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Q , b h . o . .-O-?"..I\i‘ w O .1 . .‘O'i "y ‘ This is to certify that the thesis entitled presented by has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for (“ m fl degree in 23/344474. 01% 7//§%w Major professor Date d11y7 ‘9 7/ 0/1 /j:-/’ [J i 0-169 LIBRARY Michigan State University -r--.m II: v4. “Mr-M‘- 5 ”'33ng 4 THE EVOLUTION OF fl BAKER'S DOZEN LN (mam PIA! FOR CHILDREN By . Jolene Nebeker A THESIS Submitted to the College of Communication Arts of Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTEROF ARTS Department of Speech 1960 ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to show the evolution of an original script suitable for production for a child audience. A general survey of the purposes of children's theatre and the cri- teria for writing a play for children was made. Authorities are cited who agree that good plays for child- ren should conform to the accepted fundamental dramatic writing standards. In essence, the mechanical aspects of play construction are the same. whether the dramatist is writing for children or adults. Any difference is one of emphasis or degree. The steps in the creative process and the problems encount- ered in developing the script are recorded. The first step in the development of The Baker's Dozen was to write a story explaining the origin of the term "baker's dozen". Then a scenario of the play. based upon the story, was written. Changes in plot development and character motivation were made from the story, through two scenarios, to the first draft. The changes are justified by recognizing their effect upon the development of more believable situations and characters which are important in a children's theatre script. ii After the final script was completed, an evaluation was made. using the principles and purposes of good children's theatre as a basis for criticism. Evaluation of the total play revealed the story, in general. to be presented effectively and in accord- ance with the accepted techniques of playwriting for a child audience. TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I 0 INTRODUCTION 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O I O O O 1 II. SUMMARY OF CRITERIA FOR CHILDREN'S THEATRE SCRDTS O O O O O O O O O O O O I O O O O O O O 0 O O L" III. ORIGIN OF THE BAKER'S DOZEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Original Story First Scenario Second Scenario First draft of script Iv. CHANGES FROM FIRST DRAFT TO FINAL SCRIPT. . . . . 106 V. EVALUATION OF THE BAKER' DOZEN e . . e e e . e . 119 IU; VI. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 APPElmHeeeeeeeeeeoeeeeeeee0000000131 Final Script BBLIOME‘IY. O O O O 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 202 CW I INTRODUCTION Children's theatre as it is known today is a.product of the twentieth century. The movement has grown rapidly since the Children's Theatre Conference held its first annual meeting on the campus of’Northwestern University in l9hh. ‘During the seasons pre- ceding that first.aeeting, about one hundred and thirty playecripts for children were produced in the United States.1 Since then, the number has increased.solewhet; and.today there are approximately one thousand different groups producing children's theatre scripts. Despite the rapid increase in the nuaber of productions for child.audiences, authorities in the field express little satisfaction with the plays currently available to producing groups. The quality and variety of’plays for use in children's theatre have not increased with the dun-no.2 i need for good children's play! has come to the fare in recent years. It is the purpose of this thesis to show the evolution of an 13ers Spencer, "Children's Theatre Past and Present,- ggpcational Theatre Journal, VII (March, 1955): Do hh. 2Vinifred ward, Theatre for Children, Revised Edition (Anchorage, Kentucky: TEE-Child§en’s Theatre Press, 1950), p. 260. -2- original script suitable for production for a child audience. The steps in the creative process and the problems encountered in devel- oping the script to a producible form will be recorded. Limitations inherent in this playwriting situation, such as style of writing, character development, plot, action, and story will be considered. Since the thesis is concerned with the evolution of the final script, certain limitations have been and must be imposed. The main body of the thesis will be limited to a discussion of the actual writing of the play and to a justification of changes made during rehearsals. The general purposes of children's theatre and criteria for the writing of a children's play will be reviewed. Mention of the production of the play will be limited to its relationship to the changes which were made in the script during rehearsals. By definition, a play for children is one written by a play- wright, presented by living actors for a child audience. The players may be adults, children, or a combination of the two.3 In; mega; ‘Qgggp'was created and considered at all times in terms of adults playing the various roles. With these purposes and limitations in mind, the thesis is organized into six chapters. A summary of the purposes of children's theatre and of the criteria on which the writing of the play was based 3m Viola. "Drama with and for Children: An Interpretation of Terms." W Theatre Missal. (May,1956). p. 140- serves as contents fer chapter II. Chapter III will trace the devel- opment of the first draft from story form. .A justification of the changes that were made for the production will be found in chapter IV, followed by a final evaluation of the produced script in chapter V. Summary and conclusions in chapter VI will be followed by an appendix containing the final script and production notes. cm II . . sums: OF CRITERIA FOR CHILDREN'S THEATRE scams Many leaders in the field of children's theatre have expressed, at one time or another, their views on the basic purposes of children's theatre. Kenneth 1.. Graham, in his Ph. D. dissertation of 19147, "An Introductory Stw of Evaluation of Plays for Children's Theatre in the United States,"1 canpiled and analysed these state-tents. Even though some of the writers he cited tended to emphasize certain pur- poses to the exclusion of others, he ultimately set down a list of four basic purposes which he felt were comonly accepted. 1. Children's plays should, by presenting oppor- tunities for children to identify themselves with personalities in situations they can comprehend, provide pleasant and worthwhile entertaiment. 2. Children's plays should, by providing a wide range of imaginative vicarious experiences satisfy the psychological needs of children. 3. Children's plays should not obviously instruct, but should, by presenting experiences wherein child- ren can identify themselves with characters in sit- uations which make concrete estimations of some vital phase or phases of life, provide opportunities for the children to learn sympathetic understanding of people and the reasons for the commonly accepted 1Kenneth 1.. Graham, ”An Introductory Stucw of Evaluation of Plays for Children' s Theatre in the United States ," (unpublished Doctor's dissertation, The University of Utah, 191;? ). u g . A ‘; l . . , n .‘ ! e . ; a . n v -— a A I . o ideals characteristic of American life. 4. Children's plays should, by meeting the foregoing purposes and conforming to the fundamental accepted standards of dramatic techniques, train the present generation so that they will become intelligent, critical and appreciative adults audiences of the future. 2 Entertainment as a purpose might best be said to be a prere- quisite to all other objectives for a children's play.3 Clare Tree Major felt that children consider entertainment paramount, and that to be successful, a children's play must first be entertaining.” Children's theatre was developed for the purpose of affording audiences with entertainment}. The purpose of entertainment alone is inadequate, however: and entertainment values should really be an integral part of the other basic purposes. Good plays should provide entertainment along with other benefits.6 One of the most important benefits that children's theatre offers is the satisfaction of some of the psychological needs of children. 21b1doo PP. 118-119. 31bi___c_1.. p. 113. “Clare Tree Major, flexing Thegtgg,(New York, The Oxford University Press, 1931.)p. 32. 5Alice Minnie Herts, The C henig Edugatigna; fieatgé, Glow York: Harpers and Brothers Publishers, 1911. p. 6BertrumHauser, I'Where Children Play at Giving Plays,“ (The mm. m, August 1. 1925.)p. 25. The theatre helps a child express his deepest feelings which he often does not recognize in himself. The play-going experience helps children express imagination by identification with the actors and living out the plot. This identification “defends him against guilt, and fear of his hostile, greedy or sexual feelings."7 The children's theatre may be instrumental in helping children "live out these emotions, enabling them to better adapt to reality and mature more easily.'8 Mr. Kupper points out that it may be through identification that children use their imaginations. Children and young people con- stantly and passionately desire to see the abstract pictures of their imaginations realized in concrete form.9 Through identification with the characters in the play, the children not only have an outlet for their inner emotions, but they may experience. vicariously, many of their fondest dreams. They are taken to Never Never Land; they ride on magic carpets and visit strange new people known only in their imagin- ations. Charlotte B. Chorpenning, former director of Children's Theatre at Goodman Memorial Theatre, said: "Any play that offers him (a child) a chance to identify with a character in a situation he can 7Hearth-inc Kuppen ".aaiesx and. the Zhsaizs Alia.“ Educational Theatre Journal.(March, 1952.) p. 37. 8M" P0 330 9Hel~t8g 22. 23:2... p. 1 e f. -7- comprehend, will entertain him."10 Identification, then, seems to be an important element in the entertaining process. Mr. Graham also emphasizes this impor- tance as he relates it to the educational purpose of children's theatre. "The educational purpose should be met by providing a wide variety of experiences wherein children can identify themselves with characters in situations that make concrete a? estimation of some vital phase or phases of life." The fourth purpose of children's theatre, as set down by Mr. Graham, includes the statement that plays for children should conform to the accepted fundamental standards of dramatic writing techniques. 'Winifred Ward, in her book Theatge‘igg Children, says. "A knowledge of dramatic technique is obviously a requirement of the person who would.write for any audience.'12 Charlotte B. Chorpenning, said: "The general principles of writing plays for children and adults are the same."13 Aristotle, in his Ars Egetigg, established the foundation of modern playwriting theory. In his discussion on the proper structure 10Charlotte B. Chorpenning, Twentzgggg Years pith Childrenflg Theat:§,(Anchorage, Kentucky: The Children's Theatre Press. 195h,)p. 60. “Graham, an. 3;}... p. 117. 12Ward. mg. 21.5.. p. 62. 13Chorpenning. 92. 91-3509 p. “'9. of plot, he stated that it must have a beginning, a middle, and an end. 11+ Charlotte Chorpenning echoes Aristotle, and also enumerates two other organic elements of plays for children as well as adults. 1. A story with a beginning, middle and end, or to use another wording, a problem, complica- tion and solution. 2. A character whose play it is. 3 . Meaning 0 One of these three must control the structure of the play. In a play for adults it may be any of the three. In a play for children it must be the story. That story must never stopo-not for comedy, or a big fight, or wise cracks. or fine speeches, pr stage effects, or character and meaning development. 5 In essence, the mechanical aspects of play construction are the same whether the dramatist is writing for children or adults. Any difference is one of emphasis or degree. The most important consideration is that in children's drama, story controls the play. All other structural factors must be considered in reference to the story. However, it is necessary to determine the manner in which the elements of drama. particularly theme, plot, character, and dia- logue, should be treated in plays for children. Graham defines theme as 'the intellectual content, the germinal 1"s. H. Butcher, st tle'g gem g1 Pgetg and. F m. Fourth revised edition, New Ibrk:. Dover Publications, 1951. p. 31. 15Chorpenmne. 22. at... pp. 34-35. O '-.---e -9- idea, the sense of direction given to the raw materials, the truths or eternal principles, expressed, or the root-idea of the play."16 Theme should be considered, always, in reference to the story. Caroline Fisher, and Hazel G. Robertson state in their book, gh_d_.l_._d- r_g_n gn_d_ the; Theatre, that us. play to be of merit does not have to teach an obvious lesson. It should, however, have a plot from which right ideas can be taken. '17 Hrs. Chorpenning said: 'Iour play is a story at work; your story is a meaning at work. Don't tell it, show it.‘ She felt the meaning of the play could be worded "if the drastic dialogue demands it, but its power lies not in the words the children hear, but in what they encperience."]'8 The plot of a play evolves from the story. A distinction should be drawn bet1men the meanings of the tones ”story" and “plot" as they apply to dramatic writing. "The story is only part of the plot. It is what happens to the characters, what they do. The plot. . .is the story arranged and amplified by the playwright to make the audience respond as he wishes it to."19 “Graham, 92. 51:33., p. 133. 17Caroline 3. Fisher and Hazel c. Robertson, Children and the Theatre, (Stanford, California: Stanford Univereity‘Frfis, 1W5. )— Pe 73. 180mg, 22° file, pe She 19am Jane Larson Watkins, "The writing and Production of a Children's Play Based upon Thackeray's The Rose ad The M" (unpub- lished Master's thesis, Michigan State Hmsity, 1%), p. 13. ...- -10- Graham concluded that plot development in plays for children is as important as in plays for adults.20 However, he stated that the plot must deve10p simply and clearly. avoiding complications and sub-plots which do not move the story forward.21 One of the most important considerations in writing plays for children is the rule that the story must never stop in its forward movement toward final resolution. Transitions. or ”carrybover' and 'pickaup',22 as Mrs. Chorpenning calls them, are essential. Therefore, in plotting plays for a child audience there should be a moment of building suspense prior to the end of each scene to carry the aud- ience forward to the next. Every scene in the play should contribute its share to the development of the plot. . .Some are needed for exposition. others for furthering the action, still others for development of charac- ters.”23 Suspense and slim should also be considered in the initial plotting of a story. In a children's play, expostion should be delayed until actu- ally needed. But there must be enough to make the audience understand “Graham. an. 93.3.. p. 182. 21mg" p. 181. 22Chorpenning. gn..2it.. p. 56. 23Ward. me git-IO. p. 810 -11- why the characters do and say what they do. The more subtly and swiftly it can be told, the better-3‘+ A good device for handling exposition in children's drama is to provide suitable action for the characters in expository scenes. Action. plus the dialogue. is more meaningful to the child audience than dialogue alone. Suspense always involves the emotions. It can be aroused only'when we are in sympathy with one or more characters. Suspense results from the desire to know how the characters will react when they learn what has happened.25 'Whatever point in the play arouses the most intense emotion is the climax. In a play written for child audiences. the climax or highest moment should come either at the very end or within a few speeches of the final curtain.26 Dialogue, the third element of plays for children. can also stop the flow of the story. The three fold purpose of dialogue in children's drama is to reveal character, to unfold the plot, and to clarify the situation.27 Dialogue. . .must be selected and condensed. Only 2“1:92.51... p. 78. 2532.9... P. 80. 2§Ihid.. p. 82. 2 7am... p. 214. nae-.. -12- the essentialfl of a conversation are presented. All the inconsequentials are dropped unless they 33.322323: 323%” that they “t“ the Despite the requirement that dialogue must be simple and direct. this does not mean that the vocabulary used in children's plays should be geared to the lowest grade level. '. . .the language of certain characters or certain passages need not be completely ‘within the vocabulary of the audience as long as the context carries the meaning. . .'29 In order to satisfy the basic principles of children's theatre. identification with a worthy character has been established as being essential. Every children's play needs a protagonist. a person or group of persons about whom the play revolves. One of the main differences between the protagonist of adults' and child» ren's plays is the requirement that no character in a play for children should be a complex psychological study.30 Simplicity is the keynote to development of character, the fourth element in children's plays. This does not release the play- wright from his obligation to portray characters vividly. Rather it implies that, I'In general the major characters in children! plays 28.11143" P0 85- ngraham, me fie. P. 21““ 3°;gid.. pp. 199-201. a—o-‘v- a n , I e efimd . -13- should be developed to 'semi—roundness, ' i.e.. between one-sided, flat stereotypes and subtle complex psychological studies.” It also means that characters such as heroes and villains should exhibit the traits usually associated with their roles.31 In summary. the four basic elements of plays for children are theme. plot, dialogue. and character. Each of the four elements is essential and met be considered with reference to the story. which must control every phase of the process of writing plays for children's theatre. 31%. 9 12.9. 230 CHAPTER III OREIN OF THE BAKER'S DOZEN The first step in the development of 11.13 Baker's m was to write a story explaining the origin of the term 'baker's dosen'.1 Then a scenario of the play, based upon the story, was written. The purpose of the scenario is to outline the plot developnent and action of the play which is to be written. Conflict and motivation of the characters are shown.2 The first draft of the script devel- oped from the scenario. The changes in plot development and character motivation that were lads from the story, through two scenarios, to the first draft of the script will be listed. These changes are justified by recog- nising their effect upon the development of more believable situations and characters, which are important in a children's theatre script. its. M its: 22 2.11.2 B___._aker's Do__._zen In a village nestled down between two wood-covered hills l‘rhore is an old English folk tale concerning the term, but a. conscious effort was made to stay as far away from it as possible in this version. 2Uard, Theatre £95. Children, 13. 76. -15- lived a baker. He was the best baker for miles around. He loved to bake cakes. and cookies, but he especially liked to bake doughnuts. For some reason. he was able to put in just the right amounts of sugar. milk. eggs. flour. and some secret ingredients. The people were very proud to have such a fine baker living in their village. Whenever there was a celebration of any kind, the baker's pasteries were always on the table of good things to eat. At least once a day. everyone in the village stopped at the bakery. Often they just looked at the good things the baker had made. When a child came. the baker gave him one of his very special doughnuts to eat. Then a very strange thing happened. The baker stopped giving doughnuts to the children and the villagers were no longer welcome in the bakery unless they wanted to buy something. He made the prices on his cakes. cookies. and especially his doughnuts so high that no one could afford to buy them. Still. the villagers liked the goodies so well that they worked extra hard.in order to buy'Just one doughnut. The baker was becoming stingier. His cakes were not so large. and his doughnuts were almost all hole. Most of the people stopped going to the bakery. Many of them even stopped looking in the window to admire the beautiful sweets. But there was one little girl who gazed with longing every day at the plate of wonderful doughnuts just inside the window. It -16.. was soon to be her thirteenth birthday. For months she had dreamed of celebrating her day with doughnuts from the Baker's shop. But since the baker was being so stingy. and since her father was very poor. she knew that she must only dream of the doughnuts. The little girl's father could not save enough money to buy his daughter the doughnuts for her birthday. The little girl understood. but whenever she walked past the baker. she glanced in at the doughnuts. One day. as her father was walking home through the woods. he spied a huge tree that he had never seen before. He though to himself. ”If I could cut that tree. I could sell it for firewood and earn enough money for the doughnuts." He had no sooner thought it than he took his ax and began chopping. Chop! Chop! Chop! ”Ouch!" came a voice. The man was startled. but lifted his ax.to the tree once more. ”Ouch! 'Who are you to cut me down?" said the voice again. The man could not believe his ears. He knew that a tree couldn't talk. Very slowly he began to walk to the other side of the tree. Then he heard a giggle, then a snicker. then a laugh right out loud. Before he knew it, he was laughing too. fer right in front of him.stood a strange little man who was almost doubled up with laughing. 'I almost fooled you.“ chuckled the Little Man, 'Iou thought the tree was talking." Together the father and the Little Man laughed at the Little me trick. Laughing. the father asked, “But who are you, Little Man? -17- What are you doing in the woods?“ 'I decided to live here.” replied the strange little man. "Ibu were cutting down my house. That's why I tried to fool you.‘ Then the father told the strange little man why he was cutting at his house-how the baker had become stingy. and he could not buy' the doughnuts for his little girl's thirteenth.birthday. The Little Man thought for a moment. You could tell he was thinking. because he put his right finger in his left ear and held his right foot with his left hand and hopped about saying silly things. 'When.he stopped thinking, he looked straight at the father and said, I'If'y’ou promise not to out down my house. I will help you get the doughnuts.” "Why of course I won't cut down.your house, but how'can.you help me?" asked the father. ”Never.lind how. 'Iou just promise.‘I replied the Little Man. "I promise." ' He had no sooner said it than the Little Man disappeared into the tree. shouting: "Off to your home and worry no more. Birthday doughnuts you'll have by the score.“ The father chuckled and started on his way home. wondering if he had been dreaming. It was late when he walked down the main street of the village. As he passed the bakery, he noticed a light --18- on. but thought nothing of it and hurried home to tell his wife and daughter about the strange little man in the woods. ‘ But the light in the bakery did mean something. The baker was mixing the batter for a huge order of doughnuts for a neighboring villgge. He usually didn’t work at night, but he knew he would be well paid for the order. For some reason. however. the baker was not mixing very well. He had all the regular ingredients on his 'work table, plus a few secret ones. but something was wrong. 'When the recipe called for 6 eggs. he was never sure just when he had put six in. When he tried to put in four cups of flour, he put in seven. He put in two cups of sugar instead of five. All in all. everything was wrong. He couldn't figure it out. Finally he decided to give up and go to bed. He would get up early in the morning and bake the doughnuts. Before the baker went to sleep that night he counted doughnuts as they rolled out of his oven, just like other people count sheep. "Six. nine. two. four, seven. three. five. thirteen, one. twelve.‘ Something was wrong with the numbers. They 'd never been in that order before. But what order did they go in? Think! Count! ”Nine. one. seven. four. six. eight. two. five. thirteen." What had happened? Had the baker forgotten how to count? The next day a woman came in to buy a half dozen doughnuts and the baker only gave her five because he counted. I'Three. seven. -19- thirteen, nine. six."when he put them in the bag. The news spread all over the village. The Baker has fergotten how to count. The Baker has forgotten how to count. His cookies. cakes.-and especially his doughnuts could not even be eaten. He mixed the ingredients in such a funny way that his cakes looked like pancakes. and his doughnuts were like rocks. What was the baker to do? He must learn how to count. But who could teach him? He had been so mean and stingy to the people that none of them would help. A few days later. as he was sitting at his work table trying to remember how to count. the baker heard the bell on the front door of the bakery. ‘When he reached the door, he saw the strange little man. "I'm sorry.‘ said the baker. "Yea don't want to buy anything here. You see, I can't remember how to count, so now none of my cakes. cookies. and especially my doughnuts taste good.' "well. well," said the Little Man. "And have you thought why you forgot how to count?" "I've tried to think.“ answered the baker. "Maybe you don't know how to think." said the Little Man. .'Try thinking the way I do. then maybe you will remember." ‘With that. the Little Man put his right finger into his left ear, held his left foot with his right hand. and began hopping around the room. The baker did the same thing. What a sight to see! The baker was -20- not used to hopping on one foot. and.he kept twisting and turning and falling. But the Little Man shouted. "Keep thinking! Keep thinking! You must know why you forgot how to count." I Soon the baker could standiit no longer. He fell to the floor. exhausted. I'If only I could remember how to count. I would never be stingy with my cakes. cookies and eSpecially my doughnuts again." Then the baker remembered. . ."That's it! I did think. I did remem- ber! I forgot how to count because I stOpped baking to make other people happy. but only to get more money. Little Man. I did think. But-ohow can I learn how to count again?” The Little Man chuckled. "You fergot how to count. and.the reason.you've.found. So start baking again by dozen and pound; You can bake and succeed. if you work with a will. Remember your friends. and you'll be the best baker still: With that. the Little Nan disappeared. and the baker went to his work room. Five cups of sugar. ”one. two. three. four. five!" Four cups of milk--in went four. He hurried as fast as he could. He remembered that today was the birthday of the little girl who looked at his doughnuts every day. He must bake her the most wonderful doughnuts he had ever baked. She would be so surprised! He hurried as fast as he could. "One. two. three, feur. five. One. two. One. -2 1- two. three. four. five. six. One. two. three. four!” He could count. It was easy to bake now. While the doughnuts were in the oven baking. the baker ran to the village square and shouted (in a voice that everyone could hear). "I have learned how to count! I have learned how to count! Everyone mast come to the bakery for a party--for a birthday party. The doughnuts are in the oven now." Everyone followed the birthday girl as she ran to the bakery} When they arrived. the baker was coming out with the largest tray of doughnuts the little girl had ever seen. The baker stopped. "The first one is for you." he said. “Since you are thirteen today. and since today is the day that I realized my mistake and learned how to count again. I am going to make thirteen a very important number for everyone. From now on. there will be thirteen in every Baker's Dozen!I WI! 6 mammmwe ri In order to write a scenario based on the story. many changes had to be made in motivation. character development. and general plot outline and action. Questions were raised that had to be answered in order to put the story into dramatic form: 1. Why did the baker become stingy? 2. Do the villagers have sufficient motivation for wanting the doughnuts after the baker becomes stingy? -22- 3. Is the thirteenth birthday of the little girl a desirable device for ending up with thirteen in a dozen? 4. 'What charac- ters could be added to make the story more interesting and help carry the plot forward? Rather than showing why the baker became stingy. it was discovered to be more effective if the baker were shown at first to be greedy and interested in making money. His desire for wealth could be emphasized. Since the baker was now a greedy man. he didn't seem to be above cheating or duping the people if he could; the scenario ‘would begin with the baker deciding to dupe the villagers and con- vincing them that whoever ate his doughnuts would become wise. This would also provide better motivation for the desire of the villagers to buy the doughnuts. They would get--or at least. they would think that they were getting-~“wisdom” if they ate them. As long as the baker was fooling the people. forgetting how to count. and being discovered. it seemed unnecessary to have any mention of the little girl's thirteenth birthday; The baker could decide to put thirteen in every dozen as part of his plea for forgive- ness.' 'With this dramatic context. definite characters has to be est- ablished. because a child audience must be shown the principle moti- vation patterns. Villagers were brought in to buy the doughnuts and 4 r0 -23- be fooled by the baker. Since children need action rather than pure dialogue in expository scenes. the baker was given two helpers. Tubertink-Tad and Jiggerjag-Jay. to help provide more action in the bakery scenes. as well as act as a sounding board for the baker. Egg Eizgt Scenagig From the story and from these answers to the questions that arose during analysis. a scenario for the play was written. It was decided that the action could be divided into three acts. the first taking place in a street of the village where the front of the bakery could be seen. By use of scrims. the inside of the bakery could also be seen in this act. The second act takes place in the forest on the outskirts of town. The third returns again to the street. Act I Early morning in the street of a village. Tad and Jay3 are sweeping up and cleaning the bakery. They are clumsy and awkward. and they make a great mess. They straighten the shelves and drop things. The baker comes out. He says he wants to get things organized for the new plan they‘ve been working on. The plan will make him rich for a lifetime. He has Tad and Jay hang up a sign that announces the new wonder doughnuts that will give wisdom to those who 3Tubertink-Tad and Jiggerjag-Jay'will be referred to as Tad and Jay throughout most of the text of the thesis. -21.}- eat them. As they finish. a man and his daughter enter. They are on their way to the mill with their sack of wheat. They see the sign. The girl questions her father. "How can doughnuts make people wise?" Father sends the girl to get the other villagers. He will talk to the baker. He calls for the baker.. Tad and Jay come and say that they will help the man. Father insists on seeing the baker. The baker comes to talk to him as the rest of the villagers enter. Baker tells of a wonder ingredient and convinces the people of the dough- nuts' new power. The villagers are satisfied. and all want to buy doughnuts. The baker sends Tad and Jay after a tray of doughnuts. He sells them to the villagers for a penny apiece. The doughnuts are very small ones. The people want to know why they are so small. As a spur of the moment reaction. the baker says that they can't take too much wisdom too quickly; the doughnuts must be small. The villagers eat their doughnuts. After asking each other questions to see if they have become wiser. they are satisfied with the results of the wisomp filled doughnuts. During this. the baker has added the new price to the sign. It is fantastically high. The villagers don't understand: they question the baker. who says that wisdom is worth much. and they should be willing to pay for it if they deserve it. The villagers are fooled into believing this excuse, but don't have the money. They don't know how they can afford to buy the new doughnuts. The baker leaves the villagers feeling it is imperative that they get enough money to buy the doughnuts. The villagers decide that they are not wise enough to know if the doughnuts really make them wise. so they must get the money to buy more so they can find out. Act II The time is about three days later in the forest just outside of town. The Little Man is alone on the stage talking to the largest tree. He hears voices off and hides behind the tree to see who's coming. The father and two other villagers enter. They have been cutting trees in the forest. They talk about the baker and how they must earn enough money to buy more doughnuts. They discuss what wisdom is. and want to know how to find out about it. Being silly. one suggests that they ask the trees. He talks to the tree that the little Man is hiding behind. Even though it is the Little Man who answers. it seems as if it were the tree. The men are amazed and frightened. The Little Man can hold back his laughter no longer. He laughs. The men are amazed.that a tree can laugh too. The Little Man comes from behind the tree. sides splitting with laughter. The men can't help but laugh; but they laugh because they are self-conscious. frightened. and amazed. The Little Nan says. "You thought that the tree was talking.“ They ask if the tree is his house. When he answers yes. they decide that this must prove that they are not very wise. because they didn't know anyone lived in the fdrest. The little -26.. Man says that it doesn't take wisdom to know. He just moved in that day. He wants to know why they are so concerned about being ‘wise. The men explain. The Little Man is very interested and thinks in his strange way. He makes the men think too. After much frantic thinking. the men conclude that wisdom can't be gained from eating doughnuts and that the baker has fooled them. They make threats against the baker and say that it is too bad. because the baker really makes good doughnuts. The Little Man says that he would like to taste the doughnuts too. but he doesn't have enough money either. He thinks a bit more and gets a plan. He tells the men that he will help them if they promise to say nothing about him to any- one and to come to the bakery day after tomorrow at nine o'clock in the morning. He disappears. The act ends with the men.wondering what the Little Man is going to do. Act III It is dusk in the village. Tad.and Jay are leaving the bakery after cleaning up. They wonder where all the people are. The baker rushes in and says that they must work all night. The neighboring village has heard of the wisdom-filled doughnuts and has ordered a huge batch. Money! Money! The inside of the bakery is seen through the scrim. The street is dark. They start mixing. The baker gets confused while trying to mis the better. They throw flour. eggs. milk. etc.. while trying to -27- mix the batter. The baker has forgotten how to count. and everyone is frantically trying to mix the batter. Tad and Jay finally fall asleep. exhausted. The baker still tries to count so he can bake. It is no use. Finally. he puts what he has mixed into the oven. even though he knows they are not right. He falls asleep by the oven. The doughnuts begin to roll out of the oven as though he were counting them in his sleep. The numbers on the doughnuts are in the wrong order. The bell on the oven rings. showing that they have baked long enough. The baker wakes up. It is morning. It had taken all night. Tad and Jay'wake up. and all of them taste the doughnuts. They are awful. They even look different. The baker tells Tad and Jay to clean up while he tries to think of something he can do. They end up in front of the bakery sweeping. The Little Man comes in and greets theme He goes inside the bakery and tells the baker that he wants to buy a wisdom-filled doughnut. The baker sells him one. The Little Han tastes it and says it's terrible. and that he is already wise enough to know that the doughnuts don't taste good. He threatens to expose the baker to the rest of the villagers. The baker offers him money if he won't tell the villagers. In secrecy. the baker tells the Little Man that he has forgotten how to count. The Little Man laughs and tells the baker that the villagers already know he is fooling them. The baker is ruined. He pleads for help. The Little Man tells the baker to think the special way. After much thinking. the baker realises -28- that it was because he tried to fool the peOple. He asks how he can learn to count. The Little Man tells the Baker to eat some of his ‘wise doughnuts; then.he will learn how to count. The baker eats them. He learns to count by the same power that made him forget in the first place. He realizes he must gain forgiveness for what he has done. The villagers come in. ‘The baker comes out of the bakery and tells the people what he has done. They forgive him. and he promises to put thirteen in every dozen. henceforth. mmmmmm When the first scenario was completed. the deve10pment of the plot. conflict. and characters was not adequate for good dramatic structure. More questions were raised that needed answers: 1. Is it clear that the Little Man caused the baker to forget how to count? 2. How did he do it? 3. If the people were foolish enough to be taken in by the baker's plan in the first place. they must have thought that they were not wise. How can their newly acquired “wisdom? be shown before they realize they have been.duped? 4. Who is the pro- tagonist? Since it is important. in children's theatre. to provide a character with whom children can identify themselves. the little girl in the original story would be incorporated as the protagonist. She would be an orphan who didn't have enough money to buy doughnuts. so she couldn't become wise. The little girl would help the Little Man -29- expose the baker in making him forget how to count. By establish- ing her as a sympathetic character and also as an important force in the exposure of the baker. she would'become a worthy character 'with whom the children could identify. One of the first principles of writing for children is to "show it. don't tell it.”u Enough action was not shown in the first scenario. Having the villagers decide to honor the baker who had made them wise by crowning him King would strengthen both action and plot development. Mere action would also be involved in showing the Little Man and the girl making the baker forget how to count. The plot line of the story seemed to be rather episodic and composed of short scenes. Specific incidents which led to repeated changes of locale were found to be important in the development of the plot. Therefore. the second scenario was divided into six scenes rather than three acts. The new structure helped accomodate changes of locale necessary to dramatize each scene effectively. MW Scene I Tad and Jay and the baker come up with a plan that will make the people want to buy more doughnuts. Theyvill say that the doughnuts are full of wisdom and that whoever eats them.will become wise. Tad and Jay go to work painting a sign about the new doughnuts. 4Chm'perming. 22- 223... p. 51;. -30- Scene II A group of children are on their way to school. They pass in front of the bakery and see the new sign that Tad and Jay have painted. When they learn of the new doughnuts. they go to get their parents to tell them. One little girl is an orphan and doesn't have enough money for even one doughnut. All the villagers enter and question the baker. They buy the doughnuts. The little girl does not bay any. She is sad because she doesn't have the price. All the villagers go to try their new wisdom. The baker sends the little girl away and says that she will stay stupid. She is veny sad and leaves. Scene III The Little Man is seen in the forest building his tree house. He hears the children coming home from school and hides from them.to hear what they are talking about. They are all wearing their clothes upside down and backwards. Their shoes have the heels on the toes. They are teasing the little girl because she is not 'wise' like they are. They all leave her crying under the tree. The Little Man comes out of hiding and asks her what is wrong. When she tells him about the baker and the new doughnuts, he can't believe it. and decided to go to the village with her to see for himself. Scene IV 4A. The cobbler's shop. The cobbler is selling a pair of shoes to one of the villagers. -31- B. The dress-maker's shop. Two women are being fitted with upside down dresses. In the process, they decide to honor the baker for making them so wise. The Little Man and the girl are both upset because the villagers want to honor the baker. C. The bakery. The people have all gathered to honor the baker. They have decided to make him their king because he is so wise. They haven't had a king for years. They call the baker out and crown him with a crown that is in the shape of a huge doughnut. He tells them that they must do exactly as he says if he is to be their king. They must buy more doughnuts. The villagers leave to get their money to come back to buy'more. The Little Man and the girl are upset and try to think of a way to expose the baker. They think in the strange way. They come up with a plan to make the baker forget how to count so that he can't bake good doughnuts and the people 'won't buy'them. The scene ends with them all excited about their plan. Scene V The baker and Tad and Jay are mixing the batter for a batch of doughnuts. The Little Man and the girl sneak into the bakery and hide. When Tad and Jay are counting out the right number of ingred- ients. the Little Man and the girl throw in numbers and confuse them. -32- The baker gets angry with Tad and Jay and sends them.away. saying he will mix the batter himself. When he tries to count the same thing happens. The scene ends with the baker trying to count and the Little Man and the girl being very happy that their plan has worked. Scene VI As part of the plan, the girl goes to the bakery to buy a doughnut. The Little Man hides in the background. All the villagers come to see if the doughnuts will make her wise. She tastes one and says that they taste terrible. No one will believe her. so they all buy one and taste it. They too think the doughnuts taste terrible. They threaten to decrown the baker. He says they are not wise enough to know if the doughnuts taste good or bad. The Little Man steps out and says that he has heard of the wonderful doughnuts and wants to buy one and become wise. The baker sells him one in spite of the villagers' saying that they are bad. The baker says that the Little Man will be the judge. The Little Man tastes and says that there is only one thing wrong. All.the ingredients are there, but they are not in the right amount. Everyone questions the baker. He admits that he has forgotten how to count. The girl says he's been cheating the people and tells them that they have not become wise, but foolish. The villagers decide to let the baker stay in the town -33- if he will eat all of the bad doughnuts and.will put thirteen in every dozen from then on. as a reminder that he must never fool people again. The scene ends with the baker eating the doughnuts and everyone else all excited about getting thirteen in every dozen. The second scenario was used as a working base for the first draft; however. changes occurred. Through the writing of dialogue for each character. characterization became more vivid and changes were made. Tad and Jay were no longer just helpers to the baker. but boys who loved the sound of words and whose lines all come in rhyming sequence. Their word games led the baker to his plan of "wise doughnuts." The group of children was omitted from scene I and scene III; they were replaced by one child. This change was made because the children did not come alive through the dialogue that was written for them. Even though minor characters, in children's plays, may represent types,5 they must be believable. Changes from.the first draft to the produced script will be noted and justified in Chapter IV. 5era. 22. 211.. p. 83. THE BAKER'S DOZEN Scene I The inside of the bakery. Under the supervision of the Baker. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG—JAI'are cleaning. It looks as if they had just moved in. TUBERTIhK-TAD Clean! Sweep! Dirt in a heap! JIGGERJAG-JAY Dust! Mop! The dirt is on tOp! BAKER That's it, boys. Get this place cleaned up. I can hardly wait to start baking. TUBERTINK—TAD Bake! Cook! It's all in the book. JIGGERJAG-JKY Cook! Bake! A doughnut I'd take. BAKER No one is going to "take ' a doughnut unless we get organized. Besides, I hired you to clean. not eat. 50 work! (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG- JAY look at each other) Run! TUBERTINK-TAD To the sun? -35- JIGGERJAG-JAY To the moon! TUBERTINK-TAD To the moon? BAKER To the broom! TUBERTINK-TAD and J IGGERJAG-JAY To the broom! (They take the broom and fight over it.) TUBERTINK-TAD It's mine. It's mine. I had it first. JIGGERJAG~JAY It's mine. It's mine. I need it worst. BAKER 'Will you step fighting and.work? Idiots! At last I find a village where the people are eager to buy my doughnuts. and I can't even get the place cleaned up so I can start working. TUBERTINK-TAD The town is nice. JIGGERJAG-JAY The town is neat. BAKER This town is not only nice and neat, but the only one without a baker-~until I came. These people_are just waiting to buy my doughnuts. TUBERTINK-TAD Doughnuts and dollars! JIGGERJAG-JAY Dollars and cents! BAKER Right! And that means money. At last I'm.the only baker in town. so I can ask any price I want for my doughnuts. I'll be rich. Ha ha ha ha. Now, to work! (As if to himself.) Ha! I'll sell doughnuts galore! -36- TUBERTINK-TAD Galore. and more! J IGGERJAG-JAY More and many! BAKER Quiet. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. BAKER Maybe I could sell pies, too. TUBERTINK-TAD Pies. JIGGERJAG-JAY Skies. TUBERTINK-TAD Buys. JIGGERJAG-JAY Wise. TUBERTINK-TAD Rise. JIBGERJAG-JAY Trj- O O O BAKER wait! What did you say? TUBERTINK-TAD Pies? BAKER No! JIGGERJAG-JAY Skies? I_BAKER No, no! After that! -37- TUBERTINK-TAD Lies? BAKER No, no! JIGGERJAG-JAY Tries? TUBERTINK-TAD Rise? BAKER No! No! Think! Don't just shout. What did you say before? TUBERTINK-TAD Before? JIGGERJAG-JAY A score! TUBERTINK-TAD A score, a hit. JIGGERJAG-JAY A hit, a Miss. TUBERTINK-TAD A miss. a mile. JIGGERJAG-JAY A mile. a minute! BAKER (Topping them.) Stop! I can't even talk to you. You are too stupid. TUBERTINK-TAD I'd like to be smart. JIGGERJAG-JAI I'd like to be "1530 _ BAKER 'Wise! That's it. That's it! TUBERTINK-TAD It? “”’ -38- JIGGERJAG—JAY Sit! BAKER ‘Wise! That was it. Ha ha! I am very wise to open a bakery in this town. TUBERTINK-TAD A wise town! BAKER A wise baker! JIGGERJAG-JAY A wise doughnut maker! BAKER Yes, a—-what? JIGGERJAG—JAY (Looking for approval from the baker.) Wise doughnut maker? BAKER Oh yes. For a minute I thought you said a. . . What do you mean. a wise doughnut maker? TUBERTINK-TAD A baker that's wise. JIGGERJAG-JAY Wise doughnuts the prize. BAKER ‘Wise doughnuts? Doughnuts that make you wise? (very excited.) Ha! I've thought of something. TUBERTINK—TAD Something's a thought. JIGGERJAG-JAY The thought's the thing. '4 BAKER I have thought of a way to sellvmore doughnuts than any baker in any town. These people have never tasted my doughnuts. I'll tell them -39- they will become wise if they buy them!--that my doughnuts are full of'wisdoml TUBBRTINK-TAD Wisdomewise! JIGGERJAG-JAY Doughnuts-dunk! TUBERTINK-TAD He Who buys. o o JIGGERJAG-JAY Who'd have thunk? BAKER I'll be able to charge any price I want for them. I'll be richer than I ever dreamed. TUBERTINK-TAD Will they look the same? BAKER The doughnuts? JIGGERJAG-JAY The whole. BAKER What has the hole got to do with my plan? TUBERTINK-TAD The whole of the doughnut. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY The bigger the better. BAKER A bigger hole? TUBERTINK—TAD If the doughnut is bigger. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY There's more wisdom inside. TUBERTINK-TAD Inside-outside. JIGGERJAG—JAY Upsideudownside. BAKER He he! YOu're right. The bigger the hole. the littler the cake. Ho ho ho! I'm wonderful! I'm the smartest baker in the world; and I'll soon be the richest. Ha ha ha! And now. to work! Tubertink- Tad, Jiggerjag-Jay. bring out the sugar. the flour. and the eggs. 'We're going to make doughnuts to sell. 'Wise doughnuts! Wisdom in every bite. Ha, I'll get all the money these stupid villagers have! LIGHTS OUT .41- Scene II TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY are hanging up a newly painted sign in front of the bakery; there are three words on the sign: ”buys. tries. wise.'l A little girl is watching them. She looks as if she is on her way to school. TUBERTINK-TAD Hang it up straight. JIGGERJAG-JAY Straight as a stick. GIRL Hello! TUBERTINK-TAD Oh! JIGGERJAG-JAY Hello! GIRL Do you work for the new baker? TUBERTINKeTAD ‘WOrk for the Baker? JIGGERJAG—JAY The new doughnut baker? GIRL Yes! TUBERTINK-TAD Yes. yaaa! JIGGERJAG-JAI La-dee-da. GIRL Who painted the sign? TUBERTINK-TAD we painted the sign! .42— JIGGERJAG-JAI Isn't it fine? GIRL But it doesn't make sense. TUBERTINK-TAD Sense! Pence! JIGGERJAG—JAY Let's paint a fence! GIRL (Reading.) Buys. Tries,'Wise! Is it a riddle? TUBERTINK-TAD A riddle, a fiddle! JIGGERJAG-JAI It's hung in the middle. (The Cobbler enters from his shop.) COBBLER Sense. pence. riddle. fiddle, middle. It sounds like nonsense out here. GIRL These are the new baker's helpers. I've been talking to them. Look! They've hung a sign over the bakery. I think it's a riddle. COBBLER (Reading.) Buy. Tries, Wise. It sounds strange to me. GIRL What does the sign mean? TUBERTINK—TAD Wise for school. JIGGERJAG—JAX Net wise like a fool! (Three women. a child. and a man enter.) .43.. MAN Who's wise like a fool? ONE What do you mean? Two Don't talk foolishness now. Let's buy some doughnuts from the new baker o CHILD May I buy two, Mother? THREE Wise like a fool sounds like a riddle. Is it? I just love riddles! GIRL The sign over the bakery is a riddle. COBBLER Look! (He reads to them.) Bays, Tries, Wise! MAN (To GIRIJ Can they tell us what it means? ONE Who are they? GIRL They are the Baker's helpers. I don't know their names. COBBLER Can you tell us what the sign means? Ah-awhatever your name is. TUBERTINK-TAD Name? JIGGERJAG-JAY Game! TWO Is his name Game? MAN Game's not a name. -44- TUBERTINK-TAD Tubertink-Tad! JIGGERJAG-JAI And Jiggerjag-Jay! _ TUBERTIKK-TAD 'We're always glad! JIGGERJAG-JAY 'We like to play! . THREE Will you help us solve the riddle? TUBERTINK-TAD The riddle is wise. JIGGERJAG-JAY The doughnut is wise. TUBERTINK—TAD He who buys and tries. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY 'Will surely become wise. COBBLER Buys. and. . . MAN Tries. and. . . 4 TWO Wise. and. . . ONE Doughnuts? GIRL The doughnuts become wise? TUBERTINK-TAD No! The people are wise. JIGGERJAG-JAY He who tries. ~ .45.. THREE Tries what? TUBERTINK-TAD Buys what. JIGGERJAG-JAY Wise what. GIRL Buys doughnuts? TUBERTINK-TAD Buy them and see. JIGGERJAG-JAY You'll be smart as can be. (The CARPENTER enters the street.) CARPENTER Has everyone come to buy doughnuts so early in the morning? MAN we were going to, but we got side-tracked by a riddle and a bunch of nonsense. ICOEBEEBi These fellows work for the Baker. They said if we buy doughnuts. we will become wise. CARPENTER It doesn't sound possible. ONE It's so exciting to have a baker in town. THREE I wonder if it's true? CHILD May I buy two. Nether? TWO If it's true. we'll buy a hundred. -u6- GIRL Are they a new kind of doughnut? TUBERTINK-TAD Ask the Baker himself. JIGGERJAG-JAY He's the wise one, you see. TUBERTINK-TAD He'll say buy his new doughnuts. .1. JIGGERJAG-JAY And you'll be wise as can be. CARPENTER Let's ask the Baker. ' COBBLER Tubertink-Tad! MAN Jiggerjag-Jay! ONE Fetch the Baker! V TWO ‘We want to know what this is all about. THREE Hurry! CHILD Mother. may I buy two? (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY exit into the BakeryQ TWO Two? 'We'll buy six hundred if they'll make us wise. ONE Oh. I'm so excited. If I can become wise by buying doughnuts. . .! MAN Here's the Baker. (The BAKER enters, from inside the Bakery, followed by .47.. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) BAKER Good morning! Tad and Jay tell me you inquired about doughnuts. ONE What does the sign mean? TWO Are they a different kind of doughnut? ' _ TImEE How much do they cost? ' COBBLER Do they taste different? CARPENTER The Sign Say3. o o MAN What does the riddle mean? GIRL Can doughnuts make people wise? BAKER Questions! Questions! One at a time! MAN ‘We've come to buy doughnuts. COBBLER But we were stepped by the sign. CARPENTER we think we have solved the riddle. BAKER Riddle? Riddle? What riddle? GIRL That one! (Points to the sign.) ONE Does it mean we will be wise if we buy doughnuts? -48- BAKER (Reading the sign.) Buys, Tries. Wise! (Looks surprisedly at TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) Why yes! That's exactly what it means. TWO How'wonderful! CHILD Let's buy two. Mother. - GIRL How can buying doughnuts make us wise? BAKER Oh, it's not just buying that's wise. THREE Are doughnuts wise buys? BAKER Yes! No! Oh-«I mean. . .Yes. it's wise to buy doughnuts, but these are a new kind of doughnut. HAN What's new about them? ONE New ones. old ones--I don't care. I just want to try a doughnut. BAKER They are new because. . . 'Well. last night when I was mixing the first batch of doughnuts to be sold here. . . TUBERTINK—TAD Mix and stir! JIGGERJAG-JAY Stir and sift! BAKER Tad and Jay. my helpers here. . . TUBERTINK-TAD Here a deer. JIGGERJAG-JAY A deer a duck. ~ .49- BAKER . . .accidentally put in a new ingredient. (TUBERTINK-TAD AND JIGGER— JAG-JAY look at each other. amazed.) I found, later. that this new ingredient reacted with the others in such a way that whoever eats one of the doughnuts becomes wise. COBBLER It doesn't seem possible. TWO I'm so excited. CARPENTER How do you know they are full of wisdom? BAKER . I must confess. When I realized the power I had baked into the dough- nuts. I ate every one. so that I could bake better wise doughnuts for you. GIRL Are you wiser now? BAKER The proof of my new wisdom is in the doughnuts I have baked. You will find them.very different. ALL How are they different? Do they taste the same? Are they good? Are they bad? How do they taste? BAKER Tubertink-Tad! Jiggerjag-Jay! Bring out a tray of the new doughnuts so all who want can buy one. (Aside.) Make it snappy. boys: it looks like my plan is going to work. (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY exit into the Bakery.) MAN I'm going to be the wisest one from now on. ONE Ibu won't be any wiser than we are if we all eat the new doughnuts. THREE I wonder how it will feel to be wise. -50- COBBLER How can wise doughnuts look any different than regular ones? CARPENTER A doughnut is a doughnut. isn't it? TWO The Baker says they're different. so they must be. After all. he's the wisest man in town. (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAX enter with the trays of doughnuts.) TUBERTINK-TAD Coming through the door! JIGGERJAG-JAY There's wisdom in store! (They lower the tray so all can see the doughnuts. Ooooooh's and Aaaaaah's from the crowd.) GIRL They do look different. BAKER See! My new wisdom taught me how to bake doughnuts that would hold more wisdom. Things change when people become wise. COBBLER They are mostly hole. CARPENTER There's not much to eat. is there? BAKER Exactly! It is the whole of the doughnut that counts. MAN The hole? BAKER A grain of wisdom can.be found in the whole of each doughnut. Who is going to be the first to buy? TUBERTINK-TAD First to buy? -51- JIGGERJAG-JAY Who will try? (Everyone shouts they will be first except the GIRL. push and shove to be the first.) TWO I'm going to be the wisest first. MAN Let me at them! ONE I want a dozen. please. COBBLER I'll make the best shoes in the world. CARPENTER And I the best chairs. Let me buy one. THREE I wish I could buy more. CHILD Do I have enough money for two? (When they each have one. they st0p and look at each other in silence before anyone tastes.) TWO I'm a little frightened. I don't know what it is like to be wise. CARPENTER Should we eat them now? COBBLER If we want to be wise. we'll have to. GIRL How are they going to eat the hole? BAKER When they are wise. they will know! -52- THREE Aren't you going to buy one? GIRL No. ONE Don't you want to be wise? GIRL Oh. yes. . . But. . . BAKER (Impatient because they are not tasting.) If you have the price. you can buy one. . GIRL (Ashamed.) I don't have the price. MAN You won't be wise. CHILD But we will be. TWO I can't wait another minute. Let's taste the wisdom. BAKER Yes. taste the wise dough. You can all be wise. (He chuckles.) (The villagers all taste the doughnuts. They are silent. . . taste again. . . and shout with Joy) MAN I am wise. ONE I am wiser THREE I am wisest. COBBLER I am the wisest shoe maker in the world. CARPENTER I am the wisest carpenter in the world. CHILD I bought two. It's fun to be wise. BAKER You are all wise. Go! Try your wisdom. Go to school. Go to your jobs. See how wise you are. Tell your friends. Everyone in the village must be wise. GIRL I understand the riddle now. but I can't be wise because. . . BAKER You must buy the doughnuts. Everyone must be wise. GIRL I don't have the price for even one. ONE Leave the waif alone. TWO why should we worry about her? CHILD She's not going to be wise like we are. is she. Nether? COBBLER Don't pay any attention to her. MAN If she doesn't want to be wise. . . GIRL I do want to. wt. 0 O BAKER Enough of you. If you don't have the price to pay. you won't be wise. CARPENTER But we will be. Leave her alone. She's a nobody anyway. I'm off to try my new wisdom. -54.. COBBLER I'm going to make new wise shoes. (They all chatter excitedly as they leave. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY go to the GIRL.) TUBERTINKpTAD He who buys. . o JIGGERJAG-JAY Is sure to be wise. BAKER Leave her be. If she doesn't have the price. she does not deserve to be wise. She'll be stupid. Ha ha ha. (The GIRL leaves. sobbing.) Ha ha ha ha ha ha. I did it. I did it. The villagers fell for my plan. They will keep buying doughnuts as long as I bake them if they think they will become wise. 'When they come back for more. they will find the price has gone up. But they will still buy. And I will be- come rich on their wise stupidity. Ho! This is a good town for a "wise" baker like me. (The BAKER laughs loud and long. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG- JAY. somewhat bewildered. join in as the lights come down.) Scene III The scene is in the forest on the outskirts of the village. The largest tree is seen up center. A partially-built tree house can be seen. The little GIRL enters. very sad and alone. GIRL , If I could just buy one doughnut. then I‘d be wise too. and no one would laugh at me and call me stupid. I'm not stupid. They are stupid. They think they are wise because they do everything upside down and backwards now. It couldnYt be wise to do things that way. (The LITTLE MAN enters the tree house with boards in his hands just in time to hear the last of the little GIRL’s speech) LITTLE MNN What'way? GIRL Oh? ‘Who said that? LITTLE MAN Nobody said that! GIRL Who said what way? IJITLE MNN What'way? GIRL Yes! LITTLE MAN Well. what way? . GIRL What way what? LITTLE MAN In what way couldn't it be wise to do things? GIRL Where are you? I can't see you. -56- LITTLE MAN Have you looked? GIRL LITTLE MAN bebe I'm not here. GIRL But I can hear you. A LITTLE MAN Can you always see things you can hear? GIRL (Carefully.) Yessss. LITTLE MAN Can you see the wind as it whistles through the trees? GIRL Oh. no! IITTLE MAN Why? GIRL Maybe the wind is too high! LITTLE MAN You can feel it on your face. can't you? GIRL Yes. but-- Oh. I can't answer because I'm not wise. If I could eat even one of the Baker's doughnuts I would be wise enough to see you to know if you're really here. I'd be able to answer your ques- tions about the wind. LITTLE MAN How? GIRL Everyone in the village--except me--eats doughnuts from the new bakery. And now they all claim to be very wise. . . Are you really here some- where? LITTLE MAN Somewhere! GIRL Where? Could I find you if I were wise? LITTLE MAN Not unless you looked in the right place. GIRL Where is the right place? LITTLE MAN Here! GIRL Here? (Looking behind the trees) LITTLE MAN No. GIRL It sounds like you're behind that big tree. LITTLE MAN You're getting warm. GIRL (Looking behind the big tree.) Oh. you're not here. LITTLE MAN Where? GIRL Behind the tree. LITTLE MAN I wonder where I am. I know. look for the wind. GIRL ‘ Are you the wind? LITTLE MAN No. but I travel on it sometimes. GIRL The wind is in the trees. In the tOps of the trees. -53- IITTLE MAN Look! GIRL So are you! LITTLE MAN See. you were wise enough to find me. You just had to look in the right place. GIRL How did you get there? ' LITTLE MAN Oh. the wind. GIRL The wind? LITTLE MAN Yes! I was looking for a new place to build my house. This looked like a nice. quiet forest, so I picked the largest tree and decided to settle in it. GIRL Are you going to live in the tree? LITTLE MAN . If I ever get my house built; but people keep bothering me. Once it was a baker and two boys looking for some place to sell doughnuts. I had just started building again when I heard you crying. Why were you crying? . GIRL Because I'm not wise. I don't wear clothes made by wise people. I can't learn the new wise ways of doing things in school. . . And all because I don't have the price to pay the Baker for his wise doughnuts. LITTLE MAN 'Wise doughnuts? What are they? GIRL. The Baker sells them. He is the wisest man in town now. He discovered a new ingredient to bake into the doughnuts. so that now whoever eats a doughnut becomes wise. LITTLE MAN Doughnuts can't make people wise. (A little leery.) Can they? GIRL Yes. . . I think so. Oh. I don't know. . . Everything seems so mixed up. Since the Baker came to the village and started selling wise doughnuts. everything seems to be upside down and backwards. Oh. if I had the money. I could buy a doughnut. Then everyone wouldn't laugh at me because I'm not wise. LITTLE MAN Upside down and backwards doesn't seem like wisdom to me. V GIRL Everyone says it is. LITTLE MAN Oh! Oh! Oh! (As if fighting with himself over a problem.) - GIRL What's the matter? LITTLE MAN I can't decide. GIRL What? LITTLE MAN Not what! I can't decide whether I should go to see your village and its wise people or not. GIRL Do you want to see them? LITTLE MAN Yes. But I also want to get my house built. Oh. I don't know what to do. I know it isn't wise to do things backwards and upside down. GIRL Isn't it? LITTLE MAN well. I don't think so. Oh! Oh! Come. show me your village. If the people really do get wise from eating doughnuts. we'll both buy some and be as wise as they are. If I am wiser. I can build my house in.a hurry. Come! Show me the way. -60- (They go. the GIRL much happier as she leads the LITTLE MAN to the village.) CURTAIN -61- Scene IV (The GIRL and the LITTLE MAN are in a single spot or in front of the curtain while the set is being changed.) GIRL If'you laugh at the people or say they are not wise. they will be very angry. LITTLE MAN But if what you tell me about the shoes and the clothes is true. I'll have to laugh. GIRL Oh. you mustn't. LITTLE MAN I'll try very hard. but. . . GIRL I know! 'we won't let them see us. When ever we go to see someone. we'll hide so we can see them. but they can't see us. Then you can laugh if you want to. but they won't know where it is coming from. - LITTLE MAN Like in the forest when I could see you. but you couldn't see me-- until you looked in the right place. GIRL 'We'll hide again if they do come to the right place. LITTLE MAN Good idea! It will be fun to see if they are really wise. (spot out. or leave apron. The first scene is in the Cobbler's Shop. interior; the funny shoes are on the racks. They are all sizes and colors. all with the heels on the toes. The GIRL and LITTLE MAN peer through the window. As the lights come up inside the shop. they duck out of sight. we hear their voices but don't see them. as though they were hiding outside the window. The MAN is buying shoes from the cobbler.) MAN No! No! That heel is not high enough at all. COBBLER But. . . -62- MAN I want a pair of shoes with a very high heel. COBBLER Oh. I have just the pair for you. I made them in my very wisest moment. MAN Let me see them. (The COBBLER brings out a funny pair of shoes with very high heels on the toe.) Oh. they are perfect. Quick! Let me try them on! COBBLER They may be a little difficult to walk in at first. MAN Difficult? Ha! If you are wise enough to make them. I am wise enough to wear them. I eat as many doughnuts as you do. Let me try them on. I'll_show you I can walk. (The COBBLER puts the shoes on the MAN.) Oooohhhhh. Ouch! (laughing then. to hide that the shoe is hurting his feet) Oh. Oh. They are wonderful. Ooooo. Feel fine. Uhhhh. (Relieved.) - COBBLER walk around a bit. Try them for fit. 1 Me I'm sure they'will fit. (Tries to walk but can't keep balance because the shoes tip him so far backwards.) Oohh. Catch me! Oh-duh--thank you. Guess I lost my footing a bit. (Loud laugh from LITTLE MAN.) GIRL Ssshhhh. They'll hear you! LITTLE MAN He doesn't look wise. He looks foolish. GIRL Ssshhhh! -53- (The MAN is trying to walk. He is leaning back so far he can't keep his balance.) COBBLER Can you walk in them. or would you like a lower heel? MAN Of course I can walk in them! They just take a little getting used to. that's all. (Tries alone.) Ohhh! (Sits down very hard.) COBBLER Meybe if you used a cane for a brace. . . ' MAN Brace? Oh-—uh--yes. Good idea. (He crawls to a bench. pulls himself up. and sits on it. while the COBBLER gets a cane.) COBBLER Here. Try this. MAN Uh. . . Yes. (He stands with the help of the COBBLER. takes the stick. braces himself with it behind. and walks out.) Yes! Yes! I can walk. These shoes have the highest heel of any in town. But I am.wise enough to walk in them. Ybu are very wise to make shoes like these! (He pays the COBBLER as he goes.) COBBLER Since I have been wise. I have sold more shoes than ever before. (Counts the money.) I can buy more doughnuts with this money and become even wiser! (After the lights go down in the Cobbler's Shop. the LITTLE MAN is heard laughing very loudly. He walks out into sight on his heels. leaning as far backwards as possible without falling over. The GIRL is close behind. laughing a little; but more at the antics of the LITTLE MAN than at the COBBLER. She is still afraid that she is the only one in the village who is not wise.) LITTLE MAN Ho! I am very wise! I have shoes with the highest heel of any in town. Ha ha ha ha! -64. GIRL (Laughing.) Be careful. You'll fall! LITTLE MAN Fall? Ho! I need a brace. I can walk in wise shoes if I have a brace. (The GIRL holds the LITTLE MAN up from behind as he leans way back and walks on his heels. They antic around like this. laughing. The LITTLE MAN loses his balance from laughter and falls.) Am I not wise? I can walk.like wise men in wise shoes without even wearing the shoes. GIRL All of the people act like the Cobbler and the man who bought the shoes. They all think it is wise. LITTLE MAN And they call you stupid because you don't act foolish like they do? GIRL Oh. they are wise. not foolish! LITTLE MAN (Pantomiming walking on heels) Is this not foolish? GIRL (laughingo) You look foolish. LITTLE MAN And so do they! (veices of three women are heard off-stage. They are coming to buy doughnuts from the BAKER. They are dressed in dresses worn upside down.) GIRL‘ Oh! Someone is coming. They mustn't see me here. LITTLE MAN Let's hide again and see if they are wise or foolish. (They hide as the three women entenJ -65- ONE You know. we are the luckiest people in the world to live in this village. TWO we certainly are the wisest. THREE I seem to be spending all my money to buy doughnuts. TWO I see you had enough money to buy a new dress. ONE ‘With all the new clothes and shoes to buy. money doesn't last very long. THREE I'm going to buy three dozen doughnuts from the Baker today. so that I can make something new and wise. . TWO The Baker is such a fine man. He spends all his time baking the new wonderful doughnuts just so all of us can become wiser. ONE I'd like to do something for him. THREE Maybe we could honor him publicly. . . TWO . . .As a thanks from the entire village. ' ONE Let's talk to the others. we can come back and hey our doughnuts when we decide how to thank the Baker. THREE This is so exciting! Everyone will want to be in on the celebration. TWO ‘we must think of_something wise and wonderful to do for the Baker. (They exit to gather the rest of the villagers together.) -66- LITTLE MAN Why do they want to honor the Baker? GIRL Because he has made them wise. . LITTLE MAN But they aren't wise. GIRL Are they really foolish? LITTLE MAN They are the most foolish people in the world. GIRL But they think they are wise. LITTLE MAN It's that baker's feult. He has tricked them. and he's getting rich because of it. GIRL Everyone buys all the doughnuts they possibly can. LITTLE MAN I don't like that baker. I've never seen him. but I don't like him. GIRL What are we going to do? Even if the people are foolish rather than wise. they don't know it and they won't believe us. They won't even talk to me. LITTLE MAN we must expose the Baker. GIRL How? LITTLE MAN I don't know! (voices of all the villagers are heard off stage. They are coming to honor the BAKER.) -67- GIRL Quick. we must hide again. The villagers are coming back. They are going to honor the Baker. LITTLE MAN Oh! (Angry.) They can't. . . He's. . . GIRL we can't stop them now. Hide! LITTLE MAN Oh. it's not right! GIRL Hurry. please! If the people see us. . . (Voices from off stage.) MAN My shoes have the highest heels of any in town. Let me make the pre— sentation. ONE I think the Cobbler should do it. LITTLE MAN and GIRL Oooooooh! . . .Ssssshhhh! (The villagers enter.) THREE I think my husband should do it. He is the wisest carpenter in town. - TWO Let's all do it. 'we know what we want to say. COBBLER Good idea. we can all make the speech and help place the crown on his head. . CARPENTER Somebody knock on the door. MAN. I will! -68- ONE Let's all do it. THREE Hurry! I can hardly wait. (They all clamor to the door of the Bakery. knocking on it. It is quite a struggle because of the size of the door and the clothes which the people have on. making it difficult to move. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY speak from inside.) TUBERTINK-TAD A knock! A noise! Answer the door. JIGGERJAG-JAY I can't! I'm scared. It sounds like a boar. TUBERTINK-TAD A boar's a pig J IGGERJAG-JAY A pig's a jig. TUBERTINK-TAD Then do a 313 and answer the door. (The villagers knock again.) COBBLER Tubertink-Tad! CARPENTER Jiggerjag-Jay! MAN Open the door. ONE We want to see the Baker. TWO we have a surprise for him. (The others glare at her for telling too much) THREE (To cover up TWO's mistake.) we want to talk to him. .69- (TUBERTINK—TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAI poke their heads through a crack in the door.) TUBERTINK-TAD Talk to the Baker? JIGGERJAG-JAY The wise doughnut maker? MAN Call him out for us. TUBERTINK-TAD Call! JIGGERJAG-JAY Small! ALL Hurry! TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAI Scurry (They go into the Bakery.) ONE I hope they find him. TWO Sometimes I wonder about those two. THREE They must be wise enough. Think of all the doughnuts they can eat. (The BAKER enters through Bakery door, followed by TUBERTINK- TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) ‘ _ ALL - Here he is. Are you ready? Ssshh. Get set. All together. remember. It's so exciting! Etc. LITTLE MAN He does look evil. GIRL Sssshhhhh. The people don't think so. -70- LITTLE MAN But he must be. GIRL Ssshhhh! BAKER And.what does this crowd of wise-looking people mean? Tubertink-Tad and Jiggerjag-Jay said you wanted to see me. ALL You are the wisest man in the world. (They start to close in on him. He gets a little startled at this, not knowing what they want.) BAKER Yes. That may be so. . . But. . . (To TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG— JAY.) Do they want more doughnuts? TUBERTINK-TAD Mere! JIGGERJAG-JAY Many! TUBERTINK-TAD Lots! JIGGERJAG-JAY Tops! MAN So we want to give. . . ALL (Turning on him.) Quiet! We said all together. Don't butt in alone. MAN Well. let's get on with it. This could last all day. BAKER Just what is it you want? Can I sell you more doughnuts? If you have the money. you can buy all you can eat. COBBLER we are trying to get on with it-—if everyone would cooperate. -71- ALL We are going to. . . (They close in on the BAKER.) BAKER What are you doing? ALL Make you our king! BAKER King? TUBERTIIK-TAD Make him a king? JIGGERJAG-JAY Who will be queen? TUBERTINK-TAD A king needs a queen. JIGGERJAG-JAI A quean needs a king. TUBERTINK-TAD A king and no queen. JIGGERJAG-JAY What a pitiful thing. ONE we haven't had a king for years. TWO Not since my great grand-father's grand-mother's time. ALL Let's put the crown on him. BAKER But. . . But._ . . A king. . .with a crown? (They all crown him with a huge crown in the shape of a doughnut.) TUBERTINK-TAD A crown for the Baker. -72- JIGGERJAG—JAY The Baker's a king. LITTLE TEN They can't make him a king! Whoever heard of a baker being a king? GIRL Now he will make them do Just as he pleases. They will never believe he is fooling and cheating them. ALL ~ King Baker. The wisest man in the world. Hurray! Hurray! Hurray1 BAKER (Having gained some composure.) So! I am.to be your king! Are you sure you want a baker to be your king? (Very slyly.) I am but a poor humble baker. LITTLE MAN (Very angry.) He's not poor or humble! ALL Yes. yes. ‘We want you for our king. Hurray. hurray. etc. BAKER (Wickedly.) Very well. I am yourking. That means I am your ruler and law-maker. Phi first law. . .ha ha ha! Every villager must buy one dozen doughnuts each morning. two dozen each noon. and three dozen each night before the Bakery is closed. And you must have the price in your hand. No credit. Ha ha ha! ALL (Stunned and startled) Where will we get the money? I hardly have enough for two doughnuts each day. I don't understand. BAKER This way. . .(Getting their attention again.). . .you will all become much wiser. If I am to be your king, I want the wisest subjects in the world. You need only follow my laws, and you will be wise. COBBLER Yes. yes! We will be wiser. BAKER As of tomorrow, the new laws go into effect. -73- CARPENTER Tomorrow will be another celebration day. MAN . Through the wisdom of. . .(Bows). . .our new king, we are going to be the wisest villagers anywhere. BAKER There will be doughnuts a-plenty. Enough for everyone! ONE It's exciting to have a king. TWO He's going to make us wiser than eVer. MAN I'll be the wisest in town. THREE I don't know if I can eat all those doughnuts. TWO I can hardly wait for tomorrow. BAKER 'We will celebrate. You will be wiser. (They leave.) Ha ha ha. and I will be richer. Ha ha ha! A king. These stupid people. Now they have to buy more doughnuts. It's a law. Ha ha ha! (He goes into the Bakery. wearing the crown.) TUBERTINK~TAD Our Baker's a king. JIGGERJAG—JAY I feel I could sing. TUBERTINK-TAD let's sing and dance. JIGGERJAG-JAY And hop and prance! (They start to dance around.) -74. BAKER (Appearing in the doorway.) Tubertink-Tad, Jiggerjag-Jay! Come in at once. we must bake dozens and dozens of doughnuts. Enough to make me rich for a lifetime. TUBERTINK-TAD Bake! Cook! JIGGERJAG-JAY Cook! Bake! BAKER Now! Stop playing around out here. You have work to do! TUBERTINK-TAD werk! ~ JIGGERJAG-JAY Don't shirk. (They go into the Bakery.) GIRL What are we going to do? LITTLE MAN I don't know. GIRL Now that the Baker is King, no one will believe he is bad. IITTLE MAN we must expose him! GIRL How? LITTLE MAN Oh. these people are so foolish! GIRL Think! What is a plan! LITTLE MAN 'What is a plan? What couldn't be a plan? GIRL I don't mean what is a plan. I mean what is a plan? LITTLE MAN Oh, What is a plan. I don't know. What is a plan? Let's think. GIRL I have been thinking. LITTLE MAN we're not thinking the right way. Whenever I really need to think. I do it a special way. GIRL What special way? LITTLE MAN Like this! (He puts his left finger in his right ear and holds his left foot with his right hand and hops about.) GIRL Are you thinking now? LITTLE MAN Yes. Try it! If we both think. we're bound to come up with a plan. You must count each time you turn around: one. two. three. four. . . (The GIRL does it.) GIRL One. two. . . LITTLE MAN 0 0 .five, Six. 0 o GIRL . . .three. four. . . LITTLE MAN . . .eight. nine. . . GIRL . . .eight. nine. . . LITTLE MAN . . .ten! -76- GIRL . . .thirteen. fourteen. . .! Oh! I can't think and count and hop around at the same time. I'm getting all mixed up! LITTLE MAN You have thought. GIRL I have? Of what? LITTLE MAN Not of what. of a plan to expose the Baker. GIRL But I hadn't even started to think. I was too busy getting mixed up with counting. LITTLE MAN That's the plan! GIRL What's the plan? LITTLE MAN Not what! That! GIRL What's that? LITTLE MAN The plan! GIRL Stand still a minute. I don't understand. What plan did I think of? LITTLE MAN How to count. GIRL I didn't think how to count. I just got mdxed up. IJEEIE MAN That's the plan. we will get the Baker mixed up when he is counting. If he can't count. he can't bake. If he can't bake. the people can't buy his doughnuts. and they won't think he is wise. -77- GIRL How are we going to get the Baker mixed up in counting? LITTLE MAN I don't know yet. Let's off to the forest where we'll have more room to do more thinking. CURTAIN -78- Scene V The scene takes place inside the Bakery. TUBERTINK—TAD. JIGGERJAG-JAY. and the BAKER are busy mixing the batter for more doughnuts. TUBERTINK-TAD Sugar and eggs all in a bowl JIGGERJAG-JAY Flour and milk are part of the whole. BAKER Make sure you count those things before you put them in the bowl to be mixed. TUBERTINK—TAD Mix! JIGGERJAG-JAY Kicks! TUBERTINK-TAD Sticks! JIGGERJAG-JAY Picks! TUBERTINK-TAD Bricks! BAKER Mix! TUBERTINK—TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY Mix? ' BAKER - No. no. no! Don't mix them yet. With all your noise. even I get confused. Do you have everything we need? TUBERTINK-TAD Reed, nOto JIGGERJAG-JAY The oven's hot! BAKER 3888? TUBERI‘mK-TLD Legs! (Picking up milk.) BAKER Milk? JIGGEIUAG-JAI Silk! (Picking up milk.) BAKER Flour? TUBEerE-TAD Sour! (Pulling a face.) Em Sugar? JIGGERJAG-JLY Sweet! (Tasting the sugar.) BAKER Stop! (Threatens JIGGERJAG-JAY for tasting.) Shortening! TUBERI'INK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY Shortening? BAKER Yes, yes; shortening! It's right behind you. Hurry up! * TUBERI‘INK-TAD Up , dam. . JIGGERJAG—JAY Run around. (They get shortening. ) Spice? -80... TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY Nice! (Smelling.) BAKER Ah-ha! ‘We're ready. Yen two keep your heads about you, and we'll be through in no time. TUBERTINK-TAD (Holding up the eggs.) Eggs? BAKER (With cook book in hand.) Seven! LITTLE MAN Eleven! JIGGERJAG-JAY Eleven? BAKER Seven! (With this TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY begin to throw the eggs back and forth, counting and breaking them into the mixing bowl.) TUBERTINK-TAD One. JIGGERJAG-JAI Two. LIT’I LE MAN Four. TUBERTINK-TAD Five. GIRL Seven. JIGGERJAGbJAY Three. TUBERTINK-TAD Four. -81.. BAKER Four? You've put more than four in there. TUBERTINK-TAD Five? BAKER How many did you count? You are supposed to have seven! TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY (Counting the yolks in the bowl.) One. two. three. four. five. . . TUBERTINK-TAD Five eggs. JIGGERJAG—JAY The hen's bowed legs. BAKER Put in two more! TUBERTINK-TAD (Throws an egg to JIGGERJAG-JAY.) One! JIGGERJAG-JAI (Catches it. breaks it into the bowl. and throws one to TUBERTINK-TAD.) LITTLE MAN Three. JIGGERJAGbJAI Four. (TUBERTINK-TAD catches it and breaks it into the bowl.) BAKER What do you mean. four? Don't you know how to count? Two comes after one. Now. try counting. TUBERTINK-TAD One the sun. JIGGERJAG-JAY Two it's blue. TUBERT INK-TAD Three a tree. -82.. JIGGERJAG-JAY Four there's more. TUBERTINK—TAD Five a hive. LITTLE MAN Seven in heaven. JIGGERJAG-JAY Eight it's late. BAKER What happened to six? Six comes after five. TUBERTINK-TAD Five. six. JIGGERJAG-JAY Let's do some tricks. BAKER No! No tricks! No tasting the sugar. no playing around of any kind! If you can't help me'bake. I'll find someone else. You are too stupid to find jdbs anyplace else. I was very good to hire idiots like you in the first place. A moment of weakness. no doubt. Now. you have put in seven eggs. The milk is next. (Reads the cook book) Four cups of milk. ' (JIGGERJAG-JAY pours in the milk to a cup; TUBERTINK-TAD pours it into the bowl.) JIGGERJAG—JAY One. LITTLE MAN Six. TUBERTINK-TAD Seven. BAKER (Correcting TUEERTINK-TAD.) Two! -83- GIRL Five 0 JIGGERJAG-JAY Six BAKER (Correcting JIGGERJAG-JAY.) Three. LITTLE MAN Nine. , TUBERTINK-TAD Ten. BAKER Four! Idiots! I'm.surrounded by idiots. Whoever heard of counting one. seven. six, ten? It's one, three five. nine. . . No no!! It's one. two. . . ~ LITTLE MAN Thirteen. BAKER Fourteen. GIRL Eight BAKER Nine TUBERTINK-TAD 0119. two. 0 o JIGGERJAG-JAY . . .fourteen. nine! TUBERTINK—TAD Nine. shine. JIGGERJAG-JAY Isn't it fine? . BAKER (Flustered.) One. five. . . No. no! One. two. six. . . No! No!! One. two. three. four. . . Yes. one. two. three. four. . . Yes. yes!! I'm losing my mind. I know how to count. 'What's wrong with me? Let's see. ‘What's next? Oh yes. Flour! Sift six cups of flour three times. Fold gently into eggs and milk. Hear? Six cups of flour. If you make a mess of this. you're through. Sift six cups of flour three times! TUBERTINK-TAD Sift. JIGGERJAG-JAI Swift. (Digs into flour sack and flour dust comes up all over him.) (The LITTLE MAN and the GIRL laugh.) BAKER 'We'll each take one cup of flour and sift it three times. (TUBERTINK-TAD, JIGGERJAG-JAY. and the BAKER all start digging into the flour sack and sifting the flour: the flour flies fast and furiously.) TUBERTINK-TAD One, LITTLE MAN Two. JIGGERJAGuJAY Three, BAKER One. GIRL Six. TUBERTINK—TAD Seven. BAKER Two. LITTLE MAN Nine. JIGGERJAG-JAY Eleven. -35- GIRL Fifteen. BAKER All I can hear is numbers. Don't count so loud. You made me lose track. I think I was on two. TUBERTINK-TAD Three. LITTLE MAN Thirteen. JIGGERJAG-JAY Fourteen. BAKER Fifteen. . GIRL Thirtyhtwo. BAKER Thirty-two? Has one of you sifted thirtybtwo times? TUBERTINK-TAD Times. chimes. JIGGERJAG—JAY Chimes. BAKER Enough of you! Out of my sight. You are too stupid to help; you just make things worse. Out! OUT!! TUBERTINKJTAD Shout. JIGGERJAG-JAY About. BAKER Leave! (He pushes them out the door.) And don't come back! I'll do this myself. This flour must be sifted by now. Now. for the sugar. . . -86- (He reads in the cook book.) Thirteen cups of sugar. Thirteen? No wonder it costs so much to make the doughnuts. Sugar is very expensive. (He starts counting the sugar as he measures it into the cup.) BAKER One. two. . . LITTLE MAN Three 0 BAKER Four. five. . . GIRL Seven. BAKER Eight. . . LITTLE MAN Twentyhone. BAKER Thirty-six. GIRL Nineteen. BAKER , Forty-two! No. no! I'm getting confused. Numbers. numbers. all I can hear is numbers. Those silly boys have me so confused! Nowa- where was I. . .? Let me see-~eight! LITTLE MAN Ten. BAKER Ten. GIRL Fifteen. BAKER Fifteen. -87- LITTLE MAN Three. BAKER Three? Surely I've put in more than three cups! I can't count; what's wrong? I keep hearing so many numbers. Let me try counting. One. two. three. . . LITTLE MAN Six. BAKER Six. GIRL Nine. BAKER Nine. LITTLE MAN One. BAKER One. nine. six. thirteen. four. seven. twenty-one. Something's happened. I'll count on my fingers. Three. five, seven. . .! Thirtystwo. ninetyssix. seventy-eight. nine.. . .No. no!! That's not right. One. Yes. One. That's the first number. Now. the next. . . LITTLE MAN Five. BAKER Five, nine. thirteen.. . . No. No! That can't be right. I don't have thirteen fingers. How many do I have? LITTLE MAN Forty-two. (The GIRL and the LITTLE MAN are shouting and laughing as they leave the Bakery.) GIRL Sixty-nine o -88- BAKER (Trying to count on his fingers like a blubbering idiot.) Six. thirteen, nine. two. seven. one. No. no! What's wrong? What's happening? I can't count. I can't bake. How will I explain this to the villagers? They think I am wise. They'll never believe I can count! I c__;_an! I must try again. Three. eight. four. seven. thirteen. thirteen, thirteen. thirteen. No. no. no. no!!! (The lights dim out on him and come up on the LITTLE MAN and the GIRL outside the Bakery.) LITTLE MAN Nine. GIRL Sj-x. LITTLE MAN Twenty-one. GIRL Sixty-four. LITTLE MAN Ha. ha. be“ We did it! GIRL The plan worked. I can hardly wait till tomorrow to finish our work. LIGHTS OUT -89- Scene IV The scene is the street in front of the Bakery. early the next morning. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAGbJAY are looking into the Bakery. TUBERTINK-TAD The Baker's asleep. JIGGERJAG-JAY He's all in a heap. . TUBERTINK-TAD He's in a heap? JIGGERJAG-JAY There isn't a peep. TUBERTINK-TAD How can he sleep? (The BAKER is heard from inside the Bakery.) BAKER Nine. seven. thirteen. o 0 NO. n0! Three. 51):. two. one. o 0 Oh. Oh. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY He isn't asleep. BAKER Numbers. Numbers. There are so many numbers. (He is unaware of TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG—JAY.) TUBERTINK-TAD Numbers. Numbers. JIGGERJAG-JAY He's baking by hundreds. BAKER Nothing will work. I can't count, I can't bake. These doughnuts taste awful. TUBERTINK-TAD Bake 0 -90- JIGGERJAG—JAY Cake. TUBERTINK-TAD Make. JIGGERJAG-JAY Rake. TUBERTINK-TAD Lake. ‘ (The BAKER enters the street from the Bakery.) BAKER There you are. Idiots! Numbskulls! Do you know what you have done to me with all your words and numbers? 'I'm ruined. And it's your fault. If I ever get my hands on you. . . (Chases them.). . .I'll. . . TUBERTINK-TAD What did we do? BAKER Do? Oooh!‘ What did you do? You've ruined the most wonderful plan of my life. That's what you've done. I could have been rich. if it hadn't been for you. But now-othere's not a chance left. _ TUBERTINK-TAD Left-uright. JIGGERJAG-JAY Night-~light. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG—JAY Serious plight. BAKER Serious! I'll say! If you ever show your faces around here again. I'll. O O TUBERTINK-TAD Please tell us what's wrong. JIGGERJAG-JAY And then we'll be gone. -91- BAKER I have been baking all night. Yet there's not a doughnut anywhere that can be eaten. I listened to your silly words so long that I couldn't think. I've forgotten how to count! TUBERTINK-TAD The Baker can't count. JIGGERJAG-JAY The Baker can't bake. BAKER I can't do anything. .All night I've been trying to bake doughnuts to sell to the people when they come to buy their one dozen in the morning. two dozen at neon. and three dozen at night. I was going to be rich. TUBERTINK-TAD Rich? Stitch! JIGGERJAG-JAY 'We're all in a hitch! (Voices of the villagers are heard off stage.) BAKER It's the villagers. Oh! I must try to sell them the bad doughnuts. I'll tell them that the doughnuts have more wisdom ingredients than ever before, and that's why they taste different. Tubertink-Tad and JiggerjaguJay! Go bring out the trays of doughnuts that are baked. (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG—JAY exit.) BAKER Six. twelve. nine. three. two. five. . . Oh. I still can't count. How will I sell them each a dozen? I may be cheated if anyone else counts them. (The LITTLE MAN and the GIRL enter as the BAKER is trying to count. They are off to one side. away from him.) LITTLE MAN He's still trying to count. GIRL He doesn't sound very wise any more. .92- BAKER If I could only remember how many are in a dozen! Nine? No. six. No! Fifteen? No. Forty-two? Sixty—nine. No, no! Seven? Eleven? (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGEFJAG-JAY enter with trays of bad doughnuts. They are all shapes and sizes.) TUBERTINK-TAD Twenty-two? JIGGERJAG-JAY One hundred eight? BAKER _ No, no! Don't start shouting numbers again. Think! How many are in a dozen? TUBERTINK-TAD Three? BAKER No. JIGGERJAG-JAY Five! BAKER No. LITTLE MAN Seven. BAKER No! GIRL Thirteen? BAKER Thirteen? TUBERTINK-TAD Thirteen? JIGGERJAG-JAY Thirteen? BAKER Yes. Yes! Thirteen! TUBERTINK-TAD Thirteen and you're a king. JIGGERJAG-JAY The Baker's a king. (The villagers enter hurriedly to buy doughnuts.) _ LITTLE MAN Don't forget the plan. GIRL I hope it will work. I'm sort of frightened. LITTLE MAN Here's the money. CHILD Mother, do we each get to buy a dozen? TWO Yes. get your money ready. MAN When I'm wiser, I'll be able to buy shoes with even a higher heel. ONE I don't know if I can eat six dozen doughnuts each day. COBBLER This is an important day for all of us. THREE ‘We're lucky to have such a wonderful baker. CARPENTER It looks like he's waiting for us. LITTLE MAN (To GIRL.) Hurry on, before it's too late. GIRL (Stepping out where crowd can see her.) Good morning. I understand -94- a new law has been passed. BAKER That's true. And if you haven't the price to pay for your dozen doughnuts today, you will be punished. TWO What are you doing here; you are unfit to be buying doughnuts with us. THREE You are not wise like we are. GIRL It's true I'm not wise-~like you are--but I'd like to buy a doughnut and try to be wise. BAKER Do you have the price? GIRL Yes, I think so. But may I just buy one doughnut first? BAKER It's a new law that everyone must buy one dozen every morning, two dozen at noon. and three dozen each night. COBBLER If you are going to live here. you must buy as many as we do. CARPENTER we want no one in the village who is only half wise. ALL Make her buy as many as we do. Make her buy a dozen. Etc. GIRL But I have never tasted the wise doughnuts before. (To the BAKER.) 'Will I be able to stand so much wisdom all at once. To be really 'wise is very powerful--isn't it? Please let me just taste the wisdom first. BAKER Give me the price, and I will let you taste. (He's anxious to sell one.) GIRL Oh, thank you! You are not only wise but kind as well. THREE I wonder what will happen to her when she tastes the wisdom. TWO The same thing that happened to us. MAN She will become wise like we are. BAKER (Handing her a doughnut.) Give me the money for it. (She pays him.) As soon as you have tasted this one, you must buy a dozen. GIRL It doesn't look like a doughnut. COBBLER The hole is bigger to hold the wisdom. CARPENTER When you are wise, you will know all about those things. GIRL But this one doesn't have any hole in it at all. ALL No hole! What do you mean? All doughnuts have holes in them. The Baker said so. Etc. BAKER (To TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) Quick! See if you can find me one with a hole in it. TUBERTINK-TAD In this there's a hole. JIGGERJAG-JAY The hole makes you wise. TUBERTINK-TAD Buys o JIGGERJAG-JAY Tries. -96- TUBERTINK-TAD Wise! (They give her the doughnut.) CHILD Don't be afraid. Taste it. TWO It doesn't hurt you to be wise. (Everyone watches as the little GIRL tastes the doughnut. The BAKER is very anxious as to what is going to happen when she finds they taste bed. She takes a nibble-«looks at the doughnut. Takes another tiny nibble.) MAN ‘Well? COBBLER You must eat the whole thing if you are going to be wise. CARPENTER Take a big bite! GIRL What does wisdom taste like? CHILD Oh. it's sweet. BAKER You may'wonder at first. but after you get used to it, these doughnuts will taste just like regular ones. (The little GIRL tastes a tiny bite again and pulls a strange face.) GIRL This tastes terrible. ONE Wisdom tastes good. TWO If it tasted bad, do you think we would have been eating it? You are not wise enough to know. GIRL They do taste terrible. Try one and see. These couldn't taste the same or you wouldn't have eaten them. MAN I will taste one. I'll eat it all. I'm.wise enough to know. ' COBBLER So will I. ~ CARPENTER ‘We'll prove that they don't taste any different than regular ones. MAN I'm ready to buy my dozen. I'll show her. ONE Give me a dozen too. TWO And me. CHILD Mother, buy two. THREE Sell me a dozen, too. BAKER Yes. I'll sell you each a dozen. (Aside.) If I can remember how many a dozen is. O. . .(Starts to count them out. The LITTLE MAN has sneaked behind the Baker, still out of sight of the rest.) Three. MAN Three? That's only one. BAKER Yes. of course. One. . . LITTLE MAN Two. -98- BAKER Two. 0 caho o o LITTLE MAN Five. BAKER Five? NmN That's three. Are you cheating me? BAKER Cheat? Of course not. Why would I cheat you? Am I not your king? Ah. . . (Tries to count again.) LITTLE MAN Four. BAKER Four. LITTLE MAN Six. BAKER (Very fast to cover up.) Six. nine. three. seven, thirteen! There you are. thirteen! That's a dozen. GIRL Thirteen isn't a dozen! BAKER Are you trying to tell me I don't know how many doughnuts are in a dozen? I said thirteen. There are thirteen. Count them.yourself. (The BAKER is falling apart. trying to justify himself. Everyone just stares at him. amazed.) BAKER A. I am wiser than anyone here. I baked the doughnuts, didn't I? There are. e o LITTLE MAN Fifteen. BAKER Fifteen doughnuts in a dozen. GIRL But you just said there were thirteen. That's what I said. But you said. Thirteen. Thirteen. Nine. Nine. Thirteen o Thirteen 0 Seven. Seven. Six. Six. Five. Five. BAKER Thirteen. GIRL mm m BAKER LITTLE MAN BAKER LITTLE MAN BAKER LITTLE MAN BAKER LITTLE MAN BAKER LITTLE HEN BAKER -100- LITTLE MAN Thirteen. BAKER Thirteen. LITTLE MAN Thirteen. BAKER Thirteen. Thirteen. Thirteen. Thirteen. Thirteen. Thirteen. Oh, numbers. numbers! I keep hearing so many numbers. (The LITTLE MAN laughs out loud and comes into view of everyone.) LITTLE MAN Thirteen? Everyone knows there aren't thirteen in a dozen! (Laughs.) COBBLER Who are you? (Everyone chimes in.) LITTLE MAN Who? I am the wisest man alive. BAKER No. you're not. I'm. . . LITTLE MAN You? You are not wise. Is it wise to think there are thirteen doughnuts in a dozen? Is it wise to bake doughnuts that taste bad? BAKER They don't taste bad. GIRL Yes they do. I tasted one. (Everyone else picks up a doughnut and tastes it with much noise.) . ALL We'll find out. Let's taste them ourselves. -101- (When they taste. they all spit it out and pull ugly faces.) MAN They do taste terrible. COBBLER It's awful. ONE I'm not eating any more of these. TWO I'd rather not be any wiser. THREE I'd rather stay like I am. LITTLE MAN But now you are foolish. BAKER " No, no! They are wise. They aren't foolish. I have baked doughnuts full of wisdom. They don't taste bad. GIRL (To LITTLE MAN.) If you are the wisest man alive. you taste one and tell us if it is bad or not. (With this. LITTLE MAN tastes a doughnut and throws a fit because it's so terrible. The people turn on the Baker with hate in their eyes.) LITTLE MAN There's only one thing wrong. however. BAKER There is nothing wrong with them. They have eggs. and milk. and flour. and sugar. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY And spice that's nice. LITTLE MAN Yes, all those things are here-Abut. . . (Tastes again.) They'were not put in in the right amount. -102- BAKER It's impossible. LITTLE MAN Is it? It tastes to me like you didn't count in the right number. BAKER I did. I can count. GIRL How many are in a dozen? BAKER Thirteen. No. fifteen. No. thirteen--yes. thirteen! CHILD Mbther. are there thirteen doughnuts in a dozen? LITTLE MAN (To BAKER.) Count me out a dozen. quickly! BAKER Count? Of course I will. You can't make me look stupid. you- you-awhoever you are. GIRL He's the wisest man alive. LITTLE MAN Count! BAKER (very fast.) Six. nine. twelve. seven. three. five. two. one. four. ten. eleven. eight. thirteen! GIRL The Baker can't count. ALL The Baker can't count. 0h! Ah! LITTLE MAN He's not wise at all. All wise men can count. How can he bake wisdom doughnuts if he's not even wise enough to count? -103- BAKER Don't listen to him. Of course I can bake wisdom into doughnuts. See how wise you became when you ate my doughnuts. GIRL You are not wise. You have become foolish. not wise. Look at your- selves. Everything is on backwards and upside down. (Everyone looks at everyone else.) BAKER No. no! You look wise! MAN These shoes are very uncomfortable to be so wise. CARPENTER The Baker has tricked us. ONE Think of all the money we've spent for doughnuts! TWO He's not fit to be our King. (They all crowd in toward the BAKER.) MAN Drive him out of town. we don't need a baker. (All agree to drive him away.) BAKER - No. Please don't drive me away. GIRL Why not ask the wisest man in the world what to do with the Baker? LITTLE MAN Well. let me think. (To the BAKER.) Is it true you have fooled the people? Answer. or they will drive you out. BAKER Yes. yes. I have fooled the people. ~10#— LITTLE MAN Why? BAKER For years. I have tried to find a town where there were no other bakers. so that I could bake my doughnuts and become rich from selling so many. I thought to fool the people by claiming to put wisdom in the doughnuts-~50 they would buy more. THREE I've spent all my savings on doughnuts. ONE I'd buy a dozen every day. LITTLE MAN How many are there in a dozen? BAKER I. . . I. . . I. . . I think-~there are thirteen. GIRL There used to be only twelveo-when other people were counting. BAKER Oh. I don't know. I have forgotten how to count. But please don't drive me away. There is no other place I can bake my doughnuts. Let me stay. IITTLE MAN Let him stay! ALL What? Let him stay? After he's fooled us? LITTLE MAN Did you like his deighnuts before he forgot how to count? ALL Yes. LITTLE MAN Then let him stay and be your baker. You can teach him how to count again. (To the BAKER.) And to remind you never to try to fool people again. you must put thirteen in every dozen! -105- ALL Good idea! Yes. Hurray! Thirteen in every dozen. LITTLE MAN And--! To remind each of you how easy it is to be fooled. (The villagers are embarrassed.) I think that's a very good idea. Thirteen in every dozen. TUBERTINK-TAD A dozen each day. JIGGERJAG-JAY Thirteen. I'll say. GIRL It's a baker's dozen. LITTLE MAN Now you'll have to give more for each dollar. TUBERTINKcTAD Dollars and doughnuts. JIGCERJAG-JAY A dozen each day. TUBERTINK-TAD A baker's dozen. ALL Hip. hip. hurray!!! CURTAIN CHAHERIV CHAMESMFBYSTDRAFTTOFINALSCRM Throughout the development of the scenarios into the first draft of the script, the purpose of the major changes was to strengthen the development of the plot and the characters from a children's theatre standpoint. the of the major changes from the first draft to the final script was the naming of all the characters. Tad, Jay. the Baksr, sndthsLittlsManwsrsnmedinsithsrthe stcryorthefirst scenario. Except for the Cobbler and the Carpenter, the villagers were only nubers and sons when the first draft was written. As changes were made and the characters developed, they were given names which helped to make than more alive. The was were chosen because of their suitability to the disposition and actions of the various characters. Some lines which had been written for a number rather than for a named character had to be changed. It became much easier to visualize action, business , and more complete char- acterization when all the characters had names. The villagers represent types of people, rather than existing as entities. ”Some of the minor characters may be types . for they -106- ~107- they only supply background of life. . ."1 Throughout the rest of this chapter, the specific changes that were made from the first draft to the final script will be listed. References will be made to the first draft as well as to the final script. The changes are listed according to the scenes in which they appear as well as by page number. Changes in Scene I Tad and Jay are described as characters who love the sound of words. Their word games lead the Baker to his plan of fooling the people with "wise doughnuts." In order to point up the non- sense of their dialogue from the first, the opening lines of the play were divided between the two.2 The last line: JIGGERJAG-JAY A doughnut I'd take. was changed to: JIGGERJAG-JAY Jump in the lake. The new line pointed up the ridiculousness of the word games and suggested more action. In order to elaborate on the plan of the "wise doughnuts." 1mm. 92. git" p. 83. 25.11923. p. 31*. ~108- so that it would be more clear. the sequence of lines. charac~ ters who said them. and the dialogue itself was changed.3 TUBERTINK-TAD If the hole is bigger. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY The outside is smaller. BAKER ‘ There's more wisdom inside. In order to provide a more logical transition into Scene II, the final speech of the Baker in Scene I“ was altered. BAKER . . .Tubertink-Tad, Jiggerjag-Jay, paint a sign about the new doughnuts. The wise doughnuts. . . TUBERTINK-TAD Paint on a sign? JIGGERJAG-JAY Let's make it rhyme! Changes in Scene II The rhyming of Tad and Jay in the first of Scene 115, 3.5.2223. p. 39. l+Supra, p. 40. ssugra, F. [+10 -109- when Matilda discovers them hanging up the sign, seemed forced. Tad's "Yes, Yea" was changed to: nGuess!" and Jay‘s."La de da." was changed to : (Hits TUBERTINK-TAD.) "Yes!.' The rhythm was improved, and more action was implied. Single word changes were necessary in this scene in order to clarify meaning in a few places. "Foolishness,” was changed to "Nonsense.” "Smart." was changed to "wise.”6 In order to keep the story line progressing in the right di- rection without getting confused by unnecessary action and dialogue, the sequence of lines concerning the new "wise doughnuts” had to be rewritten. The change, starting with the Baker's speech: BAKER Yes! No! Oh. I mean--yes. it's wise to buy doughnuts, but these are a new kind of doughnuts. is found in the final script. The audience is given the first clue that the people may change when they think they have become wise by changing the line of the Baker: 7 BAKER See! My new wisdom taught me how to bake doughnuts that would hold more wisdom. Things change when people become wise. to: §sara. p- 42 7§ssra. p- 49- -110- BAKER Of course! Things always change when people become wise. I am so wise that I baked doughnuts that look different. After the Baker had sold everyone but Matilda one of the new “wise doughnuts." the story, once again, became jumbled. This problem was solved by changing the sequence of the lines. All of the villagers' speeches starting with Mrs. Carpenter, and ending with Sara Jane's were inserted after the Baker's speech: ". . .every—- one in the village must be-wise.n8 In order to clarify the motivation of the characters in the last part of Scene Two when the villagers have turned against Matilda. lines of the individual characters were changed.9 The new lines not only helped with motivation, but facilitated a better transition into Scene III. Changes in Scene III When Matilda goes into the forest and finds the Little man. there seemed to be an unnecessary repetition of thought concerning the people in the village. The following lines were cut in order to avoid the repetition: MATILDA If I could eat even one of the Baker's doughnuts, I could be wise enough to see you or know if you're really here. I'd be able to answer your questions about the wind. Sauna. p. 53. 9m. pp. 53 and 54. -111- LITTLE MAN Can doughnuts make you wise? MATILDA I think so! LITTLE MAN How? MATILDA Everyone in the village--except me--eats doughnuts from the new bakery. And now. they all claim to be very'wise. . . 0 Changes in Scene IV A parade of the villagers in their new wise clothes was inserted at the beginning of Scene IV, to show the audience the changes that occurred in the people when they became wise. The parade also helped create some suspense as to how the Little Man 'would react when he saw the people. In the first draft of the script. the motivation for crown- ing the Baker was not clearly established. The three women villagers were given more lines to help clarify their motivation and create suSpense as to how they would decide to honor the Baker.11 MOTHER As a thanks from the entire village. 1oS a, p. 56. 11Su re. p. 65. ~112- MISS SPINET 'We could have a party for him. NDTHER Why don't we paint the Bakery? MRS. CARPENTER That's not really an honor. He should be honored. MISS SPINET I could make him a new hat. MRS. CARPENTER Oh, I want to do something wonderful. Let's go talk to the others. ‘we can come back and buy our doughnuts when we decide how to honor the Baker. The women villagers go off stage to decide how to honor the Baker. At first glance. it may seem as if the rule of children's theatre, "don't tell it. show it.” has been violated here; however. the decision of how to honor the Baker was put off stage. in order to give the Little Man a chance to convince Matilda that the villagers had not become wise: and also. to allow time for the villagers to prepare for the crowning-4by making a crown. The actual crowning of the Baker. which is more important than the decision to crown him. is shown. In Scene III, the Little Man mentions that he was interrupted by a baker and two boys looking for some place to sell doughnuts. Therefore, when the Baker first appears in Scene IV as he is to be -113- crowned.12 the lines were changed to show that the Little Man recognized the Baker.13 The dialogue of the villagersll+ before the actual crowning of the Baker. interrupted the action. The following lines were cut: ALL (Turning on MR. HARDY.) Quiet! ‘We said all together. Don't butt in alone. MR. HARDY well. let's get on with it. This could take all day. BAKER Just what is it you want? Can I sell you more doughnuts? If you have the money, you can buy all you can eat. COBBLER ‘We are trying to get on with it--if everyone would cooperate. ALL we are going to. . . (They close in on the BAKER.) BAKER What are you doing? In order to keep the action of the crowning building up to 12Supra. p. 70. 13Infra. p. 167. 1“Supra. pp. 70. -11#— a climax. the sequence of lines following the cut15 was changed to read: ALL Make you our king! (They crown the BAKER.) BAKER But--but--a king, with a crown? TUBERTINK-TAD A crown for the Baker? JIGGERJAG-JAY The Baker's a king! MISS SPINET ‘We haven't had a king for years. MOTHER Not since my great-grandmother's grandfather's time. (The villagers march around the newly crowned King, as TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY say their lines.) TUBERTINK-TAD Make him a king? JIGGERJAG-JAY Who will be queen? 15 §sa£a. p. 71- -135- TUBERI‘INK-TAD A Icing needs a queen. JIGGERJm-JAI A queen needs a king. TUBERI‘INK-TAD A king and no queen. JIGGERJAG-JAI What a pitiful thing. To show how the Baker feels about the new style of clothes thatthevillagers arewearing, anewspeechwasadded. Thenew speech also helped point up the final scene when the Baker has to wear his apron upside down. . BARR Ies, work! How many times do I have to tell you? Sometimes I think you are no narter than these stupid villagers. Next thing +1.03", you'll be wearing your clothes upside down and backnrds TUBERI'INK-TAD Upside down? JIGGERJAG-JAI And backwards? (TheBLKEstings atthuas theyrunintotheBakery.) In the last speech of Scene IV of the first draft, the Little Man referred to going back to the forest. Since Scene V -116- 16 was the inside of the bakery. a better transition ‘was needed. The end of the Little Man's speech was changed to: IJTTLE MAN . . .I can hardly wait until the Baker starts baking so we can try our plan. Let's go to the Bakery! Most of the changes and additions that were made in Scene IV were to clarify the story line, to justify action. and to provide better character motivation. as well as to aid in building tension. Changes in Scene V The major changes in Scene V were made in the counting sequences. The numbers were changed to follow in closer numerical order, yet still prove confusing to the Baker. The fact that the Baker fergot how to count from hearing the numbers seemed more logical. The amount of flour and the number of times it was to be sifted were reversed. Changing the line to "sift six," instead of "sift three." provided a good lead into a word game for Tad and Jay which helped confuse and fluster the Baker. The nonsense was in keeping 'with their characters and added to the action. Changes in Scene VI As in some of the preceding scenes. Tad and Jay‘s play with words intruded on the action in Scene VI. "Serious plight" was 16 §EE£§J P0 770 -117- omitted17. The line was not important to characterization or story development at this stage of the play. The entire ending of the play was weak in the first draft. The purpose and relationship of Matilda and the Little Man was not established. The way in which they exposed the Baker was not clear. The actions and dialogue of Matilda and the Little Man befbre the Baker was exposed had to be established as being part of the plan. This was helped by having the Little Man pose as'a "taste tester." Through rewriting the ending from Matilda's appearance before the villagers.18 the exposure of the Baker, the villager's recognition of their own foolishness, and the punishment of the Baker, which resulted in a "baker's dozen," were faster and more concise.19 Summary The changes that were made for the final script were made for six reasons: 1. to clarify the situation; 2. to develop and continue the story line; 3. to maintain the rhythm of each scene; 4. to provide transitions; 5. to show character motivation; 6. to create suspense. The types of changes were: one word, additions, 171112.12. 19- 90. 18 9392a. p. 93- 1 9mm. 13- 90. ~118- ommission, complete line or speech. or sequence of line. All changes were made in order that The Bakerflg Qggeg would conform more closely to the principles and dramatic writing tech- niques of good children's theatre. CHAPTERV EVALUATION or as. was me: After changes had been made in 'the first draft, and the final script was capleted, an evaluation was necessary. By using the principles and purposes of good children's theatre as a basis, an evaluation of The; Baker's M as an acceptable script for a child audience was made. Even though the final script was produced, the success of the script in production was not considered in the evaluation. Evaluation The treatment of the story is a major aspect of playwriting techniques to be evaluated in a play for children. The story referred to here is the story of the play, '_1‘_h_e_ Baker's Began-mot the original story upon which the play was based. The story must have a definite beginning, middle, and end. 1h}. Baker‘s 293g; nests this criterion. The beginning presents the Baker as a crafty man who devises a plan to sell the villagers "wise doughnuts.” Matilda, who is unable to buy the doughnuts, is introduced as the principle opposition; she is rejected by the villagers. The middle of the work elaborates upon the quest of Matilda for acceptance into -119- -120- the village by means of a plan to expose the Baker. This plan involves Matilda's restitution as the Baker's plan is exposed, and a "baker's dozen" is established as part of his punishment. The beginning of the play'may be considered the weakest of the three parts; Matilda, who is the protagonist with whom the children should preferably identify, is not introduced until the second scene. Because of this. the Baker takes on possibly more emphasis than is desirable. According to the principles of children's theatre, the protagonist must be a worthy character striving for a worthswhile end. The protagonist is also the person whose story it is. In the first instance-~that the protagonist be a worthy person striv- ing for a worthawhile end--Matilda, the little orphan girl. is the protagonist. Throughout the play, she is striving to expose the Baker and to convince the villagers that they have been duped. However, a question arises as to whether or not the play is Matilda's. The play may belong to the Baker, since the story is about how he fools a village. is exposed. and receives his just deserts. The Baker, however. is not a worthy character. nor is he striving for a worthawhile end. He is not an evil man; he is Just crafty. Characters. other than the protagonist, in children's plays should be conceived more or less as types. The manor characters in The my; 293g; satisfy this criterion. The villagers are all -121- represented as either flighty, gullible. dull. haughty, or overly conscientious. All of the villagers are gullible, and some possess some of the other qualities stated as well. However, none are fully developed as characters. Tad and Jay. like the villagers, also represent types. Their manner of speaking as well as their actions depict a rather unreal personal quality. There is a certain elfin air about them. although they possess no magic or power of any kind. They are merely young boys who love the sounds of words and'whose main function in the play is to act as a sounding board for the Baker and help keep the story line progressing. The Little Man also possesses an unreal quality. However, he is different from Tad and Jay in his manner of speaking as well as in his actions. He is not magical. yet he is not real. The Little Man provides the play with a flaw of fantasy without per- formance of any fantastic tricks. In children's drama, it is important that the relationships of the characters are clearly established. The characters in.2h§ Eggggf§IQgg§p conform to this criterion. The Baker is presented as a crafty man whose only interest is in making money. His relation- ship with Tad and Jay is established by the way he speaks to them as well as his actions towards them. Tad and Jay are depicted almost as only one person through their interaction with each other -122- in dialogue and movement. The villagers scoff at Matilda for not being "wise,” but the Little Man becomes her friend upon their first meeting. The villagers are depicted as being jealous of each other. Each one wants to be the “wisest.“ Mr. Hardy wants to have shoes "with the highest heel of any in town." Even though the villagers act independently toward their own goals. they work as a group in driving Natilda out of the village and in honoring the Baker. The actions and dialogue of each character help establish definite relationships. The three functions of dialogue in a play for children are: to reveal character; to unfold the plot; and to clarify the situ- ation. In an overall estimation, the dialogue of‘Zhepggkegflg 129523 was found to be satisfactory on all three accounts. Charac- ter was portrayed, the plot progressed. and situations became clear through the use of dialogue. Tad and Jay are specific examples of how dialogue was used to reveal character. By reading just the lines of the two boys. much of their characters and the importance of their roles in the play becomes evident. At one point, however. the word games of Tad and Jay tend to interrupt the action; after the Baker has been crowned. Tad and Jay have lines which refer to: "A king needs a queen,“ "A queen needs a king." "A king and no queen," ”What a pitiful thing." The lines are not important to the action, nor -123- do they help with characterization or plot line. However, in Scene I, the Baker's plan to sell doughnuts full of "wisdom" is prompted by Tad and Jay's play with words. In this instance. the dialogue of Tad and Jay helps unfold the plot and to clarify the situation. Matilda's dialogue is full of questions. They are usually directed to the Little Man. who interprets them quite literally; The answers to Matilda's questions often clarify the situation and keep the story progressing. The questioning nature of Matilda's dialogue may weaken her role as the protagonist. Yet, it is through her ques- tions that her part in the unfolding of a plan to expose the Baker is made evident. The practical side of the Little Man is revealed in his literal interpretations of Matilda's questions. When Matilda asks, "What is a plan?" he replies, "What couldn't be a plan?". The Little Man provided most of the answers for Matilda's questions, which made him an integral part of the final outcome. In children's drama, it is also important that the dialogue contain inherent dramatic action. An examination of 2h§_§gkegflg ‘Qggeg shows that action is suggested in the dialogue. In Scene III, when Matilda can hear the Little Man but cannot see him, the lines suggest that she look for him. The lines in the crowning sequence of Scene IV, and also in the baking scene of Scene V are other 'I 71-h \l ~124- examples of how action is suggested by dialogue. The dialogue, as a whole, seems to conform to the accepted criteria for a good children's theatre script. The plot of the play was evaluated in terms of three cri- teria: 1. plot in children's plays should be uncomplicated; 2. all major action should occur on stage: 3. there should be excite- ment at the end of BCCh scene which will carry over into the next. The plot of 1h; B_§_k_er_'§ M is uncomplicated. There are no sub-plots, and all events throughout the play lead to the final outcome of thirteen in a dozen. All major action occurs on stage. The villagers are shown with their newly acquired wisdom; the Baker is crowned King; Matilda and the Little Man cause the Baker to for- get how to count; the Baker is exposed; and a baker's dozen results. The action of deCiding how to honor the Baker is not shown. but this is not a major incident. The transitions--or carry-over and pick-upo—are not as exciting, perhaps, as may be desired for good children‘s theatre. However, there is a logical transition from one scene to the next. Excitement and suspense are most evident at the end of Scene III. when Matilda takes the Little Man to the village. at the end of Scene IV, when they are about to try their plan on the Baker. and at the end of Scene V, when the Baker has forgotten how to count. The story of a children's play must never stop in its forward -125- movement. Through dialogue, action, and transition, the story of The §é£§£i§.29£22 progresses continually. almost without hesitation. Exposition is not given until it is needed. and unnecessary repeti- tion is avoided. The word-games of Tad and Jay interrupt the course of action at one point. which has already been mentioned; however. their intrusiOn does not seem to hinder the flow of the story, since the crowning, which is the major incident at that point in the story. continues. The script meets the criterion that theme in a play for children should be implied rather than directly stated. Direct moralizing. teaching. or prOpagandizing are successfully avoided. The central idea is crystallized in the action. dialogue. and in the final outcome of the plot. Evaluation of the total play reveals that the story is present- ed effectively and in accordance with the accepted techniques of playwriting for a child audience. The main criticism of the work is that the protagonist is not clearly established. This fault may have resulted from the fact that Matilda was not introduced until the second scene. Even so, Matilda is a worthy character as a pro- tagonist; and it is her role in the play that helped make Thewggggrfls .Qgggg an enjoyable play for children. CHAPTER VI Summary and Conclusion The purpose of this study has been to show the evolution of an original script suitable for production for a child audience. A general survey of the purposes of children's theatre and the criteria for writing a play for children was made. The commonly accepted purposes of children's theatre are: to entertain; to meet basic needs; to instruct; and to train future audiences. Children's identification with characters in the play has been pointed out as important in accomplishing these purposes. Authorities have been cited who agree that good plays for children should conform to the accepted fundamental standards of dramatic writing. In essence, the mechanical aspects of play con- struction are the same, whether the dramatist is writing for child- ren or adults. Any difference is one of emphasis or degree. The most important consideration is that in children's drama. story controls the play. .All other structural factors. such as theme, plot, character. and dialogue must be considered in reference to the story. Every play for children must have a definite beginning. ~126- -127- middle. and end. A play, to be of merit. does not have to teach an obvious lesson. It should, however. have a plot from which right ideas can be taken. The plot is the story. arranged and amplified by the playwright. In a children's play, the plot must develop simply and clearly avoid complications and sub-plots which do not move the story forward. In writing plays for child- ren, it is important that the story never stop in its ferward movement toward final resolution. Dialogue in a children's play has three purposes. They are: to reveal character; to unfoli the plot; and to clarify the situation. The dialogue should be simple; however. the lan- guage need not be completely within the vocabulary of the audience, so long as the context contains the meaning. The major characters in a play for children should be de- veloped to semi-roundness. Minor characters may represent types. Every children's play needs a protagonist; a person or group of persons about whom the play revolves. One of the main differences between the protagonist of adults‘ and children's plays is the requirement that no character in a play for children should be a complex psychological study. The steps in the creative process and the problems encoun- tered in developing the script have been recorded. The first step in the development of The nger'§_DozeQ was ~128- to write a story explaining the origin of the term. "baker's dozen." Then a scenario of the play, based upon the story. was written. The purpose of the scenario is to outline the plot development and action of the play which is to be written. Changes in plot development and character motivation were made from the story. through two scenarios, to the first draft. The changes are justified by recognizing their effect upon the development of more believable situations and characters which are important in a children's theatre script. The recorded changes that were made in the first draft for the final script were made for six reasons: 1) to clarify the situation; 2) to develop and continue the story line; 3) to maintain the rhythm of each scene; a) to provide transitions; 5) to show character motivation; 6) to create suspense. The types of changes were: one word, additions, omissions. complete line or speech. or sequence of lines. All changes were made in order that [he 2.15.22? M would more closely conform to the principles and dramatic writing techniques of good children's theatre. After the final script was completed. an evaluation was made, using the principles and purposes of good children's theatre as a basis. Evaluation of the total play reveals that in general. the story is presented effectively and in accordance with the ~129- accepted techniques of playwriting for a child audience. The main criticism of Ihglggggg{§.29ggg is that the protagonist is not clearly established. This fault may have resulted from the fact that Matilda was not introduced until the second scene. Even so, Matilda is a worthy character for a protagonist, and it is her role in the play that helps make Thgwfiagggflgmggggg an enjoyable play for children. Although The Baker'§_Dozen is a play for children, the playwright was conscious of a certain amount of adult appeal in situation and dialogue which it may have. The rhyming of Tad and Jay and the ridiculousness of the villagers' new "wisdom” were written with an effort to appeal to a large age-group range. The Egger‘s Dozen was conceived and visualized with adults playing the various roles. The action and dialogue were written to appeal to adult actors who would perform the play for children. The entire process of creating the play was subjective. The story grew out of the playwright's desire to portray "fun." believable. interesting characters in a situation which would be enjoyable to an audience. The dramatic techniques used in the creation of The Eggggflg Qgggg were the formal techniques used by any playwright. The purposes and objectives of children's theatre were fulfilled. not because of a conscious effort on the part of the playwright during the actual creation of the script, but because -130- they were an integral part of the over-all objective, which was to write a play for children. APPENDIX Matilda Little Man Baker Tubertink-Tad Jiggerjag-Jay V er Cobbler Mr. Hardy Carpenter Mrs. Carpenter Miss Spinet Mother Sara Jane THE BAKER'S DOZEN by Jo Nebeker CAST OF CHARACTERS A young orphan girl. Very woodsey, almost magical. ageless. A tricky man out to make money. Young boys who love the sounds of words; They work for the Baker. About 35 years old. Very easily fooled. 45 years old, fat, very pleased with himself. 50 years old. handy-legged. not too bright. Wife of the carpenter. 35 years old. Old maid, very gullible. 30 years old. Nosey. very excitable. About 10 years old, obnoxious. -131- SYNOPSIS A very crafty baker finally finds a town where he can sell his doughnuts without competition. Through the word-games played by his two helpers, Tubertink-Tad and Jiggerjag-Jay. he thinks of a plan that will make him rich for a life time. He claims wisdom will come to anyone who eats his doughnuts. All of the villagers are fooled and begin doing things backwards and upside down. except for Matilda. who doesn't have enough money to buy even one doughnut. ‘With the help of the Little Man, she exposes the Baker, and we learn how the baker's dozen got its name. -132- THE BAKER'S DOZEN Scene I The inside of the Bakery. Under the supervision of the BAKER, TUBERTINK-TAD and'JIGGERJAGuJAI are cleaning. It looks as if they had just moved in. TUBERTINK-TAD Clean! Sweep! JIGGERJAG-JAY Dirt in a heap! TUBERTINK-TAD Dust! Mop! JIGGERJAG-JAI The dirt is on t0p! BAKER That's it, boys. Get this place cleaned up. I can hardly wait to start baking. TUBERTINK-TAD Bake! Cook! JIGGERJAG-JAY It's all in the book! TUBERTINK-TAD Cook! Bake! JIGGBRJAG-JAY Jump in the lake! BAKER Let's get organized! I hired you to clean! So. work! (They look at each other.) Run! -133- -134- TUBERTINK-TAD To the sun? JIGGBRJAG-JAY To the moon! TUBERTINK-TAD To the moon? BAKER To the broom! TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY To the broom! (They take the broom and fight over it.) TUBERTINK—TAD It's mine. It's mine. I had it first. JIGGERJAG-JAY It's mine. It's mine. I need it worst. BAKER Idiots! ‘Will you stop fighting and work? At last I find a town where. . . TUBERTINK-TAD The town is nice. JIGGERJAG-JAI The town is neat. BAKER This town is not only nice and neat. but the only one without a baker--until I came. These people are just waiting to bmylmy doughnuts. TUBERTINK-TAD Doughnuts and dollars! - JIGGERJAG—JAY Dollars and cents! -135- BEKHR Right! And that means money. Since I'm the only baker, I can ask any price I want for my doughnuts. I'll be rich. Ha ha ha ha. Now. to work! (As if to himself.) Ha! I'll sell doughnuts galore! TUBERTIKK-TAD Galore, and more! JIGGERJAG-JAY More and many! BAKER Q'lliet e TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAI Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh. ' BAKER Maybe I could sell pies, too. TUBERTINKaTAD Pies? JIGGERJAG-JAY Skies e TUBERTINK-TAD Buys e JIGGERJAG-JAY Wise 0 TUBERTINK—TAD Rise. JIGGERJAG-JAY hi 0 O O BAKER wait! What did you say? TUBERTINK-TAD Pies? BAKER No. -135- JIGGERJAGuJAY Skies? BAKER No, no. After that! TUBERTINK-TAD Lies? BAKER No. no. JIGGERJAG-JAI Tries? TUBERTINK-TAD Rise? BAKER No! No! Think! Don't just shout. What did you say before. . . TUBERTINK-TAD Before? JIGGERJAG-JAY A score! TUBERTINK—TAD A score, a hit. JIGGERJAG-JAY A hit. a miss. TUBERTINK-TAD A miss. a mile. JIGGERJAG-JAX A mile, a minute. BAKER (Topping them.) Stop! I can't even talk to you. You are too stupid. TUBERTINK-TAD I'd like to be smart. -137- JIGGERJAG-JAY I'd like to be wise. BAKER Wise. That was it. Ha ha. I am very wise to open a bakery in this town. TUBERTINK-TAD A wise town! BAKER A wise baker! JIGGERJAG-JAY A wise doughnut maker! BAKER Yes, A. . . What? (Angrily.) JIGGERJAG-JAY (Looking for approval.) Wise-doughnut maker? BAKER Oh. yes. . . For a minute I thought you said a. . . (Thinking.) What do you mean. a wise doughnut maker? TUBERTINK-TAD A baker that's wise. JIGuERJAG-JAY Wise doughnuts the prize. BAKER Wise doughnuts? Doughnuts that make you wise? (Very excited.) Ha! I've thought of something. TUBERTINK—TAD Something's a thought. JIGGERJAG-JAY The thought's the thing. BAKER I have thought of a way to sell more doughnuts than any baker in any town. These people have never tasted my doughnuts. I'll tell them they will become wise if they buy'them! --that my doughnuts are -138- full of wisdom! TUBERTINK-TAD Wisdom—wise! JIGGERJAG-JAY Doughnuts-dunk! TUBERTINK—TAD He who buys. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY Who'd have thunk? BAKER I'll be able to charge any price I want for them. I'll be richer than I ever dreamed. TUBERTINK-TAD Will they look the same? BAKER The doughnuts? JIGGERJAG-JAY The whole. BAKER ‘What has the hole got to do with my plan? TUBERTINK-TAD The whole of the doughnut. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY The bigger the better. BAKER A bigger hole? TUBERTINK-TAD If the hole is bigger. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY The outside is smaller. -139... BAKER There's more wisdom inside. - TUBERTINK-TAD Inside-outside. JIGGERJAG-JAY Upside-downside. BAKER He he. You're right. The bigger the hole, the littler the cake. Ho ho ho. I'm.wonderful. I'm the smartest baker in the world. and I'll soon be the richest. Ha(ha ha. And now, to work! Tubertink-Tad, Jiggerjag-Jay, paint a sign about the new doughnuts. The wise doughnuts. Wisdom in every bite. Ha. I'll get all the money these stupid villagers have. TUBERTINK-TAD Paint on a sign? J IGGERJAG-JAY Let's make it rhyme! LIGHTS OUT -140- Scene II TUBERTINK—TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY are hanging up a newly painted sign in front of the Bakery. They are standing on a stool. MATILDA is watching them. She looks as if she is on her way to school. TUBERTINK-TAD Hang it up straight! JIGGERJAG-JAY Straight as a stick! MATILDA What are you doing? TUBERTINK-TAD (Stumbling off the box.) Oh! JIGGERJAG-JAY Hello! IMATILDA Do you work for the new baker? TUBERTINK-TAD werk for the Baker? J IGGmJAG-JAY The new doughnut maker? MATILDA Yes! TUBERTINK-TAD Guess! JIGGERJAG-JAY (Hits TUBERTINK-TAD.) Yes! MATILDA Who painted the Sign? TUBERTINK-TAD ‘we painted the sign. ~141- JIGGERJAG-JAY Isn't it fine? . MATILDA But it doesn't make sense. TUBERTIIK—TAD Sense! Pence! JIGGERJAG-JAY Let's paint a fence. MATILDA (Reading.) Buys, Tries, Wise! Is it a riddle? TUBERTINK-TAD A riddle. a fiddle. - JIGGERJAG-JAY It's hung in the middle. (The COBBLER enters from his shop.) COBBLER Sense, pence. riddle, fiddle, middle. It sounds like nonsense out here to me. MATILDA These are the new baker's helpers. Look! They've hung a sign over the Bakery. I think it's a riddle. COBBLER (Reading.) Buys. . .Tries. . .Wise. It sounds strange to me. MATILDA What does the sign mean? TUBERTINK-TAD 'Wise for school. JIGGERJAG—JAY Not wise like a fool! (The five villagers: MISS SPINET. MRS. CARPENTER. MOTHER, SARA JANE, and MR. HARDY, enter.) -142- MR. HARDY Who's wise like a fool? MISS SPINET What do you mean? MOTHER Don't talk nonsense now. Let's buy some doughnuts from the new baker. SARA JANE May I buy two, Mother? MRS. CARPENTER 'Wise like a fool sounds like a riddle. Is it? I just love riddles! MATILDA The sign over the Bakery is the riddle. COBBLER Look! (He reads to them.) Buys. . .Tries. . .Wise! MR. HARDY (To MATILDA.) Can they tell us what it means? MISS SPINET Who are they? MATILDA They are the Baker's helpers. I don't know their names. COBBLER Can you tell us what the sign means? . . .ah. . .whatever your name is? TUBERTINK-TAD Name? JIGGERJAG—JAY Game! MOTHER Is his name game? MR. HARDY Game's not a name. -143- TUBERTINK—TAD Tubertink-Tad! JIGGERJAG-JAY And Jiggerjag-Jay! TUBERTINK-TAD 'We're always glad! JIGGERJAG-JAY ‘We like to play! MR3 f cmarm Will you help us solve the riddle? TUBERTINK—TAD The riddle is wise. JIGGERJAG-JAY The doughnut is wise. TUBERTINK-TAD He who buys and tries. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY . . .will surely become wise. COBBLER Buys. and. . . MR. HARDY Tries, and. . . I'DTKER Wise, and. . . MISS SPINET Doughnuts? .MATILDA The doughnuts become wise? TUBERTINK-TAD No! The people become wise. -14.»!- JIGGERJAG-JAY He who tries. MRS . CARPENTER Tries what? TUBERTINK—TAD Elly-S What. JIGGERJAG-JAY Wise what. MATILDA Buys doughnuts? TUBERTINK—TAD Buy them and see. JIGGERJAG-JAY You'll be wise as can be. (The CARPENTER enters the street.) CARPENTER Has everyone come to buy doughnuts so early in the morning? MR. HARDY We were going to, but we got side-tracked by a riddle and a bunch of nonsense. COBBLER These fellows work for the Baker. They said if we buy doughnuts, we will become wise. CARPENTER It doesn't sound possible. MISS SPINET It's so exciting to have a baker in town. MRS. CARPENTER I wonder if it's true? SARA JANE May I buy two, Mother? -145- MOTHER If it's true, we'll buy a hundred. MATILDA Are they a new kind of doughnut? TUBERTINK-TAD Ask the Baker himself. JIGGERJAG-JAY He's the wise one, you see. TUBERTINK-TAD He'll say buy his new doughnuts. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY And you'll be wise as can be. CARPENTER Let's ask the Baker. COBBLER Tubertink-Tad! MR. HARDY Jiggerjag-Jay! MISS SPINET Fetch the Baker! MOTHER we want to know what this is all about. MRS. CARPENTER Hurry! SARA JANE Mother, may I buy two? (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY exit into the Bakery.) MOTHER Two? we'll buy six hundred if they'll make us wise. MISS SPINET Oh, I'm so excited. If I can become wise By buying doughnuts! -146- MR. HARDY Here's the Baker. (The BAKER enters the street from inside the Bakery, followed by TUBERTIM-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) BAKER Good morning! Tad and Jay tell me you inquired about doughnuts. MISS SPINET What does the sign mean? MOTHER Are they a different kind of doughnut? MRS . CARPENTER How much do they cost? COBBLER Do they taste different? CARPENTER The sign says. . . MR. HARDY Does the riddle mean. . .? MATILDA Can doughnuts make peOple wise? BAKER Questions! Questions! One at a time. MR. HARDY We've come to buy doughnuts. COBBLER But we were stopped by the sign. CARPENTER ‘We think we have solved the riddle. BAKER Riddle? Riddle? What riddle? -147- MATILDA That one. (Points to sign.) ' MISS SPINET Does it mean we will be wise if we buy doughnuts? BAKER (Reading the sign.) Buys. . .Tries. . .Wise! (Looks at TUBERTINK— TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) Why, yes! That's exactly what it means. MOTHER How wonderful! SARA JANE Buy two, Mother. MATILDA How can buying doughnuts make us wise? BAKER Oh, it's not just buying that's wise. MRS. CARPENTER Are doughnuts wise buys? BAKER Yes. No. I mean. . . Yes, it's wise to buy my doughnuts. They are new and different. MISS SPINET New ones-—old ones--I don't care. I just want to buy a doughnut. MR.‘HARDY What's new about them? BAKER They have a strange power unlike any other doughnuts anywhere. MOTHER What power? BAKER My doughnuts have a secret ingredient in them, and whoever eats them will become wise. -1u7- COBBLER It doesn't seem possible. MISS SPINET I'm so excited. CARPENTER How do you know they are full of wisdom? BAKER I have tried them! ‘When I realized the power I had baked into the doughnuts, I ate as many as I could, so that I could bake better wise doughnuts. MISS SPINET Oh, can.we become wise? ALL Do they taste the same? Are they good? Bad? How do they taste? BAKER Tubertink-Tad! Jiggerjag-Jay! Bring out a tray of the new doughnuts so all who want can buy one. (Aside.) Make it snappy, boys. It looks like my plan is going to work. (TUBERTINK—TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY exit into the Bakery.) MR. HARDY I'm going to be the wisest one from now on. MISS SPINET You won't be any wiser than we are if we all eat the new doughnuts. MRS. CARPENTER I wonder how it will feel to be wise. COBBLER How can wise doughnuts look any different than regular ones? CARPENTER ' A doughnut is a doughnut, isn't it? MOTHER The Baker says they're different, so they must be. After all, he's the wisest man in town. ~148— (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGSERJAG-JAY enter with the trays of doughnuts.) TUBERTINK-TAD Coming through the door. JIGGERJAGeJAY There's wisdom in store. (They lower the tray so all can see the doughnuts. Ooooooh's and Ahhhhh's from the crowd.) MATILDA They do look different. BAKER Of course! Things always change when people become wise. I am wise, so I bake doughnuts that look different. COBBLER They are mostly hole. CARPENTER There's not much to eat, is there? BAKER Exactly! It is the hole of the doughnut that counts. MR. HARDY The hole? BAKER A grain of wisdom can be found in the hole of each doughnut. Who is going to be first to buy? TUBERTINK-TAD First to buy. JIGGERJAG-JAY Who will try? (Everyone shouts they will be first except MATILDA. They push and shove to be first in line.) -149- MOTHER I'm going to be the wisest first. MR. HARDY Let me at them. MISS SPINET I want a dozen, please. COBBLER I'll make the best shoes in the world. CARPENTER And I the best chairs. Let me buy one. MRS. CARPENTER I wish I could buy more. SARA JANE I want to buy two! (When they each have one, they stop and look at each other in silence before anyone tastes.) MOTHER I'm a little frightened. I don't know what it is like to be wise. CARPENTER Should we eat them now? COBBLER If we want to be wise, we'll have to. MATILDA How are they going to eat the hole? BAKER When they are wise, they will know! MOTHER I can't wait another minute. Let's taste the wisdom. BAKER Yes, taste the wise dough. You can all be wise. (Laughs.) -150- (They all taste. They are silent. Taste again. . .and shout with joy.) MR. HARDY I am wise. MISS SPINET I am wiser. M6.CMWBWE{ I am wisest. COBBLER I am the wisest shoemaker in the world. CARPENTER I am the wisest carpenter in the world. SARA JANE I bought two. I'm very wise. BAKER You are all wise. Go! Try your wisdom. Go to school. Go to your jobs. See how wise you are. Tell your friends. Everyone in the village must be wise. MRS. CARPENTER (To MATILDA.) Aren't you going to buy one, Matilda? MATILLA No. fuss 5mm Don't you want to be wise? MATILDA Oh, yes. . . But. . . EHUOEt If you have the price, you can buy one. MATILDA (Ashamed.) I don't have the price. -151- MR. HARDY You won't be wise. SARA JANE But we will be. MATILDA I understand the riddle now, but I can't be wise because. . . BAKER You must eat the doughnuts. Everyone must be wise. MATILDA But. . . I don't have the price to pay for even one. MISS SPINET Leave the waif alone. MOTHER Why should we worry about her? SARA JANE She's not going to be wise like we are, is she, Mbther? COBBLER Don't pay any attention to her. MR. HARDY If she doesn't want to be wise. . . MATILDA I do want to, but. . . BAKER Enough of you. If you don't eat any of my doughnuts, you won't become wise. You will stay stupid. CARPENTER She's a nobody anyway. BAKER You will be the only one who is not wise. You will not be fit to stay here and live with these wise people who will learn new wise ways of doing things. -152- (The villagers are very smug and proud.) MR. HARDY You are stupid. MRS . CARPENTER ‘We are wise. CARPENTER I'm off to try my new wisdom. COBBLER I'm going to make new wise shoes! (They all chatter as they leave. TUBERTIRK-TAD and JIGGERJAG— JAY go to HATILDA.) TUBERTINK-TAD He who buys. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY Is sure to be wise. BAKER Leave her be! (To MNTILDA.) I don't want you around the Bakery. Go. Leave. Stupid. (She leaves. sobbing.) Ha ha ha ha. I did it. I did it. The villagers fell for my plan. They will keep buying doughnuts as long as I bake them if they think they will become wise. When they come back for more, they will find the price has gone up. But they will still buy. And I will become rich on their wise stupidity. Ho! This is a good town for a “wise" baker like me. And now to bake more doughnuts to sell. TUBERTINK—TAD Sell! Sold! JIGGERJAG-JAY Sold! Gold! (The BAKER laughs loudly at the mention of gold. TUBERTINK- TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY join him. MATILDA comes back in and looks at the Bakery longingly. The BAKER turns. glares at her, and she leaves again.) CURTAIN -153- Scene III The scene is in the forest on the outskirts of the village. The largest tree is seen up center. A partially built tree house can be seen. MATILDA enters very sad and alone. MATILDA If I could just buy one doughnut, then I'd be wise too, and no one would laugh at me and call me stupid. I'm not stupid. They are stupid. They think they are wise because they do everything upside down and backwards now. It couldn't be wise to do things that way. (A strange little man entered the tree house with boards in his hand just in time to hear the last of MATILDA's speech.) LITTLE MAN What way? MATILDA Oh! Who said that? LITTLE MAN Nobody said "that!" RETILDA Who said "what way?" LITTIE RMN What way? MATILDA Yes. LITTLE MAN well. what way? MATILDA What way what? LITTLE MAN In what way couldn't it be wise to do things? MATILDA Where are you? I can't see you! -154- LITTLE MAN Have you looked? MATILDA Yes. . . I think so. LITTLE MAN Maybe I'm not here. MATILDA But I can hear you. LITTLE MAN Can you always see things you can hear? MATILDA (Carefully.) Ye—e-esss. . . LITTLE MAN Can you see the wind as it whistles through the trees? MATILDA Oh, no! LITTLE MAN Why? MATILDA Maybe the wind is too high! LITTLE MAN You can feel it on your face, can't you? MATILDA Yes. . . But. . . Oh, I can't answer because I'm not wise. you really here somewhere? LITTLE MAN Somewhere! MATILDA Where? Could I find you if I were wise? LITTLE.MAN Not unless you looked in the right place. Are -155- MATILDA Where is the right place? LITTLE MAN Here! MATILDA Here? (Looking for him.) LITTLE MAN No. MATILDA It sounds like you're behind that big tree. LITTLE MAN You're getting warmer. RETILDA Oh, you're not here. LITTLE MAN Where? MATILDA Behind the tree. LITTLE MAN I wonder where I am. I know. look for the wind. NRTILDA Are you the wind? LITTLE MAN No, but I travel on it sometimes. MATILDA The wind is in the trees. In the tops of the trees. LITTLE MAN Look! MATILDA So are you! (See the LITTLE MAN.) -156- LITTLE MAN See. you were wise enough to find me. You just had to look in the right place. MATILDA HOW'did you get there? LITTLE MAN On the wind. MATILDA The wind? LITTLE MAN Yes! I was looking for a new place to build my house. This looked like a good. quiet forest, so I picked the largest tree and decided to settle in it. MATILDA Are you going to live in the tree? LITTLE MAN If I ever get my house built. But people keep bothering me. Once it was a baker and his two boys looking for some place to sell doughnuts. I had just started building again when I heard you crying. Why were you crying? MATILDA Because I'm not wise. I don't wear clothes made by wise people. I can't learn the new wise ways of doing things in school. . . And all because I don't have the price to pay the Baker for his wise doughnuts. LITTLE MAN Wise doughnuts? What are they? ' w MATILDA The Baker sells them. he is the wisest man in town now. He dis- covered a new ingredient to bake into his doughnuts, so now whoever eats them becomes wise. LITTLEIMAN Doughnuts can't make people wise! (A little leary.) Can they? -157- MATILDA Yes. . . I think so. . . Oh, I don't know. . . Everything seems so mixed up. Since the Baker came to the village and started selling wise doughnuts. everything seems to be upside down and backwards. Oh, if I had the money I could buy a doughnut. Then everyone wouldn't laugh at me because I'm not wise. LITTLE MAN Upside down and backwards doesn't sound like wisdom to me. MATILDA Everyone says it is. ' LITTLE MAN Oh! Oh! Oh! (As if fighting with himself over a problem.) MATILDA What's the matter? LITTLE MAN I can't decide! MATILDA What? LITTLE MAN Not what! I can't decide if I should go to see your village and its wise people or not. MATILDA Do you want to see them? LITTLE MAN Yes, but I also want to get my house built. Oh! Oh! Oh! I don't know what to do. I know it isn't wise to do things backwards and upside down. MATILDA Isn't it? LITTLE MAN No! 'Well. I don't think so. Oh! Oh. Come, show me your village. If the people really do get wise from eating doughnuts we'll both buy some and be as wise as they are. If I am wiser. I can build my house in a hurry. Come, show me the way. (They go, MATILDA much happier as she leads the LITTLE MAN to the village.) C URTI'L IN -158- Scene IV Villagers parade along street before LITTLE MAN and MATILDA enter. MATILDA and the LITTLE MAN are in a single spot or in front of the curtain. They are on their way to the village. . MATILDA If you laugh at the people or say they are not wise, they will be very angry. LITTLE MAN ' But if what you tell me about the shoes and the clothes is true, I'll have to laugh. MATILDA Oh, you mustn't. LITTLE MAN I'll try very hard. But. . . NMTILDA I know! We won't let them see us. Whenever we go to see someone, we'll hide so we can see them, but they can't see us. Then you can laugh if you want to, and they won't know where it is coming from. LITTLE MAN Like in the forest when I could see you but you couldn't see me-- until you looked in the right place. MATILDA We'll hide again if they do come to the right place. LITTLE MAN Good idea! It will be fun to see if they are really wise. (The spot goes out or they leave the apron. The first scene is the interior of the COBBLER's Shop. Shoes with the heels on the toes are on the racks. They are all sizes, shapes, and colors. MR. HARDY is buying a pair of shoes from the COBBLER. ‘we hear MATILDA and the LITTLE MAN as if they are looking through the window of the shop. “we don't need to see them.) -159- MR. HARDY No. No. That heel is not high enough at all. COBBLER But. . . MR. HARDY I want a pair of shoes with a very high heel. COBBLER Oh, I have just the pair for you. I made them in my very wisest moment. MR. HARDY Let me see them. (The COBBLER brings out a pair of shoes.) Oh, they are perfect. Quick! Let me try them on. COBBLER They may be a little difficult to walk in at first. MR. HARDY Difficult? Ha! If you are wise enough to make them, I am wise enough to wear them. I eat as many doughnuts as you do. Let me try them on. I'll show you I can walk. (The COBBLER puts the shoes on MR. HARDY.) Ooooooo. Ouch. (He laughs then, to hide that the shoe is hurting his foot.) Oh. Oh. They are wonderful. Ooooooo! Feel fine. Uuuuuuuh. (Relieved.) COBBLER walk around a bit. Try them for fit. MR. HARDY I'm sure they will fit. (Tries to walk but can't keep his balance because the shoes tip him so far backwards.) Oooooh. Catch me! Oh, thank you. Guess I lost my footing a bit. (Loud laugh from LITTLE MAN.) MATILDA Sssshhh. They'll hear you. -160- _ LITTLE MAN He doesn't look wise. He looks foolish. MATILDA Sssshhh. (MR. HARDY is trying to walk. He is leaning back so far he can't keep his balance.) COBBLER Can you walk in them, or would you like a lower heel? MR. HARDY Of course I can walk in them. They just take a little getting used to, that's all. (Tries alone.) Ooooh. (Sits down very hard.) COBBLER Maybe if you used a cane for a brace. . . NR. HARDY ' Brace? Oh, yes. Good idea. (He crawls to a bench, pulls himself up and sits on it while the COBBLER gets a cane.) COBBLER Here! Try this. MR. HARDY Uuuh. Yes. (He stands with the help of the COBBLER, takes the stick, braces himself with it behind, and walks out.) Yes, yes. I can walk. Those shoes have the highest heel of any in town. . . But I am wise enough to walk in them. You are very wise to make shoes like these. (He pays the COBBLER as he goes.) . COBBLER Since I am wise, I have sold more shoes than_ever before. (Counts his money.) I can buy more doughnuts with this money and become even wiser. (After the lights go down in the COBB ”R's Shop, the LITTLE MAN is heard laughing very loudly. He walks out into sight on his heels, leaning as far backwards as possible without falling down. MATILDA is close behind, laughing, but more -at the antics of the LITTLE MAN than at the COBBLER. She -161- is still very frightened that she is the only one in the village who is not wise.) LITTLE MAN ' Ho! I am very wise. I have shoes with the highest heel of any MATILDA (Laughing.) Be careful. YOu'll fall. LITTLE MAN Fall? Ho! I need a brace. I can walk in wise shoes if I have a brace. (MATILDA holds the LITTLE MAN up from.behind as he leans way back and walks on his heels. They antic around like this, laughing. The LITTLE MAN loses his balance and falls.) Am I not wise? I can walk like wise men in wise shoes without even wearing the shoes. MATILDA All of the people act like the Cobbler and Mr. Hardy. They think it is wise. LITTLE MAN And they call you stupid because you don't act foolish like they do? MATILDA Yes! LITTLE MAN (Pantomimes walking on heels.) Is this not foolish? ‘ MATILDA You look foolish. LITTLE MAN And so do they. (The voices of the three women villagers are heard off stage. They are coming to buy doughnuts from the BAKER. They are dressed in dresses worn upside down and backwards.) -162- MATILDA Someone is coming. They mustn't see me here. LITTLE MAN Let's hide again and see if they are wise or foolish. (They hide as the three women enter.) MISS SPINET You know, we are the luckiest people in the world to live in this village. MOTHER 'We are the wisest. MRS. CARPENTER I seem to be spending all my money to buy doughnuts. MOTHER I see you had enough to buy a new dress. MISS SPINET With all the new clothes and shoes to buy, money doesn't last very long. MRS. CARPENTER I'm going to buy three dozen doughnuts from the Baker today so that I can make something new and wise. MOTHER The Baker is such a fine man. He spends all his time baking the new wonderful doughnuts just so all of us can become wiser. MISS SPINET I'd like to do something for him. MRS. CARPENTER Maybe we could honor him publicly. . . MOTHER As a thanks from the entire village. MISS SPINET we could have a party for him. -163- MOTHER Why don't we paint the Bakery? MRS. CARPENTER That's really not an honor. He should be honored. SS SPINET I could make him a new hat. . FEE. CARPENTER Oh, I want to do something wonderful. Let's go talk to the others. ‘We can come back and buy our doughnuts when we decide how to thank the Baker 0 MISS SPINET This is so exciting. . . Everyone will want to be in on the cele- bration. MOTHER we must think of something wise and wonderful to do for the Baker. (They exit to gather the rest of the villagers together.) LITTLE MAN Why do they want to honor the Baker? MATILDA Because he has made them wise. LITTLE MAN But they aren't wise. MATILDA Are they really foolish? LITTLE MAN They are the most foolish peOple in the world. MATILDA But they think they are wise. LITTLE MAN That's the Baker's fault. He has tricked them, and he's getting rich because of it. -1615... MATILDA Everyone buys all the doughnuts they possibly can. LITTLE MAN I don't like that Baker. I've never seen him, but I don't like him. MATILDA What are we going to do? Even though the people are foolish rather than wise, they don't know it and they won't believe us. They won't even talk to me. LITTLE MAN we must expose the Baker. MATILDA How? LITTLE MAN I don't knOWo (Voices of all the villagers are heard off stage. They are coming to honor the BAKER.) MATILDA Quick! We must hide again. The villagers are coming back. They are going to honor the Baker. LITTLE MAN (Getting angry.) Oh! They can't. MATILDA 'we can't stop them now. Hurry! LITTLE MAN Oh, it's not right. MATILDA Hide, please! If the people see us. . . (From off stage.) MR. HARDY My shoes have the highest heel of any in town. Let me make the presentation. -165- MISS SPINET I think the Cobbler should do it. LITTLE MAN and MATILDA Oooooh. . .! Ssssshhh. (The villagers enter.) MRS. CARPENTER I think my husband should do it. He is the wisest carpenter in town. MOTHER Let's all do it. ‘We know what we want to say. COBBLER Good idea. we can all make the speech and help place the crown on his head 0 CARPENTER Somebody knock on the door. MR. HARDY I will. MISS SPINET Let's all do it. MRS. CARPENTER Hurry! I can hardly wait! (They all clamor to the door of the Bakery, knocking on it. It is quite a struggle because of the size of their heels and the clothes the people have on are hard to move in. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY answer from inside the Bakery.) . TUBERTINK-TAD A knock! A noise! Answer the door. JIGGERJAG-JAY I can't! I'm scared! It sounds like a boar. TUBERTINK-TAD A boar's a pig. ~166- Jmmmmmu A pig's a jig. TUBERTINK-TAD Then do a jig and answer the door. (All the gillagers knock again.) COBBLER Tubertink-Tad! CARPENTER Jiggerjag-Jay! MR. RARDY Open the door. MISS SPINET we want to see the Baker. MOTHER ‘We have a surprise for him. (The others glare at her for telling too much.) MRS. CARPENTER (To cover the mistake.) we want to talk to him. (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY poke their heads through a crack in the door.) TUBERTINKbTAD Talk to the Baker? JIGGERJAG-JAY The wise doughnut maker? MR. HARDY Call him out for us. TUBERTINK—TAD Call! JIGGERJAG-JAY Small! -167- ALL Hurry! TUBERTINK—TAD and JIGGERJAG—JAY Scurry! (They go into the Bakery.) MISS SPINET I hope they find him. MOTHER Sometimes I wonder about those two. MRS. CARPENTER They must be wise enough. Think of all the doughnuts they can eat. (The BAKER enters through Bakery door, followed by TUBERTINK- TAD and JIGSERJAG-JAY.) ALL Here he is. Are you ready? Shhh. Get set. All together, remember. It's so exciting, etc. LITTLE MAM It's the same Baker that was in the forest--and those two boys! MATILDA Ssssshhh. The people will hear you! LITTLE MAN He looks evil! MATILDA Ssshhhh. BAKER And what does this crowd of wise-looking people mean? Tubertink- Ted and Jiggerjag-Jay said you wanted to see me. ALL You are the wisest man in the world! (They start to close in on him. He gets a little startled at this. He doesn't know what is going on.) BAKER Yes. That may be so, but. . . (To TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) Are they'mad? ~168- TUBERTIKK—TAD Mad? Sad? JIGGERJAG-JAY The peOple are glad? ALL Because you are so good you have made us wiser. BAKER Oh. yes, so I have. You need only eat the doughnuts and you will be wise. (To TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) Do they want more doughnuts? LBERTINK-TAD More! JIGGELJAC-JAY Many! TUBERTINK-TAD Lots! JIGGERJAG-JAX Tops! MR. HARDY So we want to. . . ALL Make you our king! (Villagers move in en masse and crown the Baker all together.) BAKER But--a king with a crown? TUBERTINK-TAD A crown for the Baker. JIGGERJAG—JAY The Baker's a king. MISS SPINET 'we haven't had a king for years. -169- MOTHER Not since my great-grandfather's grandmother's time. (Processional march: BAKER leads the villagers.) (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY speak during march.) TUBERTINK-TAD Make him a king? . JIGGERJAG-JAY Who will be queen? TUBERTINK-TAD A king needs a queen. JIGGERJAG-JAY A queen needs a king. TUBERTINK-TAD A king and no queen. . JIGGERJAG-JAY What a pitiful thing. LITTLE MAN They can't make him a king. Whoever heard of a Baker being a king? BAKER So, I am to be your king! Are you sure you want a baker to be your king? (Very slyly.) I am but a poor humble baker. LITTLE MAN (Very angry.) He's not poor or humble! ALL Yes. Yes. we want you for our king. Hurray! Hurray! etc. BAKER (Wickedly.) Very well. I am your king. That means I am your ruler and law maker. My first law. . . Ha ha ha. . . Every villager must buy one dozen doughnuts each morning, two dozen each noon. and three dozen each night before the Bakery is closed. And you must have the price in your hand. No credit. Ha ha ha. -170... This way. . .you will all become much wiser. If I am to be your king, I want the wisest subjects in the world. Yen need only follow my laws and you will be wiser. COBBLER Yes. Yes. we will be wiser. BAKER As of tomorrow morning, the new laws go into effect. MR. HARDY Through the wisdom of (Bowing.) our new king, we are going to be the wisest villagers anywhere. (As the villagers leave, they say:) MISS SPINET It's so exciting to have a king. MOTHER He's going to make us wiser than ever. MR. KARDI I'll be the wisest in town. MRS. CARPENTER I don't know if I can eat all those doughnuts. MOTHER I can hardly wait for tomorrow. (Exit villagers.) BAKER we will celebrate. YOu will be wiser. Ha ha ha ha. But I will be richer. Ha ha ha ha. A king. These stupid people. Now they have to buy'more doughnuts. It's a law. Ha ha ha ha ha. (He goes into the Bakery. wearing the crown.) TUBERTINK-TAD Our Baker's a king. JIGGERJAB-JAY I feel I could sing. -171- TUBERTINK—TAD Let's sing and dance. JIGGERJAGaJAY And hop and prace. (They start to dance around.) BAKER (Appears in the doorway of the Bakery.) Tubertink-Tad! Jiggerjag- Jay! Come in at once. 'We must bake dozens and dozens of dough- nuts. Enough to make me rich for a life time. TUBERTINK-TAD Bake! Cook! JIGGERJAG—JAY Cook! Bake! BAKER Now! Stop playing arognd out here. You have work to do. TUBERTINK-TAD Work! JIGGERJAG-JAY DOn ' t Shirk ! BAKER . Yes, work! (Very angry.) How many times do I have to tell you? Sometimes I think you are no smarter than these stupid villagers. Next thing I know you'll be wearing your clothes upside down and backwards , too. (As if still playing.) TUBRTINILTAD Upside down? JIGGERJAG-JAY And backwards? ' (Shouting as if about to tear his hair.) BAKER Oh! (He swings at them and they run into the Bakery. The BAKER storms in after them. (MATILDA and the LITTLE MAN come out of hiding. cringing at the display of temper by the BAKER.) MATILDA What are we going to do? LITTLE MAN I don't know. MATILDA Now that the Baker is king, no one will believe he is bad. LITTLE MAN We must expose him. MATILDA How? LITTLE MAN Oh. these people are so foolish! MATILDA Think! What is a plan? LITTLE MAN What is a plan? MATILDA I don't mean what is a plan. . . LITTLE MAN Oh, we need a plan. Think! MATILDA I have been thinking. LITTLE MAN You're not thinking the right way. (The LITTLE MAN jumps up, puts his right finger in his left ear. holds his right foot with his left hand and jumps about.) -173- MATILDA What are you doing? LITTLE MAN Whenever I really need to think. I do it a special way. MATILDA What special way? LITTLE MAN Like this. (He hops around twice to show her.) MATILDA Are you thinking now? LITTLE MAN Yes. Try it. If we both think. we're bound to come up with a plan. You must count each time you turn around. One. two, three, four. (MATILDA does it.) MATILDA One, two. . . LITTLE MAN Five. six. . . MATILDA Three. four. 0 o LITTLE MAN Seven, eight. . . MATILDA Seven, eight. . . LIT'I'IE MAN ' Nine. . . MATILDA Thirteen, fourteen. . . Oh, I can't think and count and hop around at the same time. I'm getting all mixed up. -1714... LITTLE MAN You have thought. MATILDA I have? Of what? LITTLE MAN Not of what, of a plan to expose the Baker. MATILDA But I hadn't even started to think. I was too busy getting mixed up counting. LITTLE MAN That's the plan. MATILDA What's the plan? LITTLE MAN Not what--that. MNTILDA What's that? LITTLE MAN The plan. MATILDA Stand still a minute. I don't understand. What plan did I think of? I just got miied up in counting. LITTLE MAN That's the plan. we will get the Baker mixed up when he is counting. If he can't count, he can't bake. If he can't bake. the people can't buy his doughnuts, and they won't think he is wise! Oh, I can hardly wait until the Baker starts baking so we can try our plan. Come on. let's go to the Bakery. (They leave and the Lights come down.) CURTAIN -175- Scene V The scene takes place inside the Bakery. TUBERTINK-TAD, JIGGERJAG-JAY, and the BAKER are busy mixing batter for more doughnuts. The LITTLE MAN and MATILDA are hiding somewhere in the shop. TUBERTINK—TAD Sugar and eggs go in the bowl. JIGGERJAG-JAY Flour and milk are part of the whole. BAKER Make sure you count these things before you put them in the bowl to be mixed. TUBERTINK-TAD Mix! JIGGERJAG-JAY Kicks! TUBERTINK-TAD Sticks! JIGGERJAG-JAY Picks! TUBERTINK-TAD Bricks! BAKER Mix! TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAC-JAY Mix? BAKER No. No. K0. Don't mix them yet. ‘With all your noise. even I get confused. Do you have everything we need? TUBERTINK-TAD Need , not 0 -176- JIGGERJAG-JAY The oven's hot. BAKER Eggs? TUBERTINKJTAD Legs! (Picking up eggs.) BAKER Milk? JIGGERJAG-JAY Silk! (Picking up milk.) BAKER Flour? TUBERTINK-TAD Sour! (Pulling a face.) BAKER Sugar? JIGGERJAG-JAY Sweet! (Tasting the sugar.) BAKER Stop! (Threatening JIGGERJAG-JAY for tasting.) Shortening? TUBERI‘ INK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY Shortening? BAKER Yes, yes, shortening! It's right behind.you. Hurry up. TUBERTINKJT‘D Up, 6.0“. (They get the shortening.) JIGGERJAG-JAI Run around. BAKER Spice? TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG—JAY Nice! (Smelling the spice.) BAKER Ah ha. we're ready. You two keep your heads about you and we'll be through in no time. TUBLRTINK-TAD (Holding up eggs.) Eggs? BAKER (With cook book in hand.) Seven! LITTLE MAN Eleven! JIGGERJAG-JAY Eleven? . BAKER Seven! (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY throw the eggs back and forth, counting and breaking them into a mixing bowl.) TUBERTINK—TAD One. JIGGERJAG-JAY Two. LITTLE MAN Four. TUBERTINK-TAD Five. MATILDA Three. JIGGEnJAG-JAY Four. BAKER Four? You've put more than four in there. -178- TUBERTINK-TAL Five? BAKER How many did you count? You are supposed to have seven. TUBERTINK—TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY (Counting the yolks in the bowl.) On. two, three, four. TUBERTIMK-TAD Four eggs. JIGGERJAG-JAY The hen's bowed legs. BAKER Put in three more. . TUBERTINE-TAD (Throws an egg to JIGGJERJAG-JAY.) One! (JIGGERJAG-JAY catches it, breaks it into the bowl and throws one to TUBEATINK-TAD.) LITTLE MAN Two. JIGGERJAQ-JAY Three. (TUBERTINK-TAD catches it and breaks it into the bowl.) BAKER Why do you mean. three? Don't you know how to count? Two comes after one. Now, try counting. TUBERTINK-TAD One, the sun. JIGGERJAG-JAY Two, it's blue. TUBERTINK-TAD Three,,a tree. -179- JICGERJAG-JAY Four. there's more. TUBERTINK-TAD Five, a hive. LITTLE MAN Seven in heaven. JIGGERJAG-JAY Eight, it's late. BAKER What happened to six? Six comes after five. TUBERTINK-L'I‘AD Five. six. JIGCERJAG-JAY Let's do some tricks. ' BAKER No. no tricks. No tasting the sugar. no playing around of any kind. If you can't help me bake, I'll find someone else. You are too stupid to find jobs any place else. I was very good to hire idiots like you in the first place. A moment of weakness. no doubt. Now. you have put in seven eggs. The milk is next. (Reads the cook book.) Four cups of milk. (With thisJIGGERJAG-JAY pours the milk into the cup and TUBERINK-TAD pours it into the bow.) JIGGERJAGiJAY One. LITTLE MAN Six. ' BAKER (Correcting TUBERTINK-TAD.) Two. MATILDA Five. JIGGERJAG—JAY Six. ~180- BAKER (Correcting JIGGERJAG-JAY.) Three. LITTLE MAN Nine. TUBERTINK-TAD Ten. BAKER Four! Idiots! I'm surrounded by idiots. Whoeverlaard of counting one, seven, six. ten? It's one, three five, nine. . . No, no. It's one. two. 0 o LITTLE KAN Thirteen. BAKER Fourteen. PmTILDA Eight. BAKER Nine. TUBBRTINK-TAD Nine, shine. JIGGERJAG-JAY Isn't it fine? BAKER (Flustered.) One five. No. .One. two, six. No. No. One. two. three, four. Yes, one, two, three, four. Yes. yes, I'm losing my mind. I know how to count. 'What's wrong with me? Let's see. What's next? Oh yes. Flour! Sift three cups of flour six times. Fold gently into eggs and milk. Hear? Three cups of flour. If you make a mess of this. you're through. Sift three cups of flour six times. TUBERTINK-TAD Sift six? BAKER No! Three! (While going to the flour sack.) -181- TUBERTINK—TAD Swift, sift. JIGGERJAG-JAY Sift six. TUBERTINK-TAD Swift kicks. One. LITTLE MAN Two. JIGGEPJAG-JAY Three. BAKER One. MATILDA Six. TUBERTINK-TAD Seven. BAKER Two. LITTLE MAN Nine. JIGGEAJAG-JAY Ten. MATILDA Fifteen. BAKER All I can hear is numbers. Don't count track. I think I was on two. ' TUBERTINK-TAD Three. LITTLE MAN Thirteen. JIGGERJAG-JAY Fourteen. so loud. You made me lose -182- BAKER Fifteen. MATILDA Thirty-two. BAKER Thirtybtwo? Have one of you sifted thirty—two times? TUBERTINK-TAD Times 0 J IGGEZ JAG-JAY Chimes. BAKER Enough of you. Out of my sight. You are too stupid to help. You just make things worse. Out! Out! TUBERTINK-TAD Silent o JIGGERJAG-JAY About. BAKER Leave! (He pushes them out of the door.) And don't come back. I'll do this myself. This flour must be sifted by now. Now for the sugar. (Reads the book.) Thirteen cups of sugar. Thirteen no wonder it costs to much to make the doughnuts. Sugar is very expensive. (He starts counting the sugar as he measures it into the cup.) BAKER One, two. . . LITTLE MAN Three 0 BAKER Four, five. . . MATILDA Seven. -183- BAKER Eight. LITTLE MAN Twenty—one. BAKER Thirty-six. MATILDA Nineteen. BAKER Forty-two. No, no. I'm getting confused. Numbers. All I hear is numbers. Those silly boys have me so confused. Now where was 1-- let me see. . . Eight. LITTLE MAN Ten. BAKER Ten. MATILDA Fifteen. BAKER Fifteen. LITTLE MAN Three. BAKER Three? Three? Surely I've put more than three cups in. I can't count. What's wrong? I keep hearing so many numbers. Let me try counting. One. two, three. . . LITTLE MAN Six. BAKER Six. MATILDA Nine. -184- BAKER Nine. Nine, six, thirt en. four, seven. twenty-one. Something's happened. I'll count on my fingers. Three, five. seven, thirty- two. ninety-six, seventy-eight. No. No. That's not right. One! Yes, one! _That's the first nuMber. Now the next. LITTLE MAN Four. (They shout numbers as they leave the Bakery.) MATILDA Fourteen. BAKER (Trying to count on his fingers like a blubbering idiot.) Fourteen. six, thirteen. nine. two. seven, one. No. No. ‘What's wrong? What's happened? I can't count. I can't bake. How will I explain this to the villagers? They think I am wise. They'll never believe I can't count. . . I can! I must try again. Three. eight, four. seven, thirteen, thirteen, thirteen. thirteen. thirteen. No. No. No. (The lights dim out on him and come upon the LITTLE MAN and MATILDA out side the Bakery.) LITTLE MAN Nine. MATILDA Six. LITTLE MAN Twenty-one. RMTILDA Sixty-four. IITTLE MAN Ha ha ha ha, we did it. RMTILDA It worked. I can hardly wait til tomorrow to finish our plan. CURTAIN -185- Scene VI The scene is the street in front of the Bakery. early the next morning. TUBERTINK~TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY enter and look into the Bakery. TUBERTINK-TAD The Baker's asleep. JIGGERJAG-JAY He's all in a heap. TUBERTINK-TAD He's in a heap? JIGGERJAG-JAI There isn't a peep. TUBERTINK-TAD How can he sleep? (The BAKER is heard from inside the Bakery.) BAKER Nine, seven, thirteen. No. No. Three. six. two. one. Oh. Oh. TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY He isn't asleep. BAKER Numbers! Numbers! There are so many numbers. (He is unaware of TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) TUBERTL‘EK-TAD Numbers? Numbers? JIGGERJAG—JAY He's baking by hundreds! BAKER Nothing will work. I can't count. I can't bake. These doughnuts taste awful. TUBERTINK—TAD Bake. ~186- JIGGERJAG-JAY Cake 0 TUBERTINK-TAD Make. JIGGERJAG-JAY Take. TUBERTINK-TAD Lake. (The BAKER enters the street from the Bakery.) BAKER There you are. Idiots! Numbskulls! Do you know what you have done to me with all your words and numbers? I'm ruined. And it's your fault. If I ever get my hands on you. . . (He chases them.) I'll. . . TUBERTINK—TAD What did we do? BAKER Do? 0h. . . What did you do? You've ruined the most wonderful plan of my'life. That's what you've done. I could have been rich if it hadn t been for you. But now there's not a chance left. - TUBERTINK-TAD Left. right. JIGGERJAG-JAY Night, light. BAKER If you ever show your faces around here again. I'll. . . TUBERTINK-TAD Please tell us what's wrong. JIGGERJAG-JAY And then we'll be gone. BAKER I have been baking all night. Yet there's not a doughnut anywhere that can be eaten. I listened to your silly words so long that I -187- couldn't think. I've forgotten how to count. TUBEUTINK-TAD The Baker can't count! JIGGERJAG-JAY The Baker can't bake. BAKER I can't do anything. All night I've been trying to bake doughnuts to sell to the people when they come to buy their one dozen in the morning, two dozen at noon. and three dozen at night. I was going to be rich. TUBERTINK-TAD Rich? Stitch? JIGGERJAG-JAY we're all in a hitch. (Voices of the villagers are hears off stage.) BAKER It's the villagers. Oh, I must try to sell them the bad doughnuts. I'll tell them the doughnuts have more wisdom ingredients than befae and that's why they taste different. Tubertink-Tad. Jiggerjag-JAY. Go bring out the trays of doughnuts that are baked. (TUBERTINK—TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY exit into the Bakery.) Six. twelve. nine. three, two. five. Oh. I still can't count. How will I sell them each a dozen? I may be cheated if anyone else counts them. (The LITTLE MAN and MATILDA enter as the BAKER tries to count. They are off to one side away from him.) LITTLE MAN He's still trying to count. MATILDA He doesn't sound very wise any more. BAKER If I could only remember how many are in a dozen! Nine? No. Six? No. Fifteen? No. Forty-two? Fourteen? no, no. Seven? Eleven? (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY enter with trays of bad doughnuts. They are all shapes and sizes.) TUBERTINK-TAD Twentyetwo? JIGGERJAG-JAY One hundred eight? BAKER No. No. Don't start shouting numbers again. Think! How many are in a dozen. TUBERTINK-TAD Three. BAKER I‘Jo . JIGGERJAG-JAY Five? BAKER No. LITTLE MAN Seven? BAKER No. MATILDA Thirteen? BAKER Thirteen? TUBERTINK-TAD Thirteen? JIGGERJAdeAY Thirteen? BAKER Yes. Yes. Thirteen. -189... TUBERTINK-TAD Thirteen and you're a kingl JIGGERJAG-JAY The Baker's a king. MATILDA Don't forget your part of the pbn. IITTLE MAN I won't forget. I'm all ready. (All the villagers enter hurriedly to buy doughnuts.) SARA JANE Mbther, do we each get to buy a dozen? FDTHER Yes. get your money ready. MR. HARDY When I'm wiser I'll be able to buy shoes with even a higher heel. MISS SPINET I don't know if I can eat six dozen doughnuts each day. COBBLER This is an important day for all of us. MRS. CARPENTER We're lucky to have such a wonderfUI baker. BARPENTER It looks like he's waiting for us. LITTLE MAN Do you have the money? MATILDA Yes! Do you have your hat? LITTLE MAN Yes. (MATILDA steps out where the crowd can see her.) -190- MATILDA Good morning! MOTHER What are you doing here? You are unfit to be buying doughnuts with us. MRS. CARPENTER You are not wise like we are. MATILDA It's true I'm not wise like you are. but I'd like to buy a doughnut and try to be wise. BAKER Do you have the price? MATILDA Yes, I think so. But may I just buy one doughnut first? BAKER It's a new law that everyone must buy'one dozen doughnuts every morning. two dozen at noon, and three dozen each night. COBBLER If you are going to live here. you must buy as many as we do. CARPENTER 'We want no one here who is not like us. ALL Make her buy as many as we do. Make her buy a dozen. Etc. . . BAKER (Anxious to sell even one.) Give me the price and I will let you taste. MATILDA Oh. thank you. You are not only wise. but kind as well. MRS. CARPENTER I wonder what will happen to her when she tastes the wisdom. MOTHER The same thing that happened to us. -191- MR. RARDY She will become wise like we are. BAKER (Handing her a doughnut.) Give me the money fer it. (She pays him.) As soon as you have tasted this one, you must buy a dozen. MATILDA It doesn't look like a doughnut. COBBLER The hole is bigger to hold the wisdom. EARPENTER When you are wise. you will know all about those things. ' MATILDA But this one doesn t have any hole in it at all. ALL No hole? “What do you mean? All doughnuts have holes in them. The Baker said so. etc. BAKER (To TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAY.) Quick! See if you can find one with a hole in it. TUBERTINK-TAD In this there's a hole. JIGGERJAG-JAY The whole makes you wise. (They point at the sign.) TUBERTINK-TAD Buys. JIGGERJAC-JAY Tries. TUBERTINK-TAD 'Wise. (They give her the doughnut.) -192- SARA JANE Taste it, fraidy-cat. MOTHER It doesn't hurt you to be wise. MR. HARDY well? COBBLER You must eat the whole thing if you are going to be wise. CARPENTER Take a big bite. MATILDA What does wisdom taste like? SARAH JANE It's sweet. BAKER You may wonder at first, but after you get used to it, these dough- nuts will taste just like regular ones. (MATILDA takes a tiny bite and pulls a face.) MATILDA This tastes terrible. MISS SPINET Wisdom tastes good. MOTHER If it tasted bad, do you think we would have been eating it} ME.CM@MHM1 You are not wise enough to know. MATILDA It does taste terrible. Try one and see. MR. HARDY I will taste one. I'll eat it all. I'm wise enough to knowl -193- COBBLER So will I. CARPENTER 'We'll prove that they don't taste any different than regular ones. MR. HARDY I'm ready to buy a dozen. I'll show her. MISS SPINET Give me a dozen too. MOTHER And me. SARA HARE ‘ Mother, buy two. MRS. CARPENTER Sell me a dozen. BAKER I'll sell you each a dozen. (Aside.) If I can remember how many a dozen is. Oh. . . (Starts to count them out.) Three. FIR. HARDY Three? That's only one. BAKER Yes, of course. One. Two, . . .ah. . . five? MR. HARDY That's three. Are you cheating me? BAKER Cheat? Of course not. Why'would I cheat in? Am I not your king? Ah. . . (Tries to dount again.) (Very fast to cover up.) four, six, nine, three, seven. thirteen! There you are, thirteen. That's a dozen. ‘ MATILnA Thirteen isn't a dozen. BAKER Are you trying to tell me I don't know how many doughnuts are in a dozen? I said thirteen. There are thirteen. Count them yourself. (The BAKER is falling apart trying to justify himself.) (Everyone stares at him, amazed.) I am wiser than anyone here. I baked the doughnuts, didn't I1 -19u- There are. . . Thirteen doughnuts in a dozen. MATILDA Is that a new law too? ALL I guess the saker should know. We were not wise enough to know before. . . Etc. CARPENTER You are not wise enough to stay here. Go away. ALL Yes, go away. You are not fit. . . Etc. (The LITTLE MAN appears with a squashed chef's hat on and interrupts.) LITTLE MAN Is this the local Bakery? MR. HARDY Yes, it is. MISS SPINET This is the Bakery. CARPENTER What do you want here? COBBLER Who are you? LITTLE MAN Who? Why I am the new taste tester for all the villages within seven hills and six valleys. MOTHER What's a taste tester. LITTLE MAN A taste tester tests the taste of doughnuts to see if they pass the taste test. Where is the Baker? -195... BAKER I am the Baker. LITTLE MAN Well, I am here to test the taste of your doughnuts. BAKER You are going to test the taste? LITTLE MAN Yes. BAKER Oh, well, it's a law here that everyone must buy one dozen in the morning, two dozen at noon and three dozen each night. LITTLE MAN Very well, I'll buy a dozen. BAKER You want a whole dozen? CARPENTER Sell him a dozen. That will prove to Matilda that the doughnuts don't taste terrible. , MISS SPINET Maybe she will believe him. ME.CMWUHE1 She is so stupid. (The BAKER counts out the doughnuts to the LITTLE MAN very fast.) BAKER Nine, six, three, five, four. seven. two, eight. eleven, ten, thirteen. LITTLE MAN Thirteen? BAKER Yes. Yes. There are thirteen in a dozen. LITTLE MAN (Winks at MATILDA.) Ummmmmm. . .thirteen? -196- COBBLER Taste the doughnuts. (The LITTLE MAN tastes the doughnuts and expresses disgust because they are so bad. LITTLE MAN Oh! These will never pass the taste test. No Baker can sell doughnuts that taste like these do. MISS SPINET But I think the doughnuts are delicious. . . BAKER Of course they are. (Pointing to the villagers.) These people have been eating them for weeks. They know they taste good. MOTHER That's true! MRS. CARPENTER The doughnuts are wonderful! CARPENTER And besides that, they make us wise. MATILDA But you aren't wise. You have become foolish! MR. HARDY (Flustered at the thought.) Why. . .why. . .of course. . .we are wise. COBBLER Look at the wise shoes I have made! (Pointing to everyone's shoes.) CARPENTER And just look at these wonderful dresses? MISS SPINET (To MATILDA.) How dare you say we are not wise? BAKER Yes! Yes! You are wise and she is foolish. -197- MR. HARDY (To MATILDA.) Get out of here. MATILDA (Pointing to the LITTLE MAN.) But he tasted them, too. He said they were Bad. LITTLE MAN They'll never pass the taste test! MRS . CARPENTER Neither of you are wise enough to know! LITTLE MAN I am a very experienced taste tester. MATH-DA (To crowd.) Why don't you taste them? You will know these dough- nuts can't make you wise. LITTLE HAN Here. (Offers his doughnuts.) Taste one of these! ALL Of course we'll taste. They are good. ‘we know. . . Etc. (They grab into MR. HARDY's and LITTLE MAN'S doughnuts and taste.) MR. HARDY They do taste terrible. COBBLER It's awful! MOTHER I'm not eating any more of these! MISS SP INET They used to be good. SARA JANE Oh! (Pulling face!) It's nasty! CARPENTER Mine tastes. . .(Struggles to find a word.) .498... BAKER They don't taste bad! I have baked doughnuts full of wisdom. . . you are wise! MATILDA How can you bake doughnuts full of wisdom when you aren't even wise enough to bake ones that taste good? BAKER (A little frightened.) These taste "different" because they are full of more wisdom! , MATILDA (To crowd.) You tasted the doughnuts, you know they are bad. And look at yourselves. Everything is backwards and upside down. . . you are not wise! (They all look at themselves and each other.) MRS. CARPENTER Are we wise? CARPENTER The Baker has tricked us! . MISS SPINET He has made us think we are wise. MOTHER He's not fit to be our king! CARPENTER He's not even fit to be our baker. COBBLER He has sold us bad doughnuts. MRS. CARPENTER He has fooled us. He doesn't deserve to stay here. MR. HARDY Drive him out of town! (All agree to drive him out of town.) -199- BAKER Ko. No. Please don't drive me away. ALL You are bad. Wicked! You tried to fool us. You are no good. Away with you. BAKER - No! No! Please. For years I have tried to find a town where there were no other bakers. . . So that I could bake my doughnuts. MATILDA But you tried to fool the people. . .and pretended to be wise yourself. ' BAKER Yes, yes, I did, but. . . COBBLER The doughnuts taste bad now. . .you are not fit to bake doughnuts any more. MR. HARDY Away with him! CARPENTER Drive him out. MATILDA You are not fit, because you forgot how to count. Whoever heard of thirteen in a dozen. BAKER Yes. I forgot how to count. But I will learn to count again and to bake good doughnuts for you. . .please let me stay. MATILDA And will you put thirteen in every dozen? MISS SPINET There are only twelve, aren't there? MATILDA It will be a reminder to never try and fool people again. -200- ALL Good idea. we'll still have a baker. . .and thirteen in a dozen. LITTLE MAN And to remind each of you how easy it is to be fooled. COBBLER We were foolish to be taken in by the Baker. . . MR. HARDY These shoes are very uncomfortable to be so wise. SS SPINET I thought I was being very wise. MRS. CARPENTER We have been foolish. . . CARPENTER (To MATILDA.) 'We should have listened to Matilda MOTHER You were right and we were wrong! SARA JANE Mother! Aren't we wise? LITTLE MAN Are you going to let the Baker stay? ALL I don't know! Can we trust him? He does bake good doughnuts, etc. BAKER Let me stay! You needn't be foolish any more. . .now that you know. CARPENTER we do need a baker! MATILLA Let's let him stay and wear wise clothes! (laughs.) COBBLER And then he'll be wise enough to bake good doughnuts. (Laughs.) -201- (Everyone laughs at that.) BAKER But. . .but. . .they aren't wise clothes. (TUBERTINK-TAD and JIGGERJAG-JAI go to the BAKER, take his apron off and put it on him backwards. He is humiliated.) TUBERTINK-TAD 'Wise clothes. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY Everyone knows. . . MATILDA (To the LITTLE MAN.) Our plan did work and I can come back to the village to live! BAKER Do I have to wear my clothes this way? MATILDA The Baker looks "wise" enough to bake good doughnuts now! SARA JANE mother! Will he really put thirteen in every dozen from now on? MATILDA Thirteen is a wise dozen! TUBERTINK-TAD A dozen each day. . . JIGGERJAG-JAY Thirteen, I'll say. . . MATILDA Thirteen's a Baker's Dozen! ALL Hip , hip , hurray! BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS Butcher. S. H. Aristotles' Theggz of figgtgx and Fine Art. Fourth revised edition. New York: Dover Publications. 1951. Chorpenning, Charlotte B. Twentygggg Yeags with Children'§,Thea§;e. Anchorage, Kentucky: The Children's Theatre Press. 1951. Fisher, Caroline E., and Hazel G. Robertson. Children and the Theatre. Stanford, California: Stanford University, Press. 1940. Herts, Alice Minnie. The Children'g Educationgl Theatre. New York: Harpers and Bros. Publishers. 1911. Major. Clare Tree. Playing Theatre. New York: The Oxford University Press, 1931. ' ward. Mflnifred. Theatre for Children. Revised edition. Anchorage. Kentucky: The Children's Theatre Press. 1954. ARTICLES AND PERIODICALS Hauser, Bertrum. "Where Children Play at Giving Plays," The Liteggzy Digest. LXXXVI. August 1. 1925. Kupper. Herbert, "Fantasy and the Theatre Arts." Edgcatignal Theatre Spencer, Sara, "Children's Theatre Past and Present." Educational Thegtge Journal. March 1955. Viola. Ann. "Drama with and for Children: An Interpretation of Terms." Educational Theatre goggggl, Nay. 1956. -202- <- 1‘.-_,.__ -203- UNPUBLISHED MATERIAL Graham. Kenneth L. "An Introductony Study of Evaluation of Plays for Children's Theatre in the United States." Unpublished Ph. D. dissertation. University of Utah. 19n7. watkins. Mary Jane. “The Writing and Production of a Children's Play Based upon Thackery's The Rgge and the Ring." Unpublished Master's thesis. Michigan State University. 1955. BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR Jolene Nebeker was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, and received both her elementary and secondary education there. Upon graduation from high school in 1955, she enrolled at Utah State University in Logan. Utah. where she studied speech and drama education. Throughout her four years of college, she was an active par- ticipant in all theatre activities. As a senior. Miss Nebeker served as president for the local chapter of Theta Alpha Phi National Honorary Dramatics Fraternity. Her interest in children's theatre grew as a result of acting and assisting in the many children's plays that were produced during her four years at Utah State. Because of her interest in theatre for children, Miss Nebeker enrolled at Michigan State University in 1959 as a graduate student to continue her studies. While at Michigan State. she served as costume assistant. and was also assistant director of the Ybutheatre Production of IDG.EEE§£QRLS New Clothes. Now. after the completion of a Masters' of Arts degree at Michigan State. Miss Nebeker will teach speech and drama in the public school system. LA “u! .i HICHIGRN STRTE UNIV. LIBRRRIES lllll H Ill HilfllHllllllli || 312931056 9050