Once it was winter all of the
time...
Summer was trapped in a bag inside a tipi at the snow's edge (a very, very long long way
from here). This Native American tale tells how Coyote brings summer to the world and
earns his famous gift of trickery as a reward. Our fifteen minute musical version of this
delightful story from the Crow Nation is designed especially for K-third grade
CHARACTERS:
FLEXIBLE
CASTING:
From 8-40 students.
Use as many Sky Spirits, Oak Trees, Rabbits, etc. as desired. |
Storytellers
Sky Spirits
Coyote
Oak Trees
Rabbits
Foxes
Eagles
Tipi Folk
Chorus (comprised of all students who are not playing their role
on stage at that moment)
STORYTELLER 1: Once it was winter all the time. Most of the earth was covered with snow,
and the animals were cold and hungry.
STORYTELLER 2: The Sky Spirits knew that summer was kept locked up in a bag at the edge of
the snow.
STORYTELLER 3: They needed someone to bring summer to the world, and so they turned to
Coyote for help.
(We see the COYOTE enter, shivering, walking slowly. After a few moments, from the side of
the stage we hear the SKY SPIRITS:)
SKY SPIRITS: Coyote, oh Coyote!
COYOTE: Who's there?
SKY SPIRITS: We are the sky spirits. This eternal winter must end. Will you help us?
COYOTE: What can I do?
SKY SPIRITS: You must steal summer.
COYOTE: Steal summer? I'm tired of being cold, but that sounds hard!
SKY SPIRITS (entering): Yes, but think what great honor you will ear
SKY SPIRITS:
Song 1
If you steal summer
Think how famous you will be
You'll be known as clever and smart
You'll turn sneakiness into an art.
COYOTE: I don't know if I can...
SKY SPIRITS:
If you steal summer
Think how honored you will be
You'll be respected for tricks that you play
We guarantee fame is coming your way!
You will be the stuff of legend
You're gonna have such fame
Everyone'll want your autograph
Everyone'll know your name.
CHORUS:
Coyote! Coyote!
SKY SPIRITS: Everyone will sing
Coyote! Coyote!
It's got that certain ring.
Coyote! Coyote!
Everyone will sing
Coyote! Coyote!
It's got that certain ring.
COYOTE: Well, I guess maybe I could...
SKY SPIRITS:
If you steal summer
Think how famous you will be
You'll be known as clever and smart
You'll turn sneakiness into an art.
SKY SPIRITS and CHORUS:
You will be the stuff of legend
You're gonna have such fame
Everyone'll want your autograph
Everyone'll know your name.
Coyote! Coyote!
Everyone will sing
Coyote! Coyote!
It's got that certain ring.
Coyote! Coyote!
Everyone will sing
Coyote! Coyote!
It's got that certain ring.
It's got that certain ring.
COYOTE: Yes, I'll do it! I can't wait to be clever!
SKY SPIRITS: Then you must go to the far edge of the forest. There live the Tipi Folk, the
people who keep the summer tied to one of the poles of their tipi. Good luck. They are
very clever, and no one has ever been able to steal summer from them. (exit)
COYOTE: I can't wait to try my tricks on them.
OAKS (entering): On who?
COYOTE: Who said that?
OAKS: We did, the oak trees. We're so tired of it being winter all the time. Are you
really going to steal summer? Are you that clever? Could it be that we will feel the warm
sunshine on our bark?
OAKS:
Song 2
We are old oaks but we're shaking with glee
You won't discover a happier tree
Please steal the summer as fast as you can
Tell us the details of your clever plan.
Tell us the details of your clever plan.
COYOTE (Spoken-trying hard to think): Um...
OAKS (excited): Yeah?
COYOTE: Um...
OAKS: Yeah?
COYOTE (trying to explain): I'm thinking about it.
OAKS (disappointed): Oh.
OAKS:
We are old oaks and we still have some hope
Let's pray coyote here isn't a dope
You bring the sun and then we'll make the shade
Tell us exactly what plans you have made.
Tell us exactly what plans you have made.
COYOTE (still trying hard to think): Um...
OAKS (excited): Yeah?
COYOTE: Um...
OAKS: Yeah?
COYOTE (desperate): Give me some more time.
OAKS (disappointed): Oh.
OAKS and CHORUS:
We are old oaks and things don't look so good
Go ahead chop us down use us for wood
Build a big campfire for all of the folk
Our dreams of summer have gone up in smoke.
Our dreams of summer have gone up in smoke.
(RABBITS, FOXES, and EAGLES enter, all shivering)
RABBITS, FOXES, EAGLES: Why do you look so glum, Coyote?
COYOTE: Oh, hello animals. I'm supposed to steal summer, but I have no idea how. Would you
help me?
RABBITS, FOXES, EAGLES: We'd love to help. Will you let us? We're so cold and tired of it
being winter all the time. Wouldn't it be great to have
RABBITS :
Song 3
We are white rabbits
We're dreaming of summer
When snow doesn't cover the ground.
Our ears will be flopping
As we go out hopping
For carrots that grow all year 'round.
FOXES:
We are brown foxes
We're dreaming of summer
We'll lie in the sun all we can
We'll sit by the ocean
And pile on the lotion
We'll sip lemonade and get tan.
FOXES and RABBITS:
We can help
We can help
Tell us what to do.
We can help
We can help
We want summer too.
Song List
Click on the song name to hear samples in
mp3 format. Please note that internet song samples have low fidelity and rest assured that
the CDs we sell sound much better. Problems hearing the music? Visit our Audio Help page.
Top of Page
| Vocabulary
Terms from Coyote Steals the Summer |
eternal
guarantee
tipi
bark
|
glee
glum
regal
“throwing curves” |
Vocabulary
From Stage Directions
crucial
astonished |
Top of Page
Teacher
Reviews:
To submit your own review, just e-mail it to ron@badwolfpress.com
Be sure to include your school name and what grade you teach.
"I love this show. The music is so
singable and the story is fun. When kids leave for middle school they often say one of the
things they remember the most was being in a play or performing on stage. The kids love
this. It helps them develop confidence and self-worth. And the parents love it."
---Rebecca Anderson, Teacher (K-3), Abia Judd Elementary, Prescott, AZ
"All the students were involved on the
stage---everyone had a part. The children enjoyed performing and are still singing the
songs on bus trips. They had fun."
---June Dudding, Teacher (1st grade), Margaret Leary Elementary, Butte, MT
"My students loved it -- they wanted to
perform over and over. I really appreciate the way your shows reinforce ideas and
concepts that we are studying. We do thematic based units at my school, and so many
of the topics are done in your play. There is nothing disappointing about about any
of your work in my opinion. Just keep doing more!"
---Ann Burk, Teacher, (1st grade), Montana City School, Montana City, MT
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Two of You are Planning to
Put the Play on Together??
If you ask us, we always suggest having just one class put on a play. We
think each kid is more involved, and we think it's easier for you to deal with a smaller
number of students.
But lots of teachers disagree with us.
They've been happily doing the plays together for years.
In fact, Amy Anderson, the teacher who does four musicals a year (and she talks about this on our home page) thinks two classes
together is the way to go.
Then what do I need to purchase?
Think of a musical play like a library book. Only one teacher may "check out"
(i.e. put on) the play at a time. If another teacher wants to produce the music play that
you purchased in a separate production and at a later date, you may loan
out your original plan and student copies.
Your "library" needs two copies of the play for two teachers to
put on the play at the same time. If a teacher wants her class to put on the play with
your class, she needs to buy her own copy of the play. For three or more teachers
to produce a play together, purchase three copies for your "library" and Bad
Wolf extends a Site License for all the teachers and
classes at your school.
But why can't I just make extra copies of
the play? If copies are made for a class other than the purchasing
teacher's, it's an infringement of U.S. copyright law. Yikes! Bad Wolf
likes to toe the line where Uncle Sam is concerned, so we offer a discount on the purchase
of multiple copies of the play.
If you are 2 teachers putting on the play
together...................................$60
* Includes 2 copies of the book and CD (save almost $20 off of
buying
them separately) so each of you has a CD and
book to work with.
* Free bonus: We'll throw in our famed
"Earthworms on Parade" CD. Y'know,
that's the one with the six
goofiest songs about earthworms ever written
($9.95 value.)
* Includes the right to reproduce the
script for the students in both of
your individual classes.
Questions? Call or email Ron Fink at (888) 827-8661 or ron@badwolfpress.com
(back to top) |
Two of You are Planning to Put the Play on Together??
If you ask us, we always suggest having just one class put on a play. We
think each kid is more involved,
and we think it's easier for you to deal with a smaller number of students.
But lots of teachers disagree with us. They've been happily doing
the plays together for years.
In fact, Amy Anderson, the teacher who does four musicals a year (and she talks about this on our home page)
thinks two classes together is the way to go.
But if you're gonna go this route, we want each of you to have your own
copy of the Book/CD set.
There are three very good reasons:
Each of you will start with a real book and CD, on heavy-weight paper
with an easy-flip binding.
And your disc will have all the track numbers clearly marked for each song both with and
without
singing. The numbering alone will save you real time and frustration.
We'll throw in our famed "Earthworms on Parade" CD. Y'know,
that's the one with the
six goofiest songs about earthworms ever written. A $9.95 value.
Last but not least, you'll not be breaking any copyright rules.
One of our Book/CD sets costs $39.95, but if you purchase two, the price
drops to $30 each.
So the second play is only $20!
Questions? Call or email Ron Fink at (888) 827-8661 or ron@badwolfpress.com
(back to top) |
