Song Samples
Full Song List
1. “Let’s Cook Some History”
2. “Do I Look Like an Inca to You?”
3. “We are on a Mission”
4. “Americans Wanted”
5. “We’re the Old 300”
6. “Don’t Mess with Texas”
7. “The Alamo”
8. “Hey Sam”
9. “Let’s Sell Off New England”
10. “Cotton Is King”
11. “That Was Our Tale/ Let’s Cook (reprise)"
Casting
Flexible casting from 11-40 students.
Use as many Explorers, Mission Builders, etc. as desired;
one student can also play more than one role. Note that all
roles can be played by either boys or girls.
Script
This is the first one-third of the script:
CHARACTERS:
Teacher
Students: Anna, Barbara, Joey
Native Americans
Spanish Explorer
Mission Builders
Stephen Austin
Sara (Austin’s administrative assistant)
Old 300 (men)
Old 300 (women)
Texan Fighters
Worried Texans
Susannah Dickinson and Friend
Texas Citizens
Sam Houston
José Antonio Navarro
Working Texans
Farmers (including Oil-Covered Farmer)
Cattlemen
and a Chorus composed of all students who are not playing roles at the
time.
(We see a classroom. A TEACHER stands at the front. STUDENTS are
sitting on floor, looking bored and tired.)
TEACHER: Okay, class, it’s time to review Texas history for tomorrow’s
test.
BARBARA: But Miss Livingston, I’m hungry.
JOEY: Yeah, can’t we eat first?
TEACHER: Now class, we have to get up to when Texas becomes a
state. And we only have half an hour today.
ANNA: I can’t wait half an hour. My brain needs food.
TEACHER: Well, what better brain food is there than a little history?
BARBARA: What do you mean?
TEACHER: I’ve got an idea. You’re hungry. We need to cover
the
material. So let’s make lunch out of our lesson.
ANNA: You mean, like, eat history?
JOEY: Sounds pretty bland to me. Can’t we have a burger?
TEACHER: Nonsense. We just need a little barbecue sauce. Everything’s
better with a little barbecue sauce. Joey, Barbara, pull out that grill.
Anna, get
the history book please. This is going to be fun!
Song 1 -
Listen now!
ENTIRE CLASS:
Let’s cook, let’s cook some history today
Let’s cook, let’s cook early Texas right away
Social studies makes great food
When they’re nicely barbecued
Let’s cook, let’s cook, let’s cook
Some history today.
(A STUDENT puts a map of Texas on the barbecue. NOTE: Before
something is put on the barbecue throughout the show, it should be held
up
so the audience can see it):
Let’s cook, let’s cook some history right now
Let’s baste, let’s taste - the lone star state will make great
chow.
(A STUDENT puts a cut-out “1845” on the barbecue)
Even dates can be a thrill
When you pop them on a grill
Let’s cook, let’s cook, let’s cook
Some history right now.
Oh history’s great
Served up on a plate
Texas is a savory state
Oh history’s fun
I like it well-done
JOEY:
I like mine on a big bun.
TEACHER (spoken): That’s the spirit! History and barbecue!
They always go together!
CLASS:
Let’s cook, let’s cook some history today
Let’s cook, let’s cook early Texas right away
ANNA:
For this feast we don’t need bibs
JOEY:
Can’t we just toss on some ribs?
CLASS:
Let’s cook, let’s cook, let’s cook
Some history today.
TEACHER: Now where should we begin our feast of history?
ANNA: How about when the Spanish first landed in Texas?
BARBARA: Or how about with the Native Americans? They were here
long before the Spanish.
JOEY: Why not when the Spanish first met the Native Americans? I bet
they had some great lunches.
TEACHER: That’s a good idea. Let’s put them on the grill
and see what
happens.
(STUDENTS put Spanish Explorers and Native Americans from the
history book on the barbecue, and then move aside as the two groups appear.
We see NATIVE AMERICAN working hard with a hoe. After a few
seconds, a SPANISH EXPLORER comes up to the
NATIVE AMERICAN.)
EXPLORER: I have come from Spain in search of the Seven Cities
of Gold.
NATIVE: I’ve never heard of them.
EXPLORER: Impossible. The New World is filled with treasure. We
have heard many tales of the Seven Cities of Gold.
NATIVE: Sorry. My grandfather does tell a good story about the Five
Caves of Rabid Wolverines. I suppose something could have gotten
lost in translation.
EXPLORER: Are you going to help me or not?
NATIVE: I’m telling you you’ve got the wrong place and the
wrong people.
EXPLORER: What?
Song 2 -
Listen now!
NATIVE AMERICAN:
Do I look like an Inca to you?
Some rich king with a golden throne or two?
Would I sweat or freeze all day
In a pueblo made of clay
If I owned a big condo in Peru?
EXPLORER (moves across stage to another NATIVE AMERICAN,
dressed differently, who holds the paddle to a canoe): Hey you, where
is the gold?
NATIVE AMERICAN #2:
Do I look like an Aztec to you?
Is there one single pyramid in view?
So forget what you’ve been told
There’re no cities made of gold
There are no silver crowns in my canoe.
NATIVE AMERICANS:
There’re Apaches on the plains
Who ride swifter than the breeze
Karankowas on the coast
Smeared with alligator grease.
We’ve got furs and skins to peddle
But not a single precious metal.
NATIVE AMERICANS and CHORUS:
Do I look like an Inca to you?
Some rich king with a golden throne or two?
Would I sweat or freeze all day
In a pueblo made of clay
If I owned a big condo in Peru?
(THEY exit; TEACHER and STUDENTS appear again)
TEACHER: So what happened after the Spanish arrived?
ANNA: They built some towns and tried to settle Texas as a province.
BARBARA: And they built missions, although a lot of them weren’t
very successful.
JOEY: Yeah, missions! Many were founded by that great missionary,
Sir Francisco Brisket. And in his honor we’ll put on the barbecue
a nice big
brisket that my mom bought yesterday at the…
ANNA: Joey!
TEACHER: I think your stomach is on its own mission, Joey.
JOEY: But what about Sir Francisco? He deserves some recognition.
Maybe we could just sear a hot dog and salute it or something.
TEACHER: Here, Joey. Put this mission on the grill and try to concentrate
on some real history.
(JOEY puts a picture of a mission on the barbecue and THEY step aside.
We see THREE MISSION BUILDERS marching along. ONE is the
LEADER; the other TWO, carrying shovels and/or a Spanish flag, clearly
struggle
to follow along.)
LEADER: Come on, men, we’ve got to found another mission
before sundown.
MISSION BUILDER #1: Can’t we rest for a minute? I think I’ve
got a
boulder in my boot.
LEADER: Forward. We must lay claim to all of this land for Spain.
MISSION BUILDER #2: But this province of Texas is huge. We’re
in
the middle of nowhere.
MISSION BUILDER #1: Weren’t we in the middle of nowhere
last month?
MISSION BUILDER #2: And the month before that.
LEADER: Let’s go—we’ve got a job to do.
MISSION BUILDER #1: And it looks like we’re going nowhere in hurry
once again:
Song 3 -
Listen now!
TWO MISSION BUILDERS:
We got our orders from the King of Spain
Defend our land through heat and dust and rain
But staking out claims, man is it the pits
Let’s plant a flag or two and call it quits.
LEADER: Come on, quit dragging behind.
TWO MISSION BUILDERS:
He says get tougher, boy, and be a mensch
You gotta build a buffer ’gainst the French
But I just see swamps, deserts and ravines
And I don’t even know what “buffer” means.
ALL THREE:
We are on a mission
Put a mission here
That’s our job
On the frontier.
We are on a mission
Put a mission here
That’s our job
On the frontier.
TWO MISSION BUILDERS:
So here we are to civilize this land
You might as well build cannon out of sand
And meanwhile I’m so tired, thirsty, hot and damp
That even my old pants have got a cramp.
LEADER #1: Come on, let’s go! You! Treat that shovel with respect!
THREE MISSION BUILDERS and CHORUS:
We are on a mission
Put a mission here
That’s our job
On the frontier.
We are on a mission
Put a mission here
That’s our job
On the frontier.
(THEY exit. TEACHER and STUDENTS reappear.)
BARBARA (holding history book): Oh, I know what comes next.
TEACHER: What is it?
BARBARA (pulling out figure): It’s time for Stephen Austin, the
father
of Texas.
TEACHER: That’s right. In the early 1820s Mexico gained independence
from Spain. Stephen Austin thought Mexico might want to populate
Texas with Americans who would be loyal to Mexico.
JOEY: But why would people from the U.S. want to move to a
Mexican province?
ANNA: How about 5000 acres of land for each family at just pennies
an acre?
JOEY: That would do it.
BARBARA: But it still wasn’t easy to get people to come—Texas
was
a tough place to live.
TEACHER: Well let’s see how Stephen Austin managed it.
(BARBARA puts image on barbecue, THEY step aside. STEPHEN
AUSTIN appears, pacing, holding a piece of paper.)
AUSTIN (as he paces, to himself): I just can’t figure it out.
(shouts)
Sara, Sara, can you come in here?
SARA (entering, holding a memo pad and pen): Yes, Mr. Austin?
AUSTIN: Sara, I need some help with this flyer. I’m not getting
much
response on this Texas deal. I can’t understand. The land is fertile,
cheap,
there’s plenty of water.
SARA: How many families do you need?
AUSTIN: I promised the Mexican government I’d bring in 300.
SARA: How many have responded to your ad?
AUSTIN: Four. And that’s counting the dog who wandered in here with the flyer in his mouth.
SARA: Hmmn. Would you mind if I looked at the flyer?
AUSTIN: Please.
(Hands it to her.)
SARA (reads it, then responds): Well, it’s a good flyer. An excellent
flyer.
But I think you may need to make it more alluring. You know, pretty it
up a bit.
AUSTIN: I’ve got to be honest—it’s not going to be
a picnic in this colony.
SARA: Oh, yes, of course. But you just need to give it the right spin.
AUSTIN: Spin?
SARA: Trust me—I see a great future in spin. Here, let me show
you.
You read me a line from the ad, and I’ll give it a slight rewrite.
Song 4
AUSTIN:
No towns and no neighbors for miles across
SARA:
Get out of the traffic and be your own boss.
AUSTIN:
You must become Catholic to join in our crew
SARA:
Come visit our missions and learn Latin too.
BOTH:
Americans wanted
Come south and come west
There’s land for the asking
It’s Mexico’s best
Americans wanted
Down Mexico way
Americans wanted today.
AUSTIN:
Some Indians may scalp you and cut off your ears
SARA:
The natives are frisky and love souvenirs.
AUSTIN:
And some are fierce cannibals you’ll have to fight
SARA:
The locals will have you to dinner one night.
BOTH and CHORUS:
Americans wanted
Come south and come west
There’s land for the asking
It’s Mexico’s best
Americans wanted
Down Mexico way
Americans wanted today.
AUSTIN:
You’ll all become Mexican citizens then
SARA:
You won’t pay a penny in taxes again.
AUSTIN:
No towns and no neighbors for miles across.
SARA:
Get out of the traffic and be your own boss.
BOTH and CHORUS:
Americans wanted
Come south and come west
There’s land for the asking
It’s Mexico’s best
Americans wanted
Down Mexico way
Americans wanted today.
Americans wanted today.
(THEY exit. Two MEN and Two WOMEN enter, looking dirty and
tired, but not defeated.)
(This concludes the first one-third of the script.)
"I purchased my first play, The Texans, as a fourth grade teacher
in Dallas, Texas. While many of the students had been in the country
for several years, it was the first year in an 'English only' class for
any of them. My challenge was to get them not only to speak up, but to
stand up and sing loud and clear in front of an audience. Little did
I know at the time that you had already done all the hard work for me.
It was so easy. I just popped in the CD and gave them the words.
Everyone tried out for parts. I found a special education student in
my class to be a born star. When she took the stage, she radiated personality,
enthusiasm, and confidence.
In the twenty years that I have been teaching, I have tried many products
and programs that are supposed to help children. I don't think that I
have ever found anything that provides as much benefit to students with
so little preparation. Everything is there for you. The songs are perfect!
The are educational, yet often amusing on many levels. You guys are brilliant!
You have a devoted customer and fan in me."
---Lori Becerra, Teacher (4th grade), Ben Milam Elementary, Dallas, TX
"The songs were good, informational, and had humor. Students learn
better when
they think they are 'playing.' The songs are educational, but also entertaining."
---Patti Bradley, Teacher (4th grade), Taylor Elementary, Burleson, TX
"The play followed our Texas history curriculum quite accurately...I
would tell
teachers that have never done a play before that Bad Wolf plays are definitely
where
they should start. The directions are clear and easy to follow."
---Linda Centera, Teacher (4th grade), Dunaway Elementary, Waxahachie,
TX
"The show was extremely entertaining and also fit with our school's
curriculum. For
anyone who has reservations about doing one of these plays, I just want
to say it
really is as easy as Bad Wolf Press states. We did the program with about
100
fourth graders for PTA performances and with minimal effort from the
teachers
the performances were hits with both the kids and adults."
---Rachel Baker, Teacher (4th grade), Fernandez Elementary, San Antonio,
TX
"The songs and script are perfect. What a wonderful sense of humor!
History is a
great avenue of learning. Kids and adults of all ages love being with
plays like this.
It's easy, too. Our whole school watched us perform."
---Linda Busby, Teacher (4th and 7th grades), Rees Elementary, Houston,
TX
"I loved all the detailed instructions. The play allowed each student
to 'shine.' Some
of the more reserved students really expressed themselves openly through
their
character. The Texans was a perfect culminating activity to conclude
our year-long
study of Texas history."
---Juanita Fox, Teacher (4th grade) Coker Elementary, San Antonio, TX
"I loved seeing the children try something new. Our whole school
looks forward to
our performances. The children seem to gain a great deal of confidence
too."
---Peggy O'Leary, Teacher (4th grade), Kimberlin Academy, Garland, TX
Frequently Asked Questions About Bad Wolf Products and Licensing
How does your pricing and licensing work?
A: In short: each teacher/director using the play should have a copy of it. That's it! Your purchase gives you the right to use the play with as many classes as you wish, to photocopy the script for your actors, and to put on as many performances as you wish. This one-time purchase gives you a lifetime license. See below for more information on site licenses (for 3+ teachers or whole schools).
Q: What comes in the package?
A: Every musical play comes with the script and a 12-page Teacher's Guide that provides lots of tips and advice for using the play from start to finish. It also includes the audio recording for the play, which has all the songs both WITH and WITHOUT vocals. Sheet music is NOT included with the basic package, but it is available for $12. Extra/replacement CDs are also available for $12.
Every non-musical play comes with the script and the 12-page Teacher's Guide.
Q: I'm just one teacher putting on a play. If I use the play with multiple classes, do I have to purchase multiple licenses?
A: No! Your purchase gives you a lifetime license to be used with as many actors and classes as you wish. If other teachers/directors wish to use the play as well, they will need to purchase their own licenses.
Q: Do I need to purchase scripts for students?
A: No! Your purchase includes permission to photocopy the script for your actors.
Q: What is a "site license"? How do I know if I need one?
A site license is the economical choice when a whole school or grade level wants to put on the same play. Instead of each teacher/director having to purchase a script, the school/site can purchase
a site license. This comes with three copies of the play (or one digital download) and permission to make copies for any additional participating teachers, as well as all the actors. You do NOT need to purchase both a site license and individual copies of the play; just buy one or the other.
Q: I understand that I can get two or more scripts for $35 each. Do they have to be the same play?
Nope! The discount applies whether you are purchasing multiple copies of the same show or single copies of multiple shows.
Q: What is the difference between the printed and digital versions? Which one should I get?
There is no difference in terms of content. The printed version of a musical play comes with an audio CD in a plastic sleeve in the back of the book. The digital version comes with two downloadable files: the script (PDF format) and the songs (individual MP3 files compressed in ZIP format). The advantage of the digital version is that you will not pay shipping and you can start using it instantly. Please read the question following this one about the technical requirements for digital files.
Non-musical plays are available in the form of a printed book or a PDF file.
Q: What are the technical requirements for the digital version?
- You will need to have Adobe Reader (free) or another software application that can open PDF files.
- You will need to be able to open ZIP files. The vast majority of computers should be able to do this without difficulty. If you wish to download the music directly to your phone or tablet, you will need to download an app that will open ZIP files. Many free ones are available.
- You will need to have some kind of audio player (such as iTunes or Windows Media Player) that will play MP3 files.
Advanced technical knowledge is not required; but please note that we do not have the ability to offer technical support for issues related to digital files. If you are unsure, it is probably best to stick with the printed version.
Q: What is your return/exchange policy?
A: Bad Wolf proudly offers a 100% guarantee. You can always exchange a product for another or get a full refund. No time limits, no questions.
Q: Is it OK if I edit the script?
A: Yes! Consider the play to be a jumping-off point. You are always welcome to change or omit anything that doesn't work for your class, administration, or parents. You are welcome to rewrite
lyrics, lines, or jokes -- or add your own! (The kids love doing this, by the way.)
Q: How long does shipping take?
A: We say that you should allow for one week within the U.S., but most orders are shipped the same day and arrive 1-3 days later. International orders usually take around two weeks to arrive.
Q: Do I need to pay any performance royalties?
A: As long as your admission price is less than $5 per ticket, you never need to pay performance royalties with a Bad Wolf show. If you decide to charge more than $5 a ticket, or if you are using one of our plays for a PAID workshop, camp, assembly, etc., pay only a low 1-2% royalty on gross revenues. See our royalty page to view the rates and pay.