ÿþ<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title> Wise Old Woman script sample </title> <META content="The Wise Old Woman play script sample excerpt." name=description> <META content="The Wise Old Woman play script sample excerpt, comic Japanese hero, Asian folktale, folktales of Japan, elementary school play scripts plays for middle school kids high school drama plays downloadable" name=keywords> <META content=index,follow name=robots> <META content="Education&#6;" name=classification> </head> <!--This script gives the background and text parameters for the The Wise Old Woman play script sample excerpt--> <body text=#008000 size=3 vLink=#ff0000 aLink=#ff9900 link=#ff0000 bgColor=#ffffff> <!--End of Script--> <!--This script sets flexible margins for the The Wise Old Woman play script sample excerpt--> <style type="text/css"> body { margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; }</style> <!--End of Script--> <!--Script for Bookstore logo and Wise Old Woman comedy scripts, skits--> <IMG width=120 border=0 height=87 align="right" src="http://www.creativeeducationalsystems.com/web_imgs/Bookstore logo.jpg"> <center> <b> <font color="ff0000"> <h1> The Wise Old Woman </h1> </font> <br> <h2> play script sample </h2> </font> </b> </center> <br> <br><br> <center> <i><b> Scene 1 </b> </center> <br> (The village square of a small rural village in Japan. Sixteenth century. Music fanfare -- somewhat pompous. The VILLAGERS appear slowly, in groups, from one side of the stage. The LORD of the VILLAGE appears smartly from the other side accompanied by his overly attentive ADVISORS. The LORD, flanked by his ADVISORS, mounts a platform and prepares to be announced. The VILLAGERS surround the platform looking eagerly, though tentatively, to hear what new law their LORD will proclaim.) <br><br> <table border="0" valign="top"> <tr> <td width="10%" valign="top"> ADVISOR 1: </td> <td> Oh, Villagers of Small Rural Village. Cast down your eyes, fall on your knees, bow your heads and cup your ears to hear the mighty words of your generous Lord. <i>(VILLAGERS do as they are told.)</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> ADVISOR 2: </td> <td> Oh, Villagers, raise your eyes to the sun... <i>(VILLAGERS do as they are told, but some of them raise over too high and fall on their backs and are helped up by their comrades. ADVISOR 2 pays no attention and continues).</i> <br><br> Consider, you unworthy insects, what great good fortune falls upon you that your new Lord, greatly blessed by all the gods and goddesses, schooled in the ways of the kingdoms of the world, brave, powerful and good looking... <i>(The LORD leans over to ADVISOR 2 and whispers something into his ear).</i> Oh, yes! ...and extremely intelligent <i>(as the LORD looks at his ADVISORS they all smile and nod vigorously)</i> will now give you his latest proclamation in order that all the village may be young and strong and effective. </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> LORD: </td> <td> All right, all of you. Stand up. <i>(They do. Pause)</i> No, come to think of it, get back down again. <i>(They do.)</i> Yes, I like that better. Now how many of you want to be young? </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> <i>(Prompted by the ADVISORS, the VILLAGERS cheer.)</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> LORD: </td> <td> How many of you want to be strong? </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> <i>(Prompted by the ADVISORS, the VILLAGERS cheer again.)</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> LORD: </td> <td> How many of you want to be effective? </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> <i>(Prompted by the ADVISORS, the VILLAGERS cheer again.)</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> LORD: </td> <td> <i>(pleased)</i> Very good! You re very good at that. Well, being greatly blessed by all the gods and goddesses, being schooled in the ways of the kingdoms of the world, being brave, being powerful and being good looking... <i>(ADVISOR 3 whispers in LORD s ear)</i> ...Oh, yes! and extremely intelligent, I have come up with the answer to your problems. Get rid of all the old people. Old people are not strong. Old people are not effective. And most of all, old people are not young! </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> <i>(ADVISORS cheer! They encourage the VILLAGERS to clap, who look at each other confusedly and hesitantly clap once or twice.) </i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> LORD: </td> <td> Old people can no longer perform useful work. They take up space. They eat food which otherwise could be used for those of us who are young. I therefore decree that once any person turns 70 years of age he or she will be taken up to the mountains and just left there. <i>(There is a stunned silence.)</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> VILLAGER 1: </td> <td> But... but they ll die! </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> LORD: </td> <td> What s your point? </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> VILLAGER 2: </td> <td> But my grandfather... </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> VILLAGER 3: </td> <td> And my great aunts and uncles... </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> VILLAGER 4: </td> <td> My poor old sick mother... </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> LORD: </td> <td> Yes, that s right. All of them. Now you re getting the idea. <i>(to ADVISOR 1)</i> They re really very good. They re not nearly as stupid as you said they were. <i>(to the VILLAGERS)</i> Well, that s it. That s my proclamation. You can go home now. </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> <i>(The VILLAGERS begin to leave, sad and defeated. )</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> LORD: </td> <td> <i>(As he leaves, to ADVISORS)</i> I thought that went rather well, didn t you? <i>(They smile, congratulate him and fan him vigorously as they all leave). </i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> <b>SCENE 2: </b> </td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> </td> <td> <i>(The Very Small Hut of the YOUNG FARMER and his mother, the WISE OLD WOMAN. It is devoid of furniture, except for a large round beach ball on which the WISE OLD WOMAN sits, rocking back and forth as if on a rocker. The YOUNG FARMER enters, looking forlorn.)</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> Mother. How are you? How s your case of the jittery shakes coming along? </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> Very well, indeed, son. The village apothecary came by with some healing herbs and I can t feel a thing anymore. The jitters are all gone. <i>(She shakes violently for a second).</i> I still shake a little from time to time. </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> That s wonderful, mother, just great. <i>(He tries to busy himself by taking vegetables out of a basket for dinner. The WOMAN watches him carefully).</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> <i>(after a pause)</i> Son, is there something wrong? </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> What? Wrong? Why whatever could be wrong? </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> Some bad news, maybe? Is there anything you want to tell me? </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> Tell you? What kind of bad news could I possibly have to tell you? </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> Oh, I don t know... maybe that I will have to be taken up into the mountains tomorrow and left just to fend for myself. <i>(She shakes).</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> <i>(not really hearing her)</i> Now it would be really bad news if I had to take you up into the mountains tomorrow and ... wait! <i>(halfway through his speech it registers)</i> You knew already?? </td> </tr> </table> <br><i> (During the preceding speech, he has bent over at the waist at a right angle and she has used his back as a table. When he gets to the word  wait! He twists around to look at her, and the food she has been preparing goes flying.)</i> <br><br> <table border="0"> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> <i>(reacting to the food)</i> Oh, my goodness. Look at this mess. I told you not to move when I m cooking. <i>(wringing her hands and then shaking)</i> May the gods bless us with enough someday to buy a kitchen table. </td> </tr> <tr> <td> &nbsp; </td> <td> <i>(She starts to clean up the mess, while the FARMER starts to help).</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> But... but how did you know? </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> The neighbors came by on their way home and told me of the Young Lord s proclamation.  May the gods have mercy on him. </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> Mother, what am I going to do? </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> Why, obey the law, my son. Haven t I always taught you that you must obey the law? </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> But mother... </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> Oh, stop worrying, son. I am not afraid of going up to the mountain. Or being left all alone. Or even... dying, if it comes to that. I would like to have a kitchen table though. </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> You amaze me, mother. </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> That s what mothers are supposed to do son. Now get back into position, and let me finish fixing you some supper. </td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> <i>(The FARMER bends over again. By now she has gathered all the food off the floor and places it on his back again)</i> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> WOMAN: </td> <td> You can take me up to the mountains tomorrow. Right now you need something to eat and a good night s sleep. </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top"> FARMER: </td> <td> <i>(still in position)</i> Yes, mother. </td> </tr> </table> <br><br> <br><br> </i> <center> <font size="4"> You can <b><font color="ff0000"> avoid shipping charges </font></b> <br> </font> and get <I>The Wise Old Woman</I> play script <br> <font color="ff0000">downloaded right to your desktop <br> <b> NOW </b></font> <br> <font color="#ff0000 size="6"><b> for just $6. </b></font> <br> <!--E-BOOK order form script for The Wise Old Woman downloadable Play Script- An adaptation of a Japanese fairytale --> <br/> <a href="http://61.creative76.pay.clickbank.net?detail=wise_old_woman" target=cb> <img src="http://www.creativeeducationalsystems.com/dwpdl/dwpadmin/images/x-click-but23.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="Buy The Wise Old Woman downloadable play script!"> </a> <!--End of script --> <br> </b> <font size="1">You will receive a Zip file containing a Word document. <br> (Why buy an ebook? 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