“The Paper Bag Princess” by Robert Munsch
Revised for the Synergy Summer Arts Camp by Cassandra Watsham and the ‘Paper Bag Princess Campers’
Opening Production:
Synergy Performing Arts Academy
Brampton, Ontario
July 4-7, 2011
Scene: A meadow of wildflowers, berries and fruits, with a magnificent castle in the background. It is a bright and sunny day. Princess Simran and Princess Rianna are picking flowers and fruits and putting them in their baskets, excited about their upcoming wedding days to their princes. The Narrator begins.
Narrator
Once upon a time in a faraway land, there lived two beautiful princesses: Princess Rianna and Princess Simran. They loved being princesses and doing things that princesses do; picking flowers, wearing pretty dresses and living in large castles. They were going to be married to their princes, Prince Ronald and Prince Donald that very weekend. They were picking flowers and fruits in the meadow for their wedding bouquets, all the while they sang a lovely song.
(To the tune of ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”)
Princess Rianna
Flower, flower, oh so fair;
I will wear you in my hair.
Princess Simran
Save some for your wedding day!
Please don’t pick them all today!
Both Princesses
Flowers, sun, a song to sing!
What more luck can this day bring?
Narrator
Unfortunately, Dante the Dragon heard the princess’ song, and he was very hungry. He burns the castle to the ground – with the princesses’ wedding gowns and lovely dresses – and kidnaps Princess Simran!
Dante the Dragon enters from the side and roars!
Dante the Dragon
RAAAAAAAAWWWRRRR!
Dante the Dragon charges the castle, knocks it down with his ‘dragon fire’ and chases Princess Simran twice around the audience! Princess Rianna runs for her life offstage! Dante the Dragon ‘catches’ Princess Simran on ‘centre stage’ and keeps her from escaping.
BACKSTAGE: Rianna exits the stage to change into her ‘paper bag dress’ for her next scene.
Dante the Dragon
Princesses make yummy snacks! Raaaaaawwrr!
Princess Simran
Princess Rianna! Help me!
Dante the Dragon exits the stage, ‘dragging’ Princess Simran behind him. Princess Rianna appears on stage after they have left, wearing her ‘paper bag dress’.
Narrator
With her pretty dresses burnt to ash, and her magnificent castle turned to rubble, the only thing she could find to wear was a paper bag! She had to rescue her friend to make sure she married her handsome prince. She was determined and brave!
Princess Rianna
I’m gonna beat that dragon somehow and rescue my friend, even if I have to wear this ugly paper bag! Yuck!
Princess Rianna leaves the stage.
Scene change: A dirt road or path. There are bones all over the road and all the trees are burnt, meaning the dragon has been through here! The road leads to a great big sign that says ‘Dragons’ Lair: No Unicorns Allowed!’
BACKSTAGE: Dante is in charge of putting the bones and the ‘Dragon’s Lair’ sign on stage for this scene, and Simran is in charge of putting the trees on stage for this scene. They will need to go on stage as quickly as possible, and I’ll show you where they go!
Princess Rianna enters the stage, acting as if she’s very tired and has been walking a long time. She stops and rests a moment when the Narrator begins to speak.
Narrator
Princess Rianna followed a trail of horses’ bones and burnt trees for miles and miles and miles, because she knew that dragons liked to eat horses and burn up trees to show off. She has finally reached the end of the trail to the Dragon’s Lair – and to rescue Princess Simran!
Princess Rianna looks up and sees the ‘Dragon’s Lair’ sign and is relieved! She’s finally here! She runs up to the sign and gives three big knocks.
BACKSTAGE: Dante and Simran bang their feet three times as loud as they can to make that knock loud! Simran then needs to change the trees to ‘green’ and wait for her ‘cue’ with the red and yellow cheer poms and make the trees ‘burn’.
Dante the Dragon enters the stage after hearing the loud knocks. He is annoyed because he is hungry and someone has interrupted him!
Narrator
Dante the Dragon heard the loud knock and came rushing to the door. He was just about to eat his snack – Princess-in-a-Blanket with ketchup! He looked at Princess Rianna and said in an angry voice:
Dante the Dragon
GO AWAY! I already have a princess to eat! RAAAAAAWWR!
Dante the Dragon begins to leave the stage.
Narrator
Before the cranky dragon could leave, Princess Rianna called out:
Princess Rianna
WAIT!
Dante the Dragon comes back onto the stage.
Princess Rianna
Is it true that you make the most fire out of any dragon?
Dante the Dragon
YES! I am the best dragon!
Narrator
Dante the Dragon breathed in a great big huff and puff, and blew out so much fire that he burned down one hundred trees! Princess Rianna was a little frightened, but very impressed!
Dante the Dragon uses his ‘fire blower’ to burn the trees. Princess Rianna watches, astounded! All that fire blowing has made Dante the Dragon very tired!
BACKSTAGE: Simran shakes the red and yellow poms to look like flames behind the ‘green’ trees and turns them around to show the ‘burnt’ side. (Make sure you’re still in your princess dress, Simran! You’re on stage soon!)
Princess Rianna
Wow! You are the best dragon! I bet you are the fastest, as well. Can you fly around the world in twenty seconds?
Dante the Dragon
YES! I am the fastest dragon!
Narrator
Dante the Dragon flapped his wings mightily and took off into the sky like a lightning bolt.
Dante the Dragon runs around the audience twice and comes back to the stage, feeling rather sleepy from all the flying. Princess Rianna watches him in amazement!
Narrator
He was so fast and so high up in the sky, it was impossible to see him! Princess Rianna was very impressed with his speed and agility for being such a big and scary dragon. Most importantly – her plan was working! The dragon was so tired from all that fire-blowin’ and flyin’ around the world, he fell into a deep sleep.
Dante the Dragon passes out on the floor and falls fast asleep right on the stage!
Narrator
Princess Rianna wanted to be absolutely sure, so she poked Dante the Dragon twice and called his name into his ear.
Princess Rianna crouches down and yells loudly into Dante the Dragon’s ear.
Princess Rianna
Dante? Oh, Dante the Dragon! Are you awake?
Dante the Dragon snores loudly and rolls over, still asleep.
Narrator
Princess Rianna saw the perfect chance to enter the Dragon’s Lair and save Princess Simran – just in time for her wedding day! She tiptoed over Dante the Dragon’s sleepy scaliness and found herself face to face with – Princess Simran!
Princess Simran enters the stage from the Dragon’s Lair, and she does not like Princess Rianna’s ‘paper bag dress’!
She had found the exit herself and made her way out – what a clever girl! Princess Rianna was so happy to see her that she threw her arms around her instantly – but Princess Simran would have none of that!
Princess Simran
Ew! Yuck! Princess Rianna, your hair is a mess, you are wearing no shoes, you’re covered in dirt and you’re wearing a paper bag as a dress! A princess is always supposed to look like a princess – you’ll never marry a prince!
Narrator
Princess Rianna looked at the lovely dress her friend was wearing, and then looked at the dowdy paper bag she wore as a dress. It was dirty and burnt, covered in ash an soot, and her hair looked like a birds nest. But she knew it wasn’t what she looked like; it was what she did for her friend and how brave she was to face a dragon! So, she turned to her friend and said with pride:
Princess Rianna
Princess Simran: your dress is very pretty, your hair is very neat, and you are a very lovely princess, but you are a bum!
Narrator
And the Paper Bag Princess danced away, off to marry a Paper Bag Prince of her own someday.
The End!
This is amazing!!!!! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIts lovely story for children
ReplyDeleteIt was a good book
ReplyDelete