Diana Rosemarie Lowery
Laguna School
Scottsdale, Arizona
89068
ABSTRACT: The play begins in a modern-day classroom with a modernday teacher quizzing her class to see if any of them know what special event we, Americans celebrate each September 17. As the play unfolds, historical characters, such as Christopher Columbus, Paul Revere, Peter Minuit, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Queen Isabella, the Indians and the Pilgrims, come from the past to tell how their contributions made it possible for us to be celebrating the Bicentennial of the American Constitution.
What the Constitution means to all Americans is introduced by the classroom teacher at the beginning of the play through the use of a series of "clues." This '"quizzing" technique is used to teach important concepts about the contents of our constitution to the audience.
Dear Parents,
Your son or daughter has been chosen for one of the parts in a play that we will be presenting entitled "A Bicentennial Birthday Party For Our Constitution." This play will be enacted for the entire student body, in the cafeteria, the last week in May or the first week in June - the exact date to be announced later when we know it.
Each child will need to assume responsibility for the costume that he/she will wear. It need not be elaborate. It is hoped that appropriate clothing can be found in the home and modified in some way to look like Colonial American attire worn in the late eighteen century (1787) if your child has this type of part. For example, knickers, short pants, and opaque hosiery or knee high boots could duplicate the knee breeches of the late eighteenth century worn by boys and men. Also hats could be of construction paper instead of material. Neck scarves could be worn together with father's heavy jacket. The parts played by The Children, in this play, will only require modern-day school attire. The Teacher will need to look like a teacher.
I'm including a picture of the Colonial characters in the play as they probably dressed in the seventeen hundreds. This is only meant to serve as a guide in helping you determine how your "actor" might dress for our performance if he or she has a colonial part.
Also please let me know if, for any reason, you and your family plan to be out of town anytime in May or the first week in June since we will depend on your child to rehearse with us.
Thank you for your cooperation ahead of time. I know that with you help our play will be a success. I will let you know the exact date and time of our final performance so that you can come to watch your child on stage.
A PLAY - "A Bicentennial Birthday Party For Our Constitution" (adapted from George Washington's Birthday Party written by Florence Brandt and published in the Instructor's "Big Book of Plays "- 1983)
CHARACTERS: Teacher, Children (any number) George Washington, Christopher Columbus, Queen Isabella, Pilgrim (or Pilgrims), Indian (or Indians), Peter Minuit, Paul Revere, King George III, Benjamin Franklin.
SETTING: A modern-day classroom in the year 1987.
PROPS: See last page for "Props Needed."
SCENERY: Have the "children" on stage seated in chairs with the teacher at his/her desk in the middle of the stage. Put present day American flag next to the teacher's desk with the Betsy Ross 13 star flag of 1776 hung on the back wall or on a suitable cardboard backing so that it is a prominent display. Have "Today's Lesson: The Constitution" sign (or written on a portable blackboard) put up as background scenery with the sign "September 17,1776.)
TEACHER: (with the pointer in hand) Class on September 17 of this year, ____, the United States of America will be celebrating the ___th birthday of the signing of a very important document in the history of our country. (This document was 200 years old in the year 1987 -- We also referred to this as our Bicentennial Year.) I'm going to give you some clues to see if you can tell me what important celebration we will be having.
Clue 1: Now listen carefully. On this day 42 prominent men gathered together and signed a document that would protect our rights and freedoms. (teacher looks around at class) Does anyone know what this could be?
CHILD __________: (excited, waving hand) I think I know. It's the birthday of the Declaration of Independence!
TEACHER: No. . .but that's a good answer. I will tell you that the Declaration of Independence is celebrated on July 4th of each year. On that day you explode fireworks and have colorful parades! .... Anyone else (looks around - no hands up) Very well then, I'll give you another clue.
Clue 2: On this day a system of government was made that would give the people the right to elect their own representatives. Anyone know what this document is yet? (looks around and Points to Child _______________)
CHILD ____________: (waving hand furiously, hamming it up) Well, my dad says that the "Bill of Rights" guarantees me the right to express my opinions on any subject, without fear of being thrown into prison. Huh! As long as I'm polite, use good language and show good taste he says that he'll listen to me. So the answer must be the "Bill of Rights.
TEACHER: What a perceptive answer ____________(name of child). However, it is not the "Bill of Rights." Actually the "Bill of Rights" was added to this document four years later,in the year 1791. (Pause~ Get ready! Here is your third clue. (Class sits up. perks up in anticipation - teacher checks around and notices that a child has just let go of a paper airplane which circles the air causing the other children to giggle and act silly. Teacher puts hands on hips,looking stern and stares around at children until they settle down to the lesson. She then proceeds.)
Clue 3: (teacher says with determination) This document has three parts. 1. It gives the people of the United States the right to make and enforce laws. 2. It divides the power among three separate branches of government, so that no one person or branch of government can take over control of the entire government and, 3. General George Washington Presided over the convention that drew up this document while James Madison acted as the chief architect.(a few children begin raising hands slowly, thoughtfully. Teacher looks around, causing to let them think)
TEACHER: Well, let's see. Who shall I call on?
CHILD ____________: Is it the birthday of the United States Constitution?
TEACHER: (looking very pleased) That's it________________(name of child) Good for you. You get an A in Social Studies!
ALL CHILDREN: (say loudly and together) A birthday! A birthday! Let's have a party -a Constitution birthday party! (all children put on hats and get noisemakers from under their chairs, and march happily around the stage, circling their chairs and singing the "Happy Birthday" song to our "Dear Constitution." When the song is finished, they go back to their designated seats.)
CHILD______________: (stands up and points to the audience and says forcefully) I'll tell you a story about our country and how it became great and about such famous people as George Washington who fought for our country and won. George Washington's men said that they lo~ed him and they said what they meant. The people elected him their first president.
CHILD ____________: President of what?
CHILD_____________: President of our United States of America. (sits down)
CHILDREN: (say together slowly and solemnly) George Washington was a great man!
GEORGE WASHINGTON: (off stage) Whoo--- calls ---my---name?
CHILDREN: (all stop and stare. They then whisper, each in turn) What was that? What was that? Who was that? What was that? Where did that voice come from?
GEORGE WASHINGTON: Who -- calls -- my -- name? (said very slowly with each word exaggerated)
CHILD_____________: (stands up, is startled, raises hand over eyebrows to squint and look out over dark audience in order to see where the voice is coming from - looks around in all directions) Is that you Mr. Washington? I was just talking about you. In fact we were just about to have a birthday party to celebrate the birthday of - of your constitution.
GEORGE WASHINGTON: (he is now standing on the stage steps in the light so that he can be seen) MY Constitution! (he puts hand over his heart! You flatter me! You mean our constitution. (he extends arms out widely as if embracing the audience and looks around at all the audience) May I join you?
CHILD ____________: We'd be honored. Please join us Mr. Washington.
GEORGE WASHINGTON: Would you mind if I brought some of my friends along?
CHILD_____________: Of course not. Any friend of yours is certainly a friend of ours. (sits down slowly) (George Washington slowly and elegantly walks up the left side steps of the stage followed by Christopher Columbus, the Pilgrims, Indians and Paul Revere. They walk slowly around the seated children until they reform a line in the center of the stage where they remain standing. All the children are seated.)
CHILD ____________: (stands up to speak, then sits down) Mr. Washington you have some strange looking friends!
GEORGE WASHINGTON: (indignantly) Indeed! You and your friends certainly appear very strange looking to us. Would you like me to introduce my distinguished friends? (Children all nod yes and appear shocked at the sight before them) First I'd like to present Mr. Christopher Columbus. Without him you would not be celebrating the Bicentennial birthday of the constitution nor would I have become president of anything. Tell them, Christopher.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: Nobody would listen to me when I said I had found that the earth they lived on was certainly round. They laughed at me and called me insane, so I went to call upon the Queen of Spain.
ALL CHILDREN: (as a chorus group) They laughed at him and called him insane, so he went to call upon the Queen of Spain.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: If you give me money, I told her Highness, I'll find a new way to get you silver and gold.
QUEEN ISABELLA: I will! You may have the ships and all of the men that you need for your voyage.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: So I sailed out to sea and discovered our sweet land of liberty.
ALL CHILDREN: (as a chorus group) So he sailed out to sea and discovered our sweet land of liberty.
CHILD_____________: (standing to speak and then sits down) We didn't forget you. We have a holiday on your birthday, too.
CHILD_____________: (standing to speak and then sits down) Not on his birthday. On October 12. That's the date he landed in America.
CHILD_____________: Come and sit here by me, Mr. Columbus. (Columbus sits down in the extra chair on stage)
GEORGE WASHINGTON: Of course, after Columbus showed them the way, many people came here. The French and the Spanish came and then, after a very long time and a very difficult voyage, the Pilgrims came from England.
PILGRIM: Yes, we did have a very hard time especially that first winter. If those first Americans - the Indians (pointing to the Indian or Indians) had not been so kind and helped us we would have all died of the cold or of starvation. You should thank them too, for building your country, America.
GEORGE WASHINGTON: Let's give three cheers for the first Americans - the Indians!
ALL CHILDREN: Hip, hip, hurrah! Hip, hip, hurrah! Hip, hip, hurrah for the Indians!
CHILD____________: (stands and points offstage to one of the characters) Who is that? (then sits down)
GEORGE WASHINGTON: Peter!
CHILD_______________: (stands to speak, then sits down) Peter, Peter who?
GEORGE WASHINGTON: (cups hands to mouth and calls to character) Peter Minuit. Now there's a man who knew how to trade! (Peter Minuit walks jauntily up onto the stage to join them)
GEORGE WASHINGTON: (speaking to Peter Minuit) Do you remember that place at one end of the Brooklyn Bridge ---It's now called Manhattan and it's a City with many, many people!
PETER MINUIT: Well, things have really changed since I made that trade. (looks at the last speaking child) You wouldn't have the city of Manhattan at all if I hadn't bought it for you. Do you know that I gave twenty-five dollars and beads for that land. (Peter has a string of beads in one hand and some play money in the other. He holds each up as he refers to them)
GEORGE WASHINGTON: Ah, yes. Life was peaceful and business was good! We all got along quite well except for those dreadful taxes!
ALL CHILDREN: Taxes! Taxes! Did you have them too?
PAUL REVERE: We sure did! Oh, excuse me.
ALL STANDING CHARACTERS: (stare at Paul who is speaking for the first time)
PAUL REVERE: I am Paul Revere, one of George Washington's friends. We had nothing but taxes and we got nothing for them. You get schools, parks, libraries, fire departments, police departments, roads and many helpers for your taxes. But we got nothing but more taxes and soldiers sent from England to make sure that we paid them. That was when we decided to send a letter to the king of England, trying to explain to him how unfair those taxes were for us.
CHILD_____________: (stands to speak and then sits down) What king?
PAUL REVERE: King George the third. We asked him to please take his soldiers back. We told him that we were able to make our own laws and that we wished to trade with anyone we chose.
CHILD_____________: (stands to speak and then sits down) What did King George the third say?
CHILD______________: (stands to speak and then sits) The king said, "No!" (King George the third walks up the steps to the stage slowly, holding a scepter in one hand and looking very regal)
KING GEORGE: (pounding his scepter on the stage floor) I said "No!" "No", "No"!
ALL CHILDREN: (speaking together as a chorus) The king said, "No!"
ALL HISTORICAL CHARACTERS: (say together rhythmically) We asked him to relax, eliminate the tax but the King said, "No!"
KING GEORGE: I said "No!", "No", "No."
ALL HISTORICAL CHARACTERS: (say together rhythmically) We wanted to be free but he pointing to the king) only sent us tea. Yes, the king said, "No!"
ALL CHILDREN: (together as a chorus) The king said, "No!"
ALL HISTORICAL CHARACTERS: (say together rhythmically) But instead of drinking tea, we dumped it in the sea.
PAUL REVERE: We knew that there would be trouble. So we gathered on the double. We even sent a delegate to France. (Benjamin Franklin enters and walks up onto the stage)
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: That's me. Benjamin Franklin at your service. (he picks up the penny, which is on the stage floor, and hold it up for all to see) A penny saved is a penny earned. Yes, I went to see the king of France, Louis the sixteenth.
CHILD_______________: France! How could you speak to him? You don't speak French!
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: Sure I do. It's easy. Come and say this after me. (children repeat with gestures) La tete (the head); le nez (the nose); la bouche (the mouth).
CHILD____________: Oh, we know that! Do you know this song? (all children sing several verses of "Alouette." After the song, George and Benjamin applaud.)
GEORGE WASHINGTON: That was very good. Thank you all.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN: Do you see? French is not too difficult. And once you understand each other's language, you can be friends. The French king Louis the sixteenth said that he would help us the American colonist.
PAUL REVERE: And he did! In the meantime I organized the Minutemen.
ALL HISTORICAL CHARACTERS: (chant together) The king said "No!" Then the redcoated soldiers came, but they didn't have a chance because he (pointing to Paul) rode and gave the signal for our soldiers to advance. (from the rear of the auditorium, a flashlight signals twice. "The William Tell Overture" is played as Paul gallops around the auditorium on a stick hobby-horse, shouting "Wake up! The Redcoats are coming, the Redcoats are coming." He continues shouting and galloping until he returns to center stage. Then George Washington steps forward and speaks.)
GEORGE WASHINGTON: We fought until the Redcoats had enough and sailed away, so that you could have a birthday party for our Constitution today. ("Happy Birthday to You, Dear Constitution" is played quietly as everyone stands up and sings it. After the song, each child steps forward and toasts a character. Each character steps forward and bows as he or she is named.)
CHILD______________: Three cheers for George Washington.
ALL: Hip, hip, hurray!
CHILD_______________: Three cheers for Christopher Columbus.
ALL: Hip, hip, hurray!
CHILD________________: Three cheers for the Indians.
ALL: Hip, hip, hurray!
CHILD________________: Three cheers for Peter Minuit.
ALL: Hip, hip, hurray!
CHILD: Three cheers for Benjamin Franklin.
ALL: Hip, hip, hurray!
CHILD______________: Three cheers for Paul Revere.
ALL: Hip, hip, hurray! Three cheers for our country of America! Hip, hip, hurray! Hip, hip, hurray! Hip, hip, hurray for America! ("Yankee Doodle" is played. Children carry flags and march around the stage, returning to center front stage when the song is finished. They bow. Curtain closes)
PROPS NEEDED
Sign with "Sept. 17, 1787" printed on it and a sign with "Today's Lesson: The Constitution".
Birthday hats and noisemakers or blowhorns, one for each child in the classroom.
Chairs, for each child and one extra for Columbus.
A desk and a pointer for the teacher.
A present day American flag (on standing post-placed on stage)
A Betsy Ross Flag (13 stars in a circular pattern) It can be made from red, white and blue fabric sewed together. The stars can be cut out of white felt and glued to the blue fabric background.
A scepter (for the King - a broom handle wrapped with gold foil paper can be used effectively)
String of beads and some play money (for Peter Minuit)
One large cardboard penny (for Ben Franklin)
Spot light or use stage lights (to highlight each historical character as they come onto stage)
Flashlight (used as a signal during Paul Revere's ride)
A large copy of the U.S. Constitution (stage scenery)
Small flags (for each child)
Decorations such as a paper mache' cake (to bring out on stage during birthday celebration at the end)
Hobby horse (for Paul Revere to ride)
Two tape players (one is to be used off-stage for the "William Tell Overture" played during Paul Revere's ride - the other can be at side stage or on the steps)
Any other stage scenery, such as a brick wall, etc. made out of large cardboard boxes, red white, or blue ribbons or streamers.
Recordings of the following songs: "Happy Birthday To You," "Alouette," "Yankee Doodle," "William Tell Overture."