OpenEducation4Schools/Play Writing/Ages 10-13

"Your Place" Past, Present and Future

A play written by children and staff from Warrington School

Main Characters:

• Katherine - likes history and is very smart
• Tom - won’t get off his personal stereo and when he does he is eating or sleeping
• Alice - is addicted to sport and likes things the way they are
• Courtney - a good dancer with a bad attitude
• Teacher - male or female to suit
• Elizabeth - girl from the past who enjoys making smart comments
• Lucy - Elizabeth's sister who likes getting Elizabeth in trouble
• Pixie - cute girl from the future. somehow Katharine is related to her...
• Haley - sweet girl, or is she?
• Matt - Haley's best friend.And accomplice...
• Village chief - a welcoming ruler.

SCENE 1:

Present day

• A stage with a group of pupils in dance type clothing milling about

Teacher: Good morning class we are dancing today so I hope you have come prepared. Now you all should have practiced so make me proud

Pupils on stage move into various dance poses ready to start, Courtney moves to the front of the group

Courtney: Ok everyone! Remember I am the leader and if you slip up once I will give you the job of doorman

Everyone: Aggh!

Courtney: Now 1…2…3…4!

Music starts and the dance begins (include Jamendo site and song used) - some discreet kicking of Courtney takes place by girls behind her

Teacher: Bravo! Bravo! Well done everyone that looked great.

Courtney:Miss, Katherine and Alice kept stepping on my heels!And I am certain that they did it...ON PURPOSE!

Katherine and Alice together: She asked for it! (Blow raspberries)

Teacher: Girls how rude! You shall get a detention and you will be kicked off the dance squad.

Katherine: Thank goodness!

Alice:Yay! We never asked to be in this stupid dance anyway.

Scene One finishes and Katherine and Alice walk off the stage muttering and Tom follows

SCENE 2:

A space that looks like a classroom after school (stacked chairs, cleaner wiping down desks)

Alice:I have to go to my netball practice and then my swimming club! Do I ever get to relax these days?

Katherine: Well to be truthful I’m glad you don’t, otherwise you could be hooked to that stupid thing that he is always stuck on. (pointing at Tom nodding under his headphones) He is so antisocial!

Tom:What? (looking at the girls confused and shouting)

Katherine:See what I am saying.

Girls looking at all the rubbish at the side of the classroom

Alice:Ooooh look at all this litter!

Katherine: But look, isn't that a watch (bends over and picks up a shiny watch). It is a watch! It’s beautiful!

Alice:I bet it’s just one of those toys that kids get in fast food meals!

Katherine:It doesn't look like it, its just old fashioned, I bet I can find someone to fix it, maybe I can sell it and make some money.

Tom:Hey girls? What about me? I mean my skills are perfectly fine! Let me try!

Tom yanks the watch off Katherine and begins fiddling with it.

Tom:See? It works! The time just wasn’t right.

Alice:(Sarcastically) oh, wow!

Katherine:Thanks! I’ve got to go and get my homework done, I've got tons!

Alice:Bye!

Tom:See ya!

The children all turn to Katherine

Alice:Um guys?

Tom & Katherine:Yeah (together)

Alice:Do you feel kind of dizzy?

Everyone:WOOOOOAAAAHHHH!!!

SCENE 3:

The past…

Alice:Where on earth are we? And what am I wearing?

Tom:Well miss know it all where are we? And why are you guys wearing dresses?

Katherine:It seems to me that from looking at you two and your Victorian style clothing we have been sent back in time, I am wondering if it has something to do with this watch.

Tom:So how far back are we?

Alice:There seems to be some people over there - maybe we could ask them what year it is.

Katherine:Well lets hope they are friendly, they might not have seen people who look like us.

Tom:Look over there that looks like a village.

Alice: It looks like they have spotted us, can you remember

Katherine:They might not be used to people like us, what shall we do? It could be a shock to them.

Village leader:Welcome

Katharine:Um hi.

Alice:Hi!

They wave gingerly

Tom:Girls don't be so afraid, they are people and so are we!

Katharine:Let’s go then!

They walk towards the village

The people from the village stare for a while then perform a welcoming dance

Alice:Wow that was so cool.

Tom:Dang! i should have brought my camera!

Katharine:Whoa! I bet no one else has seen anything like it!

TOM:Hey look at the beach there’s a ship coming in!

Katharine:That must be the settlers! They would be relived to see the land again because the conditions on the boats weren’t so nice and they would have been out at sea for weeks!

Alice:I hope they aren’t sick. All the people from the village might die if they catch something nasty!

Katharine:Can we go and see them?

Tom:I don’t see why not.

They say goodbye to the village and race down to the beach

A few hours later...

Alice:Are they ever going to come in?

Tom starts hyperventilating

Tom:So deprived of I-pod!

Tom curls up in a ball on the floor

Katharine:Be quiet both of you! We can go back later but as you can see this is an important historical moment!

Alice:Hey maybe they aren’t coming in at all, oh I do wishwe could just go on that ship for a while so that we can get home faster!

Katharine:I’m feeling sick again!

Alice:What did I say?

Tom:You two stop bickering!

WOOOOOAAAHHHH!!!

SCENE 4:

Aboard the ship…

Alice:Ah ha oh yeah!

Alice does a little victory dance

Katharine:Look we are actually aboard the ship!

Alice:Maybe if you 'wish then you can go somewhere with this thing!

Katharine:That’s how it works!Alice you are amazing!

Alice gives Tom a smug little grin

Tom:Sounds pretty cheesy if you ask me.Wishing isn’t that a thing of the past?

Alice:We are in the past silly!

Tom:Oh.You girls are good at come backs.

Alice & Katharine:Who are they?

Introducing Elizabeth & Lucy, twins aboard the ship

Elizabeth:Good day I have never seen you three before! have you Lucy?

Lucy:No I have not, quite a strange lot though; they could have been down in steerage.

Elizabeth:Could have been from the asylum!

Lucy:Elizabeth! How rude! I will tell mama and papa!

Elizabeth:Look who are you?

Alice:Hi I’m um Aliceabeth! This is Thomas and Katharine.

She curtsey's awkwardly

Lucy:Well Thomas and Katharine I have heard before but Aliceabeth, how truly odd!

Elizabeth:Me neither.

Katharine:What is it like on this ship?

Lucy & Elizabeth:Well it does need a lot of improvement!

Others come on stage (dancers) they start mumbling

Then they launch themselves in to a dance

You see Tom mumbling in the background...

WOOOAAAAHHHH!

SCENE 5:

The future…

Alice:What did you wish for?

Katharine:What me?

Alice:No! Why would you wish for anything? You had everything you had ever wanted!

Tom:OK,OK I wanted to be in the future, so what?

Alice:Eww, is this really the future?

Katharine:Look! It’s so disgusting, what part of Warrington are we in now?

Tom:I don’t know but I want to go back to the present!

Alice: Me too!

Alice & Tom start hugging themselves

Katharine:Yes, I want to leave as well! Just let me get the watch, oh my gosh! Where is it?? It was in my hand!!

Katharine starts searching around in a frenzy

Tom mumbles something under his breath

Alice:What are we going to do? What are we going to do? What are we going to do? Oh we are doomed! Doomed! Doomed! Noooooo!!

Katharine:What’s wrong with her?

Tom:Don’t ask me, I know nothing about girls!

Katharine:How did I loose it? It was in my hand for goodness sake!

Alice:Hey! Oh lala!

Tom:Oh brother. She’s discovered what we are wearing.

Alice:Well the landscape is really ugly but the opposite goes for these gorges clothes!

Katharine:We will have to split up to look for it. Everything here is so dull it won’t take long to find it.

THEY SPLIT UP

SCENE 6

Alice…

Alice:I’m so freaked! I am going to go mad if I’m alone for another ten minutes!

She pauses and looks around

Alice:Now where is that stinking watch?

Haley:Hi!

Alice:Um who are you?

Haley:Oh! Excuse me! How rude of me! My name is Haley and you must be…

Alice:Oh yeah my name is Alice. I’m actually looking for something so I’ve got to go, bye!

Alice turns to leave but Haley grabs her and spins her around

Haley:Well why can’t I help?

Alice:I don’t want to waste your time.

Haley:What are you looking for?

Alice:Oh just a watch you see I have an eye for jewelry.

Haley:I think I saw a silver watch a while back, want me to show you where?

Alice:OK, OK show me the way.

Haley:Great lets go…

Meanwhile…

SCENE 7

Katharine…

Katharine:Wow this place is so different. So strange! How did it ever get this way?

She spots some figures up ahead

Katharine:UM EXCUSE ME? WHERE AM I?!!!

Pixie:Oh hello,you are in Warrington.My name is Pixie!

Katharine:Yeah well I know that, but which part am I in? I’m Katharine.

Pixie:Wow you must have come from a while back that’s a pretty long name! These days our names are only two syllables or less, it’s just… easier.

Katharine:This world has changed!

Pixie:Well some people still have long names for example my grandma is called Katharine, she’s in her 90s now.

Katharine:How old was she in 2010?

Pixie:Oh she was like 10, 11, 12?

Katharine:Oh my gosh!

Pixie:What?

Katharine:That could be me!

Pixie:Oh.

Katharine:Well you see I’m from the past or 2010. My friends and I were time travelling when we lost the device that got us here... So that old woman could be me.

Pixie:Um OK?

Katharine:So how did this place get like this?

Pixie:Well back in 2010 it was all Eco and nice but then well things change, the new generation didn’t give a damn so well it ended up like this...well thats what grandma...you?...told me.

Katharine:How terrible!

Pixie:Yeah.

DANCE…

SCENE 8

Tom…

Tom:Now where could that watch be? Why did Katharine have to be so stupid in the 1^st place?

Matt:Well that’s what you get from hanging out with girls!

Tom:Huh who said that?

Tom looks around the room

Matt:Me you dimwit!

Tom:Who?

Matt comes out from behind the curtain and scares Tom

Matt:HELLO????

Tom:Oh hi my name is Tom.(Sarcastically) Thanks for scaring me.

Matt:Whatever, the names Matt.

They shake hands

Matt:Sorry about being so rude.

Tom:Oh I don’t really care.

Matt:Neither do I! Anyway what are you looking for? Need some help?

Tom:Sure, I’m looking for a watch.

Matt:Where are your friends?

Tom:Oh we all split up.

RING! RING!

Matt:Wait a min, just let me take this. Hey!

Haley:Hey Matt who’s with you?

Matt:Just a guy called Tom, just met.

You hear Haley pause for a second on the other phone

Haley:Well why don’t you bring him over here now! A friend of his is looking for him.

Matt:OK will do, see you soon!

Tom:Who was that and what do they want from me?

Matt:Oh that was just my friend Haley she’s with your friend Alice and Alice is looking for you, she got lost and is very worried.

Tom:Well show me the way.

Matt:Haley is very nice trust me!

MEANWHILE

SCENE 9

Captured! ...

Alice is tied to a chair and gagged

Haley:SHUT UP!!

Alice:Mmmmmm.

Haley:GOSH? DO YOU WANT TO RUIN MY PLANS?

Alice:MMMMMMM!

RING RING!

Haley:WHAT?

Matt:I’ve got Tom and we are at the door.

Haley:BRING HIM IN!

Matt:Tom we can go in now.

Tom:Cool! Have they found the watch?

Matt:I think so!

Tom:Great!

Haley comes to the door to greet Tom

Haley:Hi my name is Haley and you must be Tom.

Tom:Where’s Alice? Have you found the watch?

Haley:Yes, yes we did. Very cool watch don’t you think?

Tom:Can I see Alice? We’d better be going now.

Haley:Sure follow me!

Go to the front of the stage where Alice is strapped to a chair

Tom:What have you done to her?!

Haley:Well Matt and I are good friends we were talking when you guys just popped out of nowhere, we quickly realized that you were time travelling and we have always wanted to do that so whist you were arguing we stole the watch but then we needed you guys to show us how it works!

Tom:That was a mouthful!

Haley:Phew!!!

Tom:Wow! What a great plan!

Alice:MMMMM!!!

Haley:Oh, yeah! Matt strap him up!

Matt:Here we go again.

Tom:Why do you want to strap me up? All you have to do is let me tell you how it works and then send me and my friends back home!

Haley:For the fun of it! Strapping people up makes you feel that much 'more 'evil!

Tom:Whatever! What about Katharine?

Haley:WHAT THERE'S ANOTHER ONE?

Tom:Mmmhmm.

Matt:Crud.

Haley:Well I hope you two can tell me everything; otherwise we shall have to find the other one.

Alice:MMMMM!

Tom:MMMM!

Haley:Matt lets get started!

Matt pulls out the watch

Haley:TELL ME HOW IT WORKS!!!

DANCE…

SCENE 10

Rescue? …

Pixie:Well I can’t see it anywhere!

Katharine:Neither, we’ve been looking for a long time!

Pixie:So I’m your granddaughter?

Katharine:Probably.

Pixie:Well I hope you find your friends and get home safely, but can I ask you a favour?

Katharine:Sure!

Pixie:Can you and your friends try and encourage more people to look after this place a bit more, I don’t like it at the moment, I want a better future.

Katharine:Ok we will try as hard as we can.

Pixie:BYE!

Katharine:See you in a few decades!

Pixie leaves and Katharine looks around she spots an open door close by and hears some voices coning from within. She thinks she hears her friends so she enters

Katharine:Hello? Hello?

Haley:Hi!

Katharine:Hi I’m looking for my…um…jacket! I think I left it here!

Haley:Oh ok? Do you want me to look in the front room for you while you search the rest of the building?

Katharine:nah that’s ok I think I left it in the front room in quite an odd spot do you mind?

Haley:Ummmm.

Katharine:I will be very quiet!

Haley:You will have to be! We are rehearsing a play in the front room! Anyway follow me.

Katharine follows Haley into the front room where she sees Alice and Tom strapped to chairs at the front of the stage.She also sees that Matt is holding the watch so she brushes past him snatching the watch as she does. She sticks it in her pocket.

Alice:MMMMM!

Tom:MMMMM!

Haley:Oh I get it, you must be the other one.

Katharine:What?

Matt:I’ll get her!

Matt snatches Katharine and ties her to the chair but doesn't notice that the watch is gone from her hand

Haley:Take the gags out!

MATT TAKES THE GAGS OUT OF TOM AND ALICE'S MOUTHS

Haley:Now speak! How does this thing work?

MATT HOLDS UP HIS HAND BUT THE WATCH IS GONE

Haley:Matt where is the watch?

Matt:Ummmm.

Haley:Well?

Matt:I don’t know?

Haley:WHAT!!!!!!!????????YOU LOST IT????!!!!!!I COULD RULE…THE WORLD…WITH THAT THING!!!!!!!!!!!!

MEANWHILE KATHARINE (SOMEHOW) STICKS HER HAND IN HER POCKET AND PULLS OUT THE WATCH HALEY SEES IT

Haley: Oh you have it smarty pants!

Katharine:I WISH ALICE TOM AND I WERE BACK IN 2010!

Haley: IT’S NOT GONNA…work.

Matt: Where did they go?

Katharine, Alice & Tom:WAOHHHH!

SCENE 11

Back home…

Alice:Thanks Katharine, you saved my butt again.

Tom:Yeah…um…thanks.

Katharine:Well what an afternoon! Dang I still have to do my homework!

Alice:Well our homework is “choose your own” this week, isn’t it?

Katharine:Yeah, why?

Alice:Well you could do it on “Warrington Past, Present, Future!”

Katharine:Good idea!

Tom:Hey maybe you could write a play about our adventures! No one will believe us anyway!

Alice:Where’s the watch?

Katharine:Oh right here but we don’t need it anymore so BYE, BYE WATCH!

CHUCKS IT IN THE TRASH

Katharine:Yeah I’ll write a play! Maybe we can perform it for the end of mid term!

Tom:Maybe.

Alice:Maybe.

THE END (ALMOST!)

COURTNEY COMES ALONG THE ROAD AND PASSES THE BIN

Courtney:OMG! Look at that beautiful watch! It’s so pretty! Everyone will think I brought it for lots of money; I wish I could go into the future and see their reaction!

WWWWOOOOAAAAHHHH!!!

'THE END! OH AND THE LAST DANCE!

By AVT and NA