The Calabash Kids — a RT Story Script Book by Douglas Tang

THE

—Story —

of the

Calabash Kids a d e r’s — — Re Th e a t e r

Script Book Design

by Douglas Tang

Kids

Quickly, quick, quick. Feed the ducks.

Quickly, quick, quick. Wash the clothes.

Quickly, quick, quick. Carry some water.

Nall

(turn at this sentence) Calabash kids are ready to help.

1/2

N1

Long, long time ago, there was a woman named Shindo.

Shindo lived in a village at the foot of a mountain in Africa.

1

N

4

1/2

Shindo was very lonely because her 1/2

husband had died, and she had no children.

N

2

Shindo was always tired too, because there was no one to help her with the chores.

1/2

N3

SD

At the end of each day, Shindo looked at the mountain and prayed.

Great Mountain Spirit! Please hear me!

There is to-o much work for me and the work is to-o hard!

2

Kids

One day, an old man appeared.

My po—or lady. I’m the messenger

Old

for the Great Mountain Spirit.

Go and plant these calabash seeds.

They’re the answer to your wish.

SD

N1

The answer to my wish?

(quietly) Shindo whispered to herself. But

still, she planted the seeds very care-fully.

3

N4

1/2

In just a week, big, beautiful calabash gourds trailed over the field.

Unbelievable! How could the seeds grow

SD

so fast? (thinking) Hmm, after drying them, maybe I can make them into jugs and sell them at the market for some money.

1/2

N2

The next morning, Shindo went off to work again.

4

N3

Meanwhile, back in the house hanging on 1/2

the rafters, the calabash gourds began to

rustle.

N1

They sprouted heads, then arms, then legs.

N

Soon, they turned into...

4

Kids N2

1/2

Childern!

1/2

And by the fire, sat a calabash boy, too.

5

N3

The other children called to him from the rafters.

Kids

Ki-te-te, come help us!

Come help us, Ki-te-te!

We will work for our Mo-ther.

N

1

After Kitete helped his brothers and sisters 1/2

down from the rafters, the children started on the chores quickly.

Kids

(together) Quickly, quick, quick.

6

1

2 3 4 5

6

Mop the hut.

Wash the clothes.

Feed the ducks.

Fetch some wa-ter.

Clean the yard.

Cut some wood.

7

7

N

2

Cook the meals.

All the children worked hard but Kitete.

1/2

When all the work was done, Kitete helped

N1

N4

the others climb back onto the rafters.

Then all the kids turned into calabash gourds again.

N2

1/2

When Shindo returned home, the other women in the village called to her.

8

W1

Shindo, who were the children in your yard today?

W2

W1

SD

Where did they come from?

Why were they doing your chores?

What children?

I don’t understand what you are say-ing.

N3

Shindo walked home and was in shock when she opened the door.

9

SD

What ha-ppened in here?

Who had come to help me?

N

1

The same thing happened the next day

1/2

and every following day in the week.

N

4

N2

Shindo made up her mind to find out who was helping her.

The next morning, Shindo left but she sneaked back quickly.

She heard the calabash kids in her hut.

10

(in the background)

N

1

Quickly, quick, quick. Mop the hut.

2

Quickly, quick, quick. Wash the clothes.

3

Quickly, quick, quick. Feed the ducks.

3

(start at the same time with kids 1, 2 & 3) When all the children rushed out of the door, they nearly ran into Shindo.

Kids N

1

(unevenly) Oh, oh! Sorry, Madam!

Shindo stood speech-less.

11

N

4

1/2

In no time, the children went on with their chores again.

N2

When all the chores were done,

1/2

the calabash kids started to climb back onto the rafters.

SD

No—o! Please don’t leav—e me.

I never had chil-dren before.

Please sta—y and be my chil-dren and I will love you for—ever!

12

Kids

(in doubt) Really? (happily) Yes, we will!

Yes, we will, MOTHER!

N

3

N1

So Shindo was no longer lonely.

With all the help from the calabash kids,

1/2

Shindo became weal-thy.

1/2

Five years later, one night, when Shindo

N2

was carrying some soup into the room, 1/2 she tripped over Kitete.

13

SB

(angrily)

Ouch! You stupid boy!

Why couldn’t you stay out of my way?

You’re nothing but a calabash!

N

1

SD

The very next moment, Kitete turned back into a wrinkly calabash.

(sobbing) Oh, no-o, so-rry, Kitete!

I didn’t mean what I said!

You’re not a calabash.

You’re my darling son!

14

N3 Kids SD

Shindo cried sadly.

What happened, Mom?

Oh, children, plea—se do something!

Kitete is gon–e.

Kids

(read slow) Ki-te-te, come help us!

Come help us, Ki-te-te!

We will work for our Mo-ther.

15

N2

Kids

For a lon—g moment, nothing happened.

(read fast) Ki-te-te, come help us!

Come help us, Ki-te-te!

We will work for our Mo-ther.

N3

N1

Then slow-ly, the calabash gourd began to change.

It sprouted a head, then arms, then legs.

16

All

(loudly, in tears with joy)

OH! KITETE! You’re—BACK!

N2

Now, Shindo had learned her lesson.

All

This is the end of our story today.

Thank you for your attention.

Have a nice day. (read while getting off the stage) Quickly, quick, quick. Mop the hut.

Quickly, quick, quick. Clean the yard.

Quickly, quick, quick. Feed the ducks.

17

­—Names — of the

Players

SD

Old

W1

W2

Shindo LILA

Old Man JAMES CH.

Woman 1 SHELLY

Woman 2 RUBY

N1

N2

N3

N4

Narrator 1 RONNIE

Narrator 2 ERIC

Narrator 3 KEVIN

Narrator 4 KATRINA

1

2

3

4

Child 2 JASON

Child 3 BRIAN

Child 4 RUBY

5

6

7

?

Child 5 JERRY

Child 6 SHELLY

Child 1 JAMES ZH.

Child 7 JAMES CH.

Kitete CALABASH

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