PLAYS FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
A PARTNERSHIP OF SEATTLE CHILDREN’S THEATRE AND CHILDREN’S THEATRE COMPANY-MINNEAPOLIS
2400 THIRD AVENUE SOUTH
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA 55404
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Goldilocks & the Three Bears,
and Little Red Riding Hood
Adapted for the Stage by
John Clark Donahue
Goldilocks & the Three Bears, and Little Red Riding Hood was first presented by The Children’s Theatre Company
for the 1969-70 season. All Rights Reserved.
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BREAKDOWN
Act 1:
Prologue
"Once Upon A Time ..."
Bear Intro
Baby
Mama
Papa
Dance
Bears Kiss
Supper
After Dinner/Star Gazing
Preparing for Bed/Going Upstairs
Going to bed
Before Breakfast
Breakfast / Start Walking in the Woods
Goldilocks Intro
Entrance
Butterfly Chase
Kills Butterfly , Picks Flowers
Seeing House, Sneaking In
Tasting Porridge
Trying Chairs
Going Upstairs
Trying Beds/ Falling Asleep
Bears Hide and Seek in Forest/Going Home
Finding Porridge Touched
Finding Chairs Touched/Broken
Creeping Around House
Going Upstairs
Discovering Goldilocks in Bed
Chase
BREAKDOWN (Cont.)
Act 2:
"Once Upon A Time ..."
Mama/ Red Scene
Mama sends Red Off
Red Enters Woods/Dance With Birds
Wolf Introduction
Wolf #2
Red/Flower Scene
Wolf Abduction of Amy
Red Meets Wolf
Tree Dance
Set Shift
Wolf Going To Grandma's House
Red/Broken Foot Dance
Wolf Gets To Grandma's
Red Gets To Grandma's
Chase
Woodsman Walking Through Woods
Woodsman Gets to Grandma's
Woodsman Finds Grandma in Trunk/ Red in Wardrobe
Wolf Appears/ Thrown into Trunk
Victory Dance/ House Shift Off
Epilogue
PROLOGUE
The Sprites play hide and seek in the forest. Kevin tags Amy. Amy, hand over eyes, counts. In
hiding, Kevin finds the Narrator's trunk DSC. Amy and Kevin open it , find 3 bowls and 2
spoons. Bowls on heads, they sword fight with the spoons. The Narrator enters, goes to the
Sprites.
NARRATOR
Why hello my little friend. This is a very nice bowl. Does it belong
to you? No. Hmm. And a good day to you. You must be the owner
of these things. No? Well that's no big surprise, since I am the
owner of it all . I know, I know you were only curious. Curiosity. I
know a tale about a curious little girl and her encounter with some
bears that I could tell you, but , No. (Narrator starts to leave, Sprites
pull him back. ) Ah. You would like to hear the story? Very well. It
might be a good story for you to hear. If you please, let's move the
trunk into the shade of this tree and we'll hear the story of
"Goldilocks and the Three Bears." (Sprites move trunk DSR. Narrator
sits on it . Sprites sit at his feet .)
Once upon a time, not so very long ago, deep in a green forest. in a
cottage of their own, there lived three bears. One was a wee little
bear.
BABY BEAR
He was a bit mischievous, but nobody minded very much. He liked
to play. He especially liked hide-and-seek games. Just like you. He
was altogether very happy with his life in the little cottage in the
woods. He was the Baby Bear.
MAMA BEAR
There was also a nice middle-sized bear. Loving and sweet, she was
the Mama Bear. She loved Baby Bear very much. They would often
play together.
PAPA BEAR
The other bear was the biggest one of all . Strong but kindly, the big
bear liked stars and berries and walks through the woods, but most
of all he liked Mama and Baby Bear. He was the Papa Bear.
NARRATOR
Bears, as you know, are big creatures and there were times when
their size would frighten those who didn't know them well. And
though they lived pretty much alone, they had each other and were
very happy with their life in their little cottage in the woods.
These bears had only kindness in their hearts for each other and for
everyone they met.
On chilly autumn nights, Papa Bear might be seen building a
crackling fire in the hearth. Baby Bear might be playing with his top
on the floor or thinking of hide-and-seek games t o play. Mama
Bear would peek out the window to see if it was late in the
afternoon and time to cook supper. With the fire lit, Papa loved to s
it in his great big chair, especially when Mama brought him the
evening newspaper to read. Sometimes it was harder to read the
paper than others, for this seemed to Baby Bear a good time for
hide-and-seek games.
BABY BEAR
Papa! Papa!
PAPA BEAR
Who's there?
BABY BEAR
Papa! Peek-a-boo--guess who!
PAPA BEAR
Mmm, I think I heard the wind blow.
BABY BEAR
Papa, over here!
PAPA BEAR
There you are, you little rascal, now hurry and help your mother.
NARRATOR
Mama Bear set her table with three bowls--an enormous one for
Papa Bear--For Papa Bear-a tiny one for Baby Bear, and one that
was neither too big nor too small for herself. Mama’s porridge was
especially wonderful stuff, but (slap) the bears always waited until
after Grace to taste it . Because the Bears considered it impolite t o
speak with mouths full , there wasn't much table conversation.
But after dinner, with Mama's warm porridge settling in their
stomachs, the bears might be seen getting up from the table and
going to their big window to open the shutters and watch the sun
go down. And when it got dark in the forest, the stars and the
moon would start to peep through the twilight and shine down on
the Three Bears.
Sprites on a ladder, hold out stars and moon on sticks.
Papa would look at the stars and say their names. The stars made
pictures in the sky. Papa's favorite constellation was Ursa Major,
the Great Bear, but Mama Bear called it the Big Dipper. And
gradually, Baby Bear would start to doze off.
MAMA BEAR
Oh, look, The man in the moon. See how he smiles... Baby, wake
up!
NARRATOR
But Baby Bear was not the only one who felt sleepy. As the stars
twinkled down, and soon all three bears would nod. They knew it
was time for bed. Then, they would wake up, Papa would close the
window and pull down the shade.
PAPA BEAR
(Yawning loudly) Oh, well.
MAMA BEAR
(With a medium yawn) Yes! It’s time to go to bed.
BABY BEAR
Not yet! I'm not tired at all!
NARRATOR
But Mama Bear knew that soon they would all be fast asleep. They
would then climb the stairs up to their bedroom where there were
three beds: a great big bed for Papa Bear, a soft, medium-sized bed
for Mama, and a wee little bed for baby.
Every night before Baby Bear went to sleep, Mama would hear him
say his prayers, reminding him of the parts he would forget.
BABY BEAR
And God bless Mama and Papa, Amen!
NARRATOR
Then, she would tuck him into his little bed, pull the covers up, and
kiss him goodnight. Papa Bear would say his prayers, too, kneeling
by the side of his great big bed and when he finished, he would
climb in while Mama plumped up his pillow, pulled up his great
big quilt and tucked him in. Then Mama would say her prayers,
turn out the lamp, and get into her bed, making sure everything
was just right. She would lay her head upon her pillow.
Goodnight Baby Bear.
Good night Papa Bear.
Goodnight Mama. Bear.
NARRATOR
And soon all three bears would be fast asleep.
Now, early one morning – and bears get up very early in the
morning – the bears began their chores. Mama Bear, seeing it was a
bright and beautiful day, went to hang the clothes out to dry.
MAMA BEAR
(Mama goes to Narrator.) Oh, the clothes! Here you are. (Narrator
gives Wash basket to Mama Bear.) You're welcome!
NARRATOR
Baby Bear was up early too.
Baby Bear, hiding behind laundry or clothesline scares Mama Bear.
BABY BEAR
Hoo hoo hoo hoo, tch, tch, tch.
NARRATOR
Papa Bear's turnip patch needed weeding.
PAPA BEAR
Hmm! Mama, all this work is making me hungry. How about
something to eat?
NARRATOR
And Mama Bear went in to make the porridge. When the porridge
was ready, they all sat down to eat.
BABY BEAR
Ouch!
PAPA BEAR
Ayee !
MAMA BEAR
Oh!
NARRATOR
The porridge was too hot.
PAPA BEAR
Hmm. I know, let's take a stroll through the woods, and the
porridge will be cool by the time we get back.
MAMA BEAR
Oh, yes, Dear. What a good idea!
PAPA BEAR
(Holding back Baby Bear.)Your mother first!
NARRATOR
The Bears closed their door, but didn't lock it because they were
trusting bears and never thought that anyone would do them any
harm. Baby Bear ran ahead.
BABY BEAR
Hurry Mama, hurry. Hee hee hee!
MAMA BEAR
Here I come! Ho, ho, ho.
NARRATOR
And off the three bears went, deeper and deeper in the woods.
Not far from the Bears' home, at the edge of the forest, lived a little
girl who, because of her hair being blonde and curly was called
Goldilocks. And on this day she had also decided to take a walk in
the woods, even though her mother had cautioned her not to . She
wasn't a very obedient little girl. Sometimes she would wipe her
nose on her hand and her hand on her dress.
That day, she saw a butterfly. And tried to catch it . She caught it .
Oh my. Little girl ! Oh, Goldilocks! Don’t... Little girl! Don't hurt the
(smack) butterfly. She wasn't a very nice little girl. You see what I
mean. She scratched herself, which wasn't very polite and pulled
her drawers. (Peeyou!) She picked flowers that she wasn't supposed
to. (Sneeze) Thank you! (squish) Oh, Goldilocks!
Anyway, Goldilocks saw the house of the Three Bears. She peeked
in the windows. She crept around the house, called in her little
voice,"Hellooo." But nobody was. home, and not being a very polite
little girl, she turned the knob, opened the door, and walked right
into the Bears' home.
The first thing she saw was three bowls of porridge. Well, she just
picked up the spoon and tried the porridge in Papa's Big Bowl.
GOLDILOCKS
Ooo! Ouch! That's too hot!
NARRATOR
Then she tried some from Mama's medium sized bowl .
GOLDILOCKS
Smack, smack, smack... No, that's too cold. Yuck.
NARRATOR
Then she saw Baby Bear's little bowl. She picked up his little spoon
and tasted some.
GOLDILOCKS
Now THIS is just right! Mmm!
NARRATOR
And you know what? She ate it all up. She ate so much porridge
that she felt tired. So she saw Papa's big chair and decided t o sit in
it.
GOLDILOCKS
Ow! That's too hard! (Goldilocks makes a Raspberry sound.) I’ll just sit
over here in this soft pink chair.
NARRATOR
And, down she sat in Mama Bear's middle-sized chair.
GOLDILOCKS
Whew! It's too soft!
NARRAOTR
It was so soft that she fell right down on the floor.
GOLDILOCKS
Not this one! Yuck! (She sees Baby Bear’s chair.) Hmm! It’s a little
blue baby chair. I’ll try it. Aahh! This one is just right!
NARRATOR
But Goldilocks sat this way and that way and rocked back and
forth and played so hard on Baby Bear's chair that she fell and
broke it to pieces.
GOLDILOCKS
Humph!
NARRATOR
Determined that she would have a nap, Goldilocks looked about
and uninvited, she went up the stairs. There she saw three beds. "
GOLDILOCKS
One, two, three.
NARRATOR
First Papa's big bed.
GOLDILOCKS
I think I’ll try this bed.
NARRATOR
And she got right in. But ...
GOLDILOCKS
Oww! It's too hard! (Goldilocks makes a Raspberry sound.) Ow! Ow!
NARRATOR
Goldilocks was so angry, she hit Papa Bear's bed with her little fists
and messed up all the covers. Then, she saw Mama Bears' bed.
GOLDILOCKS
I think I’ll try this one.
NARRATOR
She got into Mama Bear’s bed but almost disappeared.
GOLDILOCKS
Not this bed. It's too soft. Yuck!
NARRATOR
Then Goldilocks saw the wee little bed of Baby Bear.
GOLDILOCKS
Ahh! This one is just right!
NARRATOR
And she pulled up the covers and fell fast asleep.
Meanwhile, the Three Bears were on their way home, and by now
they were very hungry.
PAPA BEAR
Hmm! Berries! They're pretty good, too . I think I’ll have another.
Mama! O, Mama! Maybe I left her back at the lake. I’ll go and see.
NARRATOR
No sooner had Papa gone than Mama appeared.
MAMA BEAR
Look Papa! Berries!
PAPA BEAR
Oh, yes, my dear, have one.
MAMA BEAR
Oh it’s delicious, but where is that child of ours!
PAPA BEAR
I thought he was with you!
MAMA BEAR
Baby! Baby Bear!
PAPA BEAR
Oh, dear, watch where you... Oh, here he is . Now d o n ' t ever run
off like that again! You little dickens!
NARRATOR
So they started for home, and soon they were at the front door.
Papa went inside. Mama went in. And so did Baby Bear.
NARRATOR
They all sat down to eat their porridge. Papa Bear picked up his
spoon, looked into his big bowl and said in a terrible voice...
PAPA BEAR
Somebody's been eating my porridge.
NARRATOR
And indeed somebody had. And with that, Baby Bear went to eat
his porridge, pointed at the little bowl and said...
BABY BEAR
Somebody's been eating my porridge and look! They ate it all up!!
(crying)
NARRATOR
The three bears wondered who could have eaten their porridge.
Papa Bear paced up and down.
MAMA BEAR
Oh, do sit down dear!
NARRATOR
But when he did he exclaimed...
PAPA BEAR
Somebody's been sitting in my chair! And they got it to budge a
little!
MAMA BEAR
Look! Somebody's been sitting in my chair and squished the
cushions!
NARRATOR
And then Baby Bear tried to sit in his little blue chair, but fell down
and shouted...
BABY BEAR
Somebody sat down in my little chair and broke it all to pieces!
PAPA BEAR
There must be somebody in the house!
NARRATOR
So the Bears went to look. But no one was behind the chairs. And
no one was under the table.
BABY BEAR
Mama! Papa! Don't leave me alone!
MAMA BEAR
Where could they be?
PAPA BEAR
Hmmm.
BABY BEAR
They must be (pointing) upstairs.
MAMA BEAR
Oh yes! They must be.
PAPA BEAR
Yes they must!
NARRATOR
The bears crept to the foot of the stairs and Papa decided that he
should go up first .
PAPA BEAR
Shhh...
MAMA BEAR
Oh, dear, don' t go up there alone!
NARRATOR
And Mama Bear quickly followed.
BABY BEAR
Mama! Papa! Don't leave me here alone!
NARRATOR
And up ran Baby Bear. The Three Bears stood at the bedroom door
and looked in. Papa Bear took one look at his messed up bed and
exclaimed in his most terrible voice:
PAPA BEAR
Look! Somebody's been sleeping in my bed!
MAMA BEAR
Me too!
BABY BEAR
Look! Somebody's been sleeping in my bed. And there she is!
NARRATOR
Goldilocks opened her eyes and saw the bears. Then she jumped
out of bed and started to run. The Bears began to chase her.
Goldilocks ran this way and that, up and down. She even ran
across the Three Bears' Beds! Then she said, "Look!" and tried to get
away. Finally she ran down the stairs. She ran so fast, the bears
couldn't catch up to her. Then she ran out of the house and
slammed the door. And the bears never saw her again.
I don't think the bears were angry with Goldilocks. After all, they
would have gladly invited her in, if only she had been thoughtful
enough to ask.