr. Washington.<br />

GEORGE: Who are you?<br />

POLICE B: We're the History Police.<br />

(THEY BOTH whip out identification cards, flash them very<br />

quicldy in front of George and then quicldy put them away.)<br />

MARTHA: The history police? I don't believe I'm familiar with<br />

your organization.<br />

POLICE A: That's right, Ma'am, history police. We're here to see<br />

that you don't mess around with history.<br />

POLICE B: We enforce the facts of history, and we just clocked the<br />

two ofyou going pretty fast there a minute ago.<br />

POLICE B: Pretty fast. 150 years ofAmerican history in 5 minutes.<br />

Way over the speed limit.<br />

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POLICE A: You flew right past the development of<br />

the <strong>13</strong> colonies. One minute we're on the frontier,<br />

the next we've got all <strong>13</strong> firmly established.<br />

GEORGE: We only have twenty-five minutes to get<br />

through the...<br />

POLICE B (interrupting): And now you're<br />

suddenly introducing Benjamin Franklin. Have you<br />

no respect for the flow of history?<br />

14


GEORGE: I'm sorry, but...<br />

POLICE A: But we like you. We're going to let you go with a<br />

warning this time.<br />

POLICE B: This time. But you'd better slow down, explain to your<br />

audience what's going on. We won't go so easy on you next time.<br />

(THEY exit; BENJAMIN FRANKLIN enters, walking very<br />

quicldy)<br />

MARTHA: We were very lucky, George. I had no idea.<br />

GEORGE: Oh, here he comes now. Ben, Ben Franldin. Can you<br />

stop for a minute?<br />

BEN FRANKLIN (walking by): A penny saved is a penny earned.<br />

GEORGE: Uh, sure, Ben. But I was wondering if...<br />

BEN FRANKLIN: Lost time is never found again.<br />

GEORGE: Ben, could you just stop for a minute to talk?<br />

15


BEN FRANI


(BRITISH SOLDIERS enter)<br />

SOLDIER #1: I'll tell you why we British are fighting the French in<br />

this French and Indian War. It's over religion.<br />

SOLDIER #2: No, I'm telling you it's simply over control ofthe fur<br />

trade.<br />

SOLDIER #3: You're both wrong. We want land, the French want<br />

land. Something's gotta give.<br />

#1: It's religion.<br />

#2: Trading rights.<br />

#3: It's a fight for power.<br />

#1: Wait. Maybe we're all right. But 1know whywe're really<br />

fighting.<br />

#2 and #3: Why?<br />

#1: It's because we're British, and they're so ...so...how do you say<br />

it...French!<br />

#2 and #3: Yeah, that's it!!<br />

17 .


BRITISH SOLDIERS (Note: during the song, the SOLDIERS yell<br />

out at various intervals supporting shouts ofccYeahI]) and "That's<br />

right!'»):<br />

They wear hardly anything on our fine beaches<br />

They eat things like goose liver, snails, and quiches.<br />

They jump in our Idtchens and think they are the bosses<br />

The smear all our meat with all kinds ofrich sauces.<br />

BRITISH SOLDIERS and CHORUS:<br />

The French have got to go.<br />

Come on, it's westward ha!<br />

The French have got to go.<br />

Come on, it's westward hoI<br />

There)s just one thing we can do<br />

We must fight a say "adieu"<br />

You can bet your chapeau<br />

The French have got to go.<br />

BRITISH SOLDIERS:<br />

They don)t understand what we)re trying to say<br />

We order soft-boiled and they bring a souffle.<br />

We tell them it's casual, they still wear ties<br />

We serve them some chips and they ask for French fries.<br />

BRITISH SOLDIERS and CHORUS:<br />

The French have got to go.<br />

Come on, it's westward hot<br />

The French have got to go.<br />

Come on) it's westward ho!<br />

There's just one thing we can do<br />

We must fight and fight beaucoup<br />

You can bet your chapeau<br />

The French have got to go.<br />

The French have got to go.<br />

(THEY exit; GEORGE WASHINGTON enters)<br />

18


GEORGE WASHINGTON: Things are getting exciting now. We're<br />

in Boston in 1773...<br />

(HISTORY POLICE enter, interrupting, blowing on<br />

whistles)<br />

POLICE A: Hold it, hold it right there.<br />

GEORGE WASHINGTON: The history police again!<br />

POLICE B: You're a trouble-maker, aren't you, Mr. Washington?<br />

POLICE A: Having a little fun with the French and Indian war,<br />

were we?<br />

POLICE B: Well history is not about fun, Mr. Washington. No<br />

Slree.<br />

POLICE A: No siree. Where's the facts? The dates? The family<br />

trees?<br />

POLICE B: You've got to explain things. Tell the audience that after<br />

the French were defeated in the war, the British and the colonists<br />

were left to struggle for control ofthe land.<br />

POLICE A: Control ofthe land, Mr. Washington.<br />

We're not going to warn you again.<br />

(THEY exit)<br />

GEORGE WASHINGTON (to audience): Yes, well,<br />

here we are-again-in Boston, on a cold night in<br />

December in 1773. The colonists are not happy with<br />

British rule.<br />

(SALESMAN enters with tray filled<br />

with paper cups slung around neck;<br />

it would be nice if he is played by<br />

same actor who played SEMINOLE)<br />

SALESMAN: Coke, get your cokes right here!<br />

Pepsi, pepsi cola, ice cold pepsi right here.<br />

19


(THREE distinguished Bostonians-the Adamses-enter)<br />

SAMUEL ADAMS: Wait a minute. fn take one ofthose.<br />

SALESlvlAN: Say, aren't you Samuel Adams?<br />

SAMUEL ADAMS.: Yes I am. And this is my cousin John Adams<br />

and his wife Abigail. She's holding little John Quincy Adams.<br />

SALESlvlAN: So you're the Adams family.<br />

JOHN ADAMS: Yes we are.<br />

SALESlvlAN: Then where's Uncle Fester?<br />

JOHN ADAMS.: Excuse me?<br />

SALESlvlAN: And since when did upper-crust colonists like<br />

yourselves start drinking sodas and stop drinking tea?<br />

ABIGAIL ADAMS: Since the parliament back in England put a tax<br />

on all imported tea. We're going to show the British that they can't<br />

get away it!<br />

ADAMSES:<br />

Bang on the drums<br />

Blow on the trumpets<br />

Get out the cups<br />

Bring out some crumpets.<br />

Where is the tea<br />

We should be drinking?<br />

300 chests<br />

See them all sinking!<br />

One lump or two?<br />

How do you take your tea?<br />

Just one way will do-<br />

At the bottom ofthe sea.<br />

Doo bee doo...<br />

20


Tyranny's here<br />

With this taxation<br />

"When we don't have<br />

Representation.<br />

Pick up a bell<br />

It's time to ring it<br />

Pick up some tea<br />

It's time to fling it!<br />

ADAMSES and CHORUS:<br />

One lump or two?<br />

How do you take your tea?<br />

Just one way will do-<br />

At the bottom ofthe sea.<br />

One lump or two?<br />

How do you take your tea?<br />

Just one way will do-<br />

At the bottom of the sea.<br />

Doo bee doo...<br />

Just one way will do­<br />

At the bottom ofthe sea.<br />

(ADAMSES and SALESMAN exit, leaving GEORGE<br />

WASHINGTON on stage)<br />

21


(SIBYL LUDINGTON and LONGFELLOW enter on side<br />

and sit down. HE is working on a poem. MARTHA<br />

WASHINGTON enters, sees them, and speaks to GEORGE)<br />

MARTHA WASHINGTON: Look, George, it's Henry Wadsworth<br />

Longfellow and Sibyl Ludington. Looks like Longfellow is working<br />

on a poem.<br />

GEORGE: This is a special moment, Martha. Longfellow's trying<br />

to write an epic poem about Sibyl.<br />

(HISTORY POLICE enter, blowing whistles)<br />

POLICE A: Okay, that's it. Cuffhim.<br />

GEORGE: What'd I do now?<br />

POLICE B: What did you do? Why you skipped the whole<br />

begilllling ofthe Revolutionary War!<br />

POLICE A: Here we are in the middle ofthe colonists' fight for<br />

freedom from British rule. You can)t just start in the middle.<br />

POLICE B: Where's your narrative sense? The beginning, then the<br />

middle, then the end!<br />

POLICE A: And now, in 1777, you've got a little known<br />

RevolutionaryWar heroine Sibyl Ludington talking to the great<br />

American poet Longfellow...<br />

POLICE B: ...and he wasn't even<br />

born until 30 years later! Book him,<br />

Danno.<br />

GEORGE (being led offby POLICE):<br />

But it's dramatic license!<br />

POLICE A: We're revoking that<br />

license, Mister.<br />

22


MARTHA (following after them): But Longfellow's right there,<br />

talking to Sibyl Ludington...<br />

(THEY exit)<br />

LONGFELLOW (reading from his work in progress): "Listen, my<br />

children, and you shalilearn-a-ton, ofthe midnight ride of Sibyl<br />

Ludington..." I don't know, Sibyl, it doesn't sound good.<br />

SIBYL: But I deserve a little recognition, Hank. I did everything<br />

Paul Revere did!<br />

LONGFELLOW: I know. But your name just doesn't flow. Besides,<br />

Paul Revere went on his famous ride first.<br />

SIBYL: But that was in Massachusetts. I rode to warn the militia in<br />

New York-think how much more dangerous that can be!<br />

LONGFELLOW: Okay, how about: "Listen, my children, and you<br />

shall know-the-one, ofthe midnight ride ofSibyl Ludington." No,<br />

that's even worse.<br />

SIBYL: But shouldn't people know about me too?<br />

LONGFELLOW: Of course. But your name doesn't rhyme with<br />

anything. Think ofRevere-there're so many possibilities: "year,"<br />

"1 c ear, " cc<br />

career,<br />

]) CCh effilSp . h ere<br />

»<br />

...<br />

SIBYL: But I was just a girl! That's something, isn't it?<br />

LONGFELLOW: ... "volunteer," "wood veneer"...<br />

SIBYL: Oh, I'll never be famous!<br />

l .<br />

~ ,<br />

23


SIBYL (NOTE: during the CHORUS sections ofher song, SIBYL<br />

grabs a stick pony and rides around, delighting in the CHORUS's<br />

chant):<br />

Forty long miles on a horse in the dark<br />

Isn't exactly a walle in the parle<br />

I stop at each house and I bang on the door<br />

I tell them "The British are coming-once more."<br />

CHORUS:<br />

Sibyl Ludington! Sibyl, we cheer!<br />

Sibyl Ludington! Glad you came here.<br />

Too bad your name doesn't rhyme like "Revere"<br />

You'll miss the folksongs and textbooks, we fear.<br />

SIBYL:<br />

Sixteen years old and I ride through the night<br />

Warn the militia: get ready to fight!<br />

"The British are coming!)) I yell at each door<br />

"Sibyl," they tell me, "we've heard it before."<br />

CHORUS:<br />

Sibyl Ludington! Sibyl, we cheer!<br />

Sibyl Ludington! Glad you came here.<br />

Too bad your name doesn't rhyme like "Revere"<br />

You'll miss the folksongs and textbooks, we fear.<br />

Too bad your name doesn't rhyme like "Revere"<br />

You'll miss the follesongs and textbooks, we fear.<br />

(SHE exits)<br />

GEORGE WASHINGTON (rushing on stage, handcuffs still on):<br />

Sibyl was just one ofthousands of colonial heroes in the war. I like<br />

to think I, George Washington, General, First President, Father of<br />

the Country, et cetera, had some small part in it all. But the<br />

Colonists were ready to fight for freedom.<br />

(Whistle blows from off stage; GEORGE looks off stage in<br />

direction of whistle, and then races off)<br />

24


COLONISTS:<br />

It's our revolutionary war<br />

It's independence we're fighting for.<br />

We got tired ofmad King George's reign<br />

We got ([Common SenseJ] from Thomas Paine.<br />

It's our revolutionary war<br />

It's Washington camped atValley Forge.<br />

It's a boat across the Delaware<br />

It's a Nathan Hale of gunfight there.<br />

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit ofHappiness<br />

That's why we want to throw out the Crown<br />

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit ofHappiness<br />

Thomas Jefferson wrote it all down.<br />

It's our revolutionary war<br />

When Benedict Arnold falsely swore<br />

We have Betsy Ross and Lafayette<br />

And a French blockade we won't forget.<br />

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit ofHappiness<br />

That's why we want to throw out the Crown<br />

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit ofHappiness<br />

Thomas Jefferson wrote it all down.<br />

It's our revolutionary war<br />

It's independence we're fighting for.<br />

We got tired ofmad King George's reign<br />

We got ,cCommon Sense)] from Thomas Paine.<br />

(THEY exit)<br />

25


(GEORGE and MARTHA WASHINGTON enter, leading the<br />

HISTORY POLICE who are now wearing the handcuffs)<br />

GEORGE WASHINGTON (to audience): Well, it's all over and the<br />

Colonists have sent the British packing. I've been elected the<br />

country's first president, and my first act was to arrest these two<br />

History Police for being a public nuisance.<br />

POLICE A: I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my<br />

country.<br />

POLICE B: The president isn't going to execute us.<br />

POLICE A: He isn't?<br />

POLICE B: No.<br />

POLICE A: I mew that.<br />

MARTHA WASHINGTON: With a solid Constitution this <strong>new</strong><br />

countrywill get offto a flying start. Let's end our review ofthe <strong>13</strong><br />

colonies with a chat with James Madison, the man behind the<br />

Constitution.<br />

JAMES MADISON (entering): You know, I thought the<br />

Constitution was perfect. But I've got to admit this Bill ofRights<br />

adds just the right touch. So come on, George, Martha. Let's do it.<br />

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Do what?<br />

JAMES MADISON: Let's boogie with the Bill of Rights!<br />

(During the song, members ofthe class spread around the<br />

room and finish the song surrounding the audience)<br />

26


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ENTIRE CLASS:<br />

We've got freedom of religion<br />

We can choose how we pray<br />

We've got freedom of assembly<br />

So assemble away.<br />

Got a trial by a jury, gatta do it in a hurry.<br />

Come on, come on, boogie with the Bill of Rights.<br />

It's the Bill of Rights<br />

So it can't be wrong<br />

We will amend to ten<br />

And then dance along.<br />

Come all, come on, boogie with the Bill ofRights.<br />

Got a right to an attorney<br />

He'll work on your behalf<br />

There's no quartering of soldiers<br />

So just cut them in half.<br />

It's the perfect resolution to our living Constitution<br />

Come on, come on, boogie with the Bill of Rights.<br />

It's the Bill of Rights<br />

So it can't be wrong<br />

We will amend to ten<br />

And then dance along.<br />

Come on, come on, boogie with the Bill of Rights.<br />

(Entire Class does the Bill of Rights Boogie)<br />

It's the perfect resolution to our living Constitution<br />

Come on, come all, boogie with the Bill ofRights.<br />

It's the Bill of Rights<br />

So it can't be wrong<br />

We will amend to ten<br />

And then dance along.<br />

Come on, come on, boogie with the Bill of Rights.<br />

Come on, come on, boogie with the Bill of Rights.<br />

THE END<br />

27

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