Jack and the Beanstalk---Bad Wolf Press

Jack's Mother
Farmers
Jack
Shepherds
Servant
Giant
Cook
Goose

A Chorus of many children is required, individual members of which will also take turns as narrators.

ENTIRE CAST (sings): :           Song 1

This is the story of a boy named Jack
It also has a giant and a goose.
This is the story of a boy named Jack
Who puts a beanstalk to extraordinary use.

Now Jack and his Mom are so poor
That Jack must go out to explore.
He will climb a beanstalk way up high
He will find his fortune in the sky.

This is the story of a boy named Jack
It also has a beanstalk and a goose.
This is the story of a boy named Jack
Who finds out there's a giant on the loose.

A giant with little appeal
Who thinks Jack would make a good meal.
He says Fee and Fi and Fo and Fum,
The giant thinks a juicy meal has come.

This is the story of a boy named Jack
It also has a giant and a goose.
This is the story of a boy named Jack
Who puts a beanstalk
Who puts a beanstalk
Who puts a beanstalk to extraordinary use.

MOTHER (sings):                                         Song 2

My son Jack is a dreamer
He dreams of adventurous stuff,
He dreams of pirates
He dreams of dragons
As if life weren't tough enough.

My son Jack is a dreamer
But please do not take offense,
But if I could change him
Just slightly change him
I'd give him some common sense
Just a little more common sense.

My Jack's been known to do some silly things
He traded our chickens for a pair of wings
A pair of wings with which he said he'd fly,
He jumped from the barn---
And he broke his arm.

My son Jack is a dreamer
But please do not take offense,
But if I could change him
Just slightly change him
I'd give him some common sense
Just a little more common sense
Just a little more common sense
Just a little more common sense.

NARRATOR (spoken):

Times are very difficult for Jack and his mother. They are down to their last bit of food. So Jack's mother tells him to take their old cow---the only thing they have of value---and sell it so they can buy food. As Jack walks down the road, leading his cow, he meets some farmers.

FARMERS:                                  Song 3

We are old farmers
We plant and we plow,
Just some old farmers
Who need a new cow.

We don't have money
But don't go away
Sell us your heifer
And here's what we'll pay:

Three magic beans
How your Mom will prize them
Three magic beans
Plant and fertilize them,
Three magic beans
We're not sure what they do
But give us your cow
And we'll give them to you.

JACK (spoken): My mother says I have to get lots of money for our cow. Boy, those beans are pretty.

FARMERS:

We are old farmers
We know what you need
You need excitement
To do a great deed.

You need adventure
A chance to explore
This is exactly
What these beans are for.

FARMERS AND CHORUS:

Three magic beans
How your Mom will prize them
Three magic beans
Plant and fertilize them,
Three magic beans
We're not sure what they do
But give us your cow
And we'll give them to you.

NARRATOR (spoken): Jack buys the beans and he happily brings them back to his mother.

MOTHER (sings):

Three stupid beans
What good will they do us?
Three stupid beans
What have you done to us?
Three lousy beans
They'll never even sprout
Three lousy beans I can only throw out!

(Jack's MOTHER throws the beans out the window.)

NARRATOR (spoken): Jack's mother throws the beans out the window, and she and Jack go to bed hungry.

(The CHORUS stands and links arms to form a horizontal beanstalk.)

NARRATOR (spoken): Early the next morning Jack wakes up to an amazing sight---a giant beanstalk in his backyard.

JACK (spoken): Wow.

(JACK moves to the base of the beanstalk)

(Sings)                                  Song 4

Look at it. It's beautiful!
So fresh, so green
The greenest green I've ever seen
With dew-drops so clear they disappear.

I'm gonna climb that beanstalk way up high
I'm gonna find my fortune in the sky.
I'm gonna climb that beanstalk way up high
I'm gonna find my fortune in the sky.

Look at it. It's wonderful!
So wide, so tall
The tallest tall I think of all
From bottom to top, it doesn't stop.

I'm gonna climb that beanstalk way up high
I'm gonna find my fortune in the sky.
I'm gonna climb that beanstalk way up high
I'm gonna find my fortune in the sky.

(JACK "climbs" the beanstalk, going from child to child in the chain.)

CHORUS:   (chants)
And he climbs, and he climbs, and he climbs, and he climbs, and he climbs, and he...

(JACK faces the audience and sings)

To hear a Real Audio song sample, click on the titles that are underlined. To hear the same samples with Windows Media Player, click on "Windows Media" near the name of the song. Please note that internet song samples have very low fidelity and rest assured that the CDs we sell sound much better. Problems hearing the music? Visit our Audio Help 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.

"The CD with both words and music was invaluable. The children picked up the singer's pauses with ease. Every child had an important part. Stage directions for scenery was great. It turned out very well. The audience gave them a standing ovation. All the parents were very pleased. My principal said it was the best show ever given at our school."
---Gayle Jackson, Teacher, (1st grade), La Porte Elementary, La Porte, TX

"I think that the music is sensational. I began playing the tape during art time and the students loved it! Pretty soon, I heard them singing the songs at recess, lunch, and even during math. (That I had to curb!) We read Jack and the Beanstalk as core literature, so it was great to compare and contrast it with the play. I find that performing plays greatly increases self-esteem and instills a sense of responsibility. They allow full-class participation and have brought my class closer together!"
---Judy Tubachnick, Teacher, (2nd grade) Pomelo Elementary, Los Angeles, CA

"Wow! My class just performed 'Jack and the Beanstalk' last night for an audience of the school body and many parents. I have never had a class do such an astounding performance. This was an experience these third graders will never forget. When were were done, the 5th grade teacher came up to me and asked, 'How did you get them to learn their parts so well?' Well, it was the music, of course, and having it on the CD worked wonders."
---Ruth Brockman, Teacher (3rd grade) North Freedom Elementary, North Freedom, WI

"I love the inspirational lyrics...I love that the play integrates so well into a literature based, whole language classroom. Most importantly, I love how performing the play makes my students feel about themselves: FANTASTIC!"
---Chris Elliott, Teacher, (1st grade) La Mariposa School, Camarillo, CA

"Every child had an important part. The stage directions for the scenery were great...The audience gave the class a standing ovation. All the parents were very pleased, and my principal said it was the best show ever given at our school."
---Gayle Jackson, Teacher (1st grade) La Porte Elementary, La Porte, TX

"The music and lyrics were easy to sing because the lyrics told the story as well as rhyming. My kindergartners did a beautiful job of learning."
---Marlene Smith, Teacher (kindergarten) Jefferson Kindergarten Center, St. Joseph, MI

"The music is well-liked by children and there are lessons in the play that children can learn from. I didn't know it could be so easy to put on a show!"
---Irene Estrella, Teacher (2nd-4th grades) Rosewood Park Elementary, Montebello, CAS

Top of Page

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
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Jack and the Beanstalk

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.

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.