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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 />
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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